# Goose herding



## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

I didn't want to hijack another thread that mentioned geese, but wondered if anyone else had experience with herding geese with their poodle. Sailor, my Standard, had a herding class and he was able to gather the flock of six geese and put them into corners and also into a pen. It was very basic, but we had lots of fun. He was quite nonchalant about the whole thing and the geese never honked or hissed, just slowly waddled to where he pushed them. There was a Rottweiler in the class and she also did an excellent job with the geese. The other dogs in the class were Australian and English Shepherds. They were much more intense and had to be pulled off the geese because they scattered them and sent them flying in different directions. I got quite adept at grabbing the gander by the neck, pinning his wings down and toting him back to his pen after class. The geese would follow us. You do not want to be on the receiving end of a gander "bite".


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## AngelAviary (Aug 12, 2014)

Never had an experience myself but I have heard of people using their Standards to herd. They used them to herd sheep. I think they would be able to do it, smart and athletic enough.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Oh, Sailor did pass a herding instinct test with sheep. He was the only poodle in the group and they made him go first... "to get it over with". He had the sheep changing directions and everything. After all the dogs were tested, he was awarded star pupil. Not bad, for a non-herding breed. The biggest problem for us was that we did not have ready access to sheep; nor the desire to make herding our life. It was fun, though.


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

Killa herds the chickens for me. It's not a formal class/training thing at all, just some fun home taught training. It is such a big help because I can have her herd them right into my arms or right back into the pen depending on what needs to be done. Now we just got to ducklings before Easter and they are not as responsive to her. I don't know whether it's because they are bigger than her now and just not scared of her or if it's because they are plain out stupid lol. She will be doing her little poodle nose poke thing with them and they just stand there like nothing is going on. Eventually she and I get bored and move on to the chickens, they are so much more fun for her, lol.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Sailor used to put our chickens away, too. With the chickens though, it really was just a matter of driving them into their coop. The geese actually operated as a flock, moving together for the most part. Chickens... well, eventually they would all go in to roost, but they didn't really care if they were with their fellow biddies or not. I agree about ducks. I don't know if the ducks we used were too imprinted on humans or what, but they were not good herding subjects. I would love to see a Toy herding!


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

Actually Poodle can earn herding titles in AHBA where they are listed under "Multipurpose Breeds With A Herding Background"


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

poodlecrazy#1 said:


> Killa herds the chickens for me. It's not a formal class/training thing at all, just some fun home taught training. It is such a big help because I can have her herd them right into my arms or right back into the pen depending on what needs to be done. Now we just got to ducklings before Easter and they are not as responsive to her. I don't know whether it's because they are bigger than her now and just not scared of her or if it's because they are plain out stupid lol. She will be doing her little poodle nose poke thing with them and they just stand there like nothing is going on. Eventually she and I get bored and move on to the chickens, they are so much more fun for her, lol.


I've a mental picture of a darling Tpoo named Killa successfully herding chickens and nose bonking duckies and it's clear this is the dog of a lifetime . I love this picture!

And yes, I've a Tpoo who seems pretty herdy too, though he's so birdy I don't know that he could be trusted on any fowl. Dude probably would attempt to work sheep; after all he herds a cat all the time . (Who chases him right back.)

Killa what an amazing and successful Toy Poodle you are, not to mention what a great trainer your mum is !


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Charmed said:


> I didn't want to hijack another thread that mentioned geese, but wondered if anyone else had experience with herding geese with their poodle. Sailor, my Standard, had a herding class and he was able to gather the flock of six geese and put them into corners and also into a pen. It was very basic, but we had lots of fun. He was quite nonchalant about the whole thing and the geese never honked or hissed, just slowly waddled to where he pushed them. There was a Rottweiler in the class and she also did an excellent job with the geese. The other dogs in the class were Australian and English Shepherds. They were much more intense and had to be pulled off the geese because they scattered them and sent them flying in different directions. I got quite adept at grabbing the gander by the neck, pinning his wings down and toting him back to his pen after class. The geese would follow us. You do not want to be on the receiving end of a gander "bite".


Charmed, I would love to have watched that. 

"get it over with", indeed. Yes, make way for the *SPOO*; let him show you how it's done.


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## poodlecrazy#1 (Jul 2, 2013)

Yes I guess operating as a flock would make things much different. I would take her to the local collage and have her try and heard the Canadian Geese there but the are pretty nasty things and she is so tiny lol. 

I wish I could get a decent video of her herding the chickens (especially now she is so much better at it) but I can not figure out the logistics of the camera. I would need a videographer or an iPhone tripod (if they even make those). I will see if I can figure something else out though. If not I'm sure I can at least get a video of her nose prodding the ducklings lol. It's so funny.


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