Harford's Apprentice

HARFORD’S APPRENTICE
Teaching the basics
of sheep herding
to a young dog
WHISTLES
When you need to be heard

2

HARFORD’S APPRENTICE
Teaching the basics
of sheep herding
to a young dog
By HARFORD LOGAN
as told to his daughter Joanne McHardy

Copyright © Harford Logan & Joanne McHardy 2020.
Illustrations by Holly Bennett & Joanne McHardy.
Published by Spirita Books
PO Box 2222, Pulborough, RH20 6AA, England.
Typeset by Lawrence of Design. Printed by Mixam UK Ltd.
The right of Harford Logan and Joanne McHardy to be identified as
the authors of the work has been asserted herein in accordance with
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the condition that it
shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or
otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form
of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and
without a similar condition including this condition being imposed
on the subsequent purchaser.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978-0-9552762-2-4

An introduction
You have a young dog, possibly but not necessarily a Border Collie. You have a
desire to train it on a series of commands and most likely, to use its instincts to
train it to herd. But where to start?
As the heritage of Logan Whistles lies with Border Collies and herding, I took the
opportunity to quiz my father, Harford Logan, on his lifetime with these dogs… …how he
went about training them to work so well. And if he were to distil all his years of experience
into a short tutorial for someone just starting out in sheepdog training, a simple but practical
guide to the crucial first stages with a young dog, what would he say?
So I offered myself up as his ‘Apprentice’ and beside a peat-fire in a little old inn,
The Saltwater Brig, on the shores of Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland, he explained
to me how he took a young dog through each stage of its early training in a way that could
bring out the dog’s own natural ability – and so help it to be the best it could be.
What follows is a summary of what he said. And the
punch-line is that the key to success is to break down
early training into simple bite-size chunks and then have
the patience to help the dog understand and then
perform what you are asking of it – the foundation
for all other learning and experience it will build
up over the years.
He’d be the first to stress that this is ‘his way’ to build those foundations for the young dog.
Every handler should take time to watch and understand how their dog learns and tailor
their approach and the speed of training to the nature of their dog.
It’s only a short guide and limited to the first months of training, so the dog has the basic
skills needed for simple farm work, but it’s an insight into the psychology between the
handler, dog and sheep that my father mastered so well and we hope you’ll find it a useful
signpost for your own journey.
Joanne McHardy
5

HARFORD LOGAN
Teaching the basics of sheep herding to a young dog
Some important points before we start…
Any tips I give about sheepdogs and herding all stem from the need I had, in
common with most shepherds, for a dog I could work with easily on the farm –
a dog I could trust to use its own intelligence and whose company I enjoyed.
Anyone who owns a dog, sheepdog or not, wants a relatively simple way to train
it and I think there’s a lot to be learned from the training of the working Border
Collie for other breeds or working situations.
The first thing to remember is that a sheepdog is part of a team and good as it may be, it
also relies on the skills and temperament of its handler. It is always good to see a dog worked
quietly, the handler keeping calm and not getting flustered when situations go wrong.
A good handler never corrects a dog for doing wrong until he is quite certain the dog knows
how to carry out the task properly. A good handler can also tell the difference between ‘hardnatured’
and ‘soft-natured’ dogs and be able to work with either type. A hard-natured dog
needs to be handled firmly but quietly. On the other hand, you need to allow a soft-natured
dog to feel that he or she is really helping and maybe has read the situation or sheep better
than you on occasion – and then they will give you of their best.
6

Some dogs showing excellent potential as a puppy can be 'spoiled' through loose, informal
and inconsistent early training. It is easy to confuse a puppy in early stages when it is friendly
and playful, by indulging it and not being firm enough on training the first simple
commands. That gives it the impression it is not actually necessary to listen to or obey
commands when asked and makes later training much more difficult.
So, before we begin on the training itself, a few early words of advice…
Start training the puppy only when it is listening – all puppies mature differently.
Be patient and wait until it is calm before beginning a training session.
Start with the basics – help your dog understand and consistently give the correct
response to Stop, Stay and Recall voice commands before moving on. Never let it loose near
sheep until it is competent on these basics.
Little and often – a young dog needs no more than ten to fifteen minutes focused
training a day. Keep it keen and wanting more.
Use repetition – to reinforce the dog's understanding of what it has already been taught
– so each time you start a short training session ask it to show you what it should already
know before you teach it something new.
Be consistent – only show you’re pleased with the dog for doing the task correctly,
don't acknowledge (and so unconsciously reward) incorrect responses or behaviours.
Keep it calm and make it fun – give commands quietly; teaching the dog to listen.
A Border Collie has acute hearing and so can be worked very quietly indeed. Shouting or
giving loud sharp whistle commands when the dog is near you will only create confusion.
Instead go back to the basics. Never push the young dog to do something it is uncomfortable
with. It should enjoy its training.
Be patient – young dogs are all different and some take much longer, months rather
than weeks, to be consistent in obeying the first basic commands. But take time to train
these basics before rushing on. It will be your fault not the dog’s if you lose patience at this
stage. The dog will soon catch up with more advanced training but only if you have taken
the time to train the essentials first. Only a slight change of tone in your voice will register
as disapproval so be careful not to appear to reprimand the dog unless you are certain sure
it understands what is required of it and the command given.
7

On to training…
When I am asked advice on training a dog, my mind always goes back to some
of the dogs that I trained as puppies that became not only very good work dogs
but also top class sheepdog trial dogs.
I had a very good team of three dogs at Lagnaha, a hill farm of over 3,000 acres in the
Highlands of Scotland; all three were National winners, Jim having won the Irish National
twice, Sweep once and then Star who won the Scottish National in the following year.
But first and foremost all three were skilled working dogs. Frequently they’d be out of sight
herding livestock across terrain that was dangerous for the livestock – and themselves.
I trained them to know what was expected of them in managing the livestock so, when
necessary, they could make decisions that were literally life and death up there on the crags.
But their foundation training as puppies was key to this and that is what I will try to explain
to you here.
You’ll find the training broken down
into a few stages each of which I’d make
sure the dog was fully able on before moving
on to the next. Take your time, all dogs are
different. Those slow to learn in early stages
can soon catch up.
You need to tailor training to suit the dog, keep it interested and keep it learning at the right
pace. Everyone runs into different problems when training dogs. It’s advisable when a
problem comes up not to be too hasty in trying to fix it, but over some time try to find the
problem from the dog’s point of view. If this can be figured out, it is much more easily solved
and well worth the extra time spent on it.
A lot of things in this early training will not make much sense to a puppy, such as to lie down,
stand, stay and come to the handler when called, but as time goes on they fall into place.
You should begin to train a puppy in all of these commands at an early stage, well before
the puppy is taken to sheep. You’ll then have some control when the puppy is introduced to
stock and it will make later training a lot simpler.
8

STAGE 1
As with any young dog, a Border Collie needs to learn to trust and respect humans.
It needs safe opportunities to explore the world in a way that helps it to learn
without feeling vulnerable.
FIRST
FEW MONTHS
Socialising &
Essential Basics
Walking on a lead
Stop | Stay | Recall
4-6
MONTHS
Introduction
to Sheep
Observing
reactions & Recall
from sheep
WHEN
KEEN
Early Herding
Skills
Right from left
‘Head of sheep’
Close Fetch
WHEN
READY
Working Standard
Herding Skills
Outrun & lift
Fetch/Drive & Shed
Look/turn back
‘Silent gather’
Thinking for
itself
Children make the perfect teachers for very young puppies with their appetite for endless
energetic play and cuddles. Fun and love in abundance. So find that inner child!
When around three or four months old, the puppy should be ready for essential basic
training. Some puppies are already listening at this age, others are quite scatterbrained.
Wait for evidence of the puppy listening to you then begin these first short training sessions.
Consistent obedience in the following few tasks provides the foundation for all other
training and for the dog's development generally. Begin by teaching it your voice commands
for this early close work – whistle commands will come later.
WALKING on a lead
I would attach a puppy to a post or gate with its lead for approximately half an hour twice
a day and for about a week to allow it to get used to being restricted in movement after the
freedom it has experienced as a puppy. Then I’d take it somewhere quiet with no other dogs
around to focus its attention on me as I begin to train it to walk on its lead. Do not accept
that a puppy can go for a walk while tugging the lead. Stop if it does and encourage it back
to you. Only walk again when the lead is loose. Do not proceed with any other training until
the dog can walk well on its lead without pulling.
9

LIE DOWN/STOP command
(For a working Collie can be the same command as Drop, Sit)
The Stop command is an absolutely essential first step in training a sheepdog. You can’t learn
to drive a car without knowing how to use the brake and you can’t become a sheepdog
handler without being able to stop your dog on command. All dogs, no matter how skilled
they eventually become, take time to learn this fundamental task, so be patient here.
To train the Stop command I’d take the puppy for a walk on its lead, then stop and quietly
give the verbal command for STOP while nudging it downward to lie down. I’d let the
puppy stay there a few moments, then say ‘That’ll do’ and allow him to stand up followed by
‘Walk On’ as we begin to walk forward again. I’d keep repeating this exercise by giving a
quiet verbal Stop command every twenty yards or so. Once it understands what it is expected
to do on the Stop command, a small tug on the lead when saying Lie Down or Stop, will be
enough to encourage it to lie down. The aim is to have the puppy reacting correctly to the
Stop command before moving on to the next stage. The dog should feel comfortable when
it responds correctly to the Stop command so praise it when you let it up from the lie down
position.
This will be enough for the first few short training sessions. I’d take the puppy back to its
kennel rather than let it run around freely or play with other dogs after training. Allow it to
think about what it has learned and be ready to want to do better, and so impress and please
you, next time.
Take as much time as it needs, weeks or months, to train the dog on this. Wait until it is
listening to you if you have no success early on. Patience is the key here and will influence
how the dog matures and learns.
STAY command
Only after the puppy is consistent in its response to the Stop command, would I introduce
the Stay command. Keeping the puppy on a long cord, I’d ask it to lie down by using the Stop
command we’ve been practicing earlier, then walk away while giving the new command,
Stay. I’d only walk away a short distance to begin with but extend the distance to twenty yards
or more over time to test its ability to stay when left. At this early stage I wouldn’t call the dog
to me after the Stay command, but would walk back to it and continue to take the dog for a
walk, stopping frequently to repeat the exercise. I’d let it run on the long lead between times
to keep it fun, but then test its ability to repeat the Stop and Stay exercise when asked.
10

RECALL command
Although from a very early age the puppy will have been encouraged to come back to its
name, you can now begin to teach it a working recall voice command such as ‘That’ll Do’ or
a short soft whistle command. Use this after the Stay command and with your puppy on a
long cord until it is consistently obedient on the Recall.
11

The use of the Whistle in training
When I was a young man I paid a lot of attention to the famous Scottish
sheepdog handlers of the day and noticed that success at sheepdog trials was
sometimes chiefly determined by how well the dog could hear the commands
being given. That made me pay particular attention to the whistle options
available – and then eventually to start designing my own whistles. I’d say that
having those whistles helped me win quite a few sheepdog trials and undoubtedly
helped me farm the open spaces of the Copeland Islands in Ireland and then our
hill farm, Lagnaha, in the Highlands of Scotland.
Having said that, during this very early stage of training you will be teaching voice commands
and then switching to whistle when they are beginning to work further away.
An exception could be the all-important Stop whistle command and perhaps a Recall whistle
command which, depending on the maturity shown by the puppy, I would sometimes begin
to introduce during these early stages of training.
If you are new to this style of whistle, this can be a time to practice using
it and perfecting your own whistle commands for introduction later –
practicing out of the dog’s hearing – so that you can reproduce those
commands easily and consistently.
Always keep your whistling very, very soft, only just loud enough for
these very sensitive dogs to hear. Your standard whistle tone should
convey that you are simply ‘asking’ them to Stop, not that you are angry
with them. Keep loud or sharp whistle tones for long distance work or
emergency stops.
12

STAGE 2
The youngest age to contemplate taking your puppy to sheep for the first time would
normally be around four to six months old and then do so once or twice a week to
test its interest – and to increase that interest. For a young dog always use quiet sheep
that are used to being herded, that walk easily on without needing to be pushed.
The sheep should not be alarmed by the young dog’s training nor have to run
around the field. They are more likely to remain calm and be easy to approach if
they feel you have control of the dog – so for now, stay close and keep the dog on
its long lead.
FIRST
FEW MONTHS
Socialising &
Essential Basics
Walking on a lead
Stop | Stay | Recall
4-6
MONTHS
Introduction
to Sheep
Observing
reactions & Recall
from sheep
WHEN
KEEN
Early Herding
Skills
Right from left
‘Head of sheep’
Close Fetch
WHEN
READY
Working Standard
Herding Skills
Outrun & lift
Fetch/Drive & Shed
Look/turn back
‘Silent gather’
Thinking for
itself
Watch the reaction of your puppy to the sheep. If it is not keen or displays any kind of
nervousness, take it away rather than insist on it being with the sheep. Every puppy matures
differently. Try again a few weeks later and repeat that until it seems to be giving the sheep
some ‘eye’. If it is showing interest, observe the kind of reaction – is it rushing in, just staring
or running around and round? It will give you a clue as to how you will have to control the
dog’s reactions while you begin the next stages of training.
13

A young dog can watch more experienced dogs work sheep. It may help build its interest
but the puppy will not learn well from observation. I do not recommend letting a young
untrained dog run with experienced dogs. Instead I’d work with it on my own, so it can
listen to me without distraction.
I keep it attached to a long cord to protect it from getting into difficulty with sheep, which
could cause lasting damage, even ruin its prospects as a working dog.
In any case it has one more vital basic task to learn before it is ready to begin sheep herding
training.
RECALL from Sheep
Keeping the puppy on a long cord, walk into a field or enclosure of sheep. Allow the
puppy to walk on ahead and then give it the Recall command; giving a small tug on the
cord at the same time. Continue to teach Recall from Sheep with the dog on a long cord
until it is calling off the sheep properly.
If when you try it without the cord it does not come back, attach the cord again and repeat
the exercise as often as you need to, over several sessions, until the puppy understands the
need to respond correctly to this last basic command.
14

STAGE 3
At around 8-12 months old your puppy may be ready to move on to some early
stage herding commands and skills. The actual age of your puppy is less important
than its proficiency on basic commands, its physical development and strength
and the level of enthusiasm it shows for herding.
FIRST
FEW MONTHS
Socialising &
Essential Basics
Walking on a lead
Stop | Stay | Recall
4-6
MONTHS
Introduction
to Sheep
Observing
reactions & Recall
from sheep
WHEN
KEEN
Early Herding
Skills
Right from left
‘Head of sheep’
Close Fetch
WHEN
READY
Working Standard
Herding Skills
Outrun & lift
Fetch/Drive & Shed
Look/turn back
‘Silent gather’
Thinking for
itself
Remember that it is much better to train your dog for ten minutes every day than expect it
to perform well after a longer training session given just once a week. Repetition reinforces
the dog’s understanding of what it has already been taught so give it the satisfaction of doing
something well, before being taught something new.
As you go through each step of this training, look for the dog’s strengths and weaknesses
and take time to think about how you will need to help it understand what you mean it to
do – only then will your commands make any sense. Dogs do not think like humans do, and
every dog thinks differently, so it is important to have the patience to find the best way to
explain to the dog what you expect of it, rather than impose your will as its “master”.
New skills you can begin to teach at this stage are:
Understanding its left from its right
Come Bye command – Go Left/Clockwise & Away to Me – Right/Anticlockwise
Going to the ‘Head of the Sheep’
Bringing the sheep towards you in a controlled way
Get Up & Walk On commands
Controlling its speed
The difference between stop and walk; refining Stop and Take Time commands
15

You, the sheep and the dog should work closely together at this early stage of training –
always be in a position to get between the dog and the sheep if needs be.
For the young dog’s first introduction to sheep, begin by having five to six sheep in an
enclosure. Take the dog quite close up to them on a long cord which you can release easily
when you feel it is settled. Some Collies will naturally go around a flock to the 'head of the
sheep' (the 12 o’clock position) directly opposite the handler (at the 6 o’clock position) with
an instinct to bring the sheep towards you.
If your dog does this naturally, then teach it the Come-Bye and Away to Me commands in
an open field to encourage its natural balance. Once it reaches the ‘head of the sheep’ give it
the Stop command. If though, your dog does not have an instinct to go around to the head
of the sheep, one way to teach it to do so is by using a Round Pen – but aim to move to the
open field once it has grasped the basics as it will learn natural balance better in the open.
If you move round the sheep, the dog will instinctively move around them in the same
direction. When you and the dog move left or clockwise give it the Come-Bye voice
command.
When you and the dog move right or anti-clockwise give it the Away to Me voice command.
If the dog tries to come around the sheep the wrong way, I would block it by immediately
walking towards it so that it has to move away from me in the direction I have asked it to go.
Left/Clockwise – Come Bye
Walk LEFT round sheep
and dog will do the same
Right/Anti-clockwise – Away to Me
Walk RIGHT around sheep
and give Away command
Dog
Dog
Sheep
Sheep
Handler
Handler
16

Whether in the open field or in a pen, I would repeat this right and left hand work often,
asking the dog to circle the sheep completely maybe five or six times each way in each training
session, so that the dog automatically associates the movement left or right with the Come
Bye and Away to Me voice commands.
Providing the dog has reached a stage where it can move to the head of the sheep in the
direction you have asked it to, and then stop on command directly opposite you, you can then
encourage it to bring those sheep towards you in a controlled way – i.e. Lift & Fetch the
sheep. Ask it to Get Up and Walk On towards the sheep, bringing them towards you while
you walk backwards about 5 or 6 yards in front of the sheep to help the young dog stay in
control and to keep the pace slow and steady. (If the sheep are tame you can use a bucket of
feed to encourage them towards you making the task easier for the dog right at the outset.)
Some novice dogs can be slow to stand again after they reach the head of the sheep, instead
staying clamped down on the ground. These dogs will need a tug on the long lead to
encourage them up and to tell them it is fine to now stand and walk towards the sheep (or
follow them if you are luring the sheep forward).
Other dogs will come towards the sheep too quickly. If yours does, immediately give it the
Stop command and introduce the Take Time verbal command when you encourage it to
stand back up and to walk on slowly. Do not let it move in amongst the sheep. If it rushes
on into the sheep, give the Stop command again and stop the session. Next time repeat the
full exercise, if needs be working very closely and with the long cord once again attached,
until the dog understands that it must keep its distance from the sheep and move them
towards you slowly, stopping on command.
Some people say that it can be difficult for a young dog to control sheep, even tame ones, in
the early stages, but the key thing is actually to show the sheep that you have the dog under
control. Watch the dog closely and make sure it is responding correctly to your commands.
If it is not, you have taken short-cuts in the dog’s training and taken it to the sheep too
early. The dog’s mistakes are usually our own. Think again about what you need to do at this
stage before moving on.
Once competent, this then is the foundation for learning the Outrun, Lift and Fetch.
17

STAGE 4
By now the young dog knows and should be responding correctly to the
Stop/Take Time, Stay, Walk On, Come Bye and Away Commands – and the
Recall. While continuing to test that the dog is consistent on these basic tasks,
now is also the time to teach it a few new skills including the following.
FIRST
FEW MONTHS
Socialising &
Essential Basics
Walking on a lead
Stop | Stay | Recall
4-6
MONTHS
Introduction
to Sheep
Observing
reactions & Recall
from sheep
WHEN
KEEN
Early Herding
Skills
Right from left
‘Head of sheep’
Close Fetch
WHEN
READY
Working Standard
Herding Skills
Outrun & lift
Fetch/Drive & Shed
Look/turn back
‘Silent gather’
Thinking for
itself
THE OUTRUN & LIFT over increasing distance
FETCH the sheep towards me in a straight line over increasing distance
DRIVE the sheep away from me in a straight line
SHED a few sheep off a flock with some urgency
LOOK BACK and fetch sheep that are left behind
While you teach these skills, talk quietly to the dog – don’t be tempted to shout. In fact, try
to use as few voice commands as possible during these new training sessions, as they may
only create confusion and encourage the dog to look back at you – a fault as far as I’m
concerned because I am training it to keep its eyes on the sheep. My approach is to show
and explain to the dog what is required by creating the right situations with the sheep and
by my own actions. Better to quietly make sure it knows what is required of it and allow the
dog to practice new ways to control the sheep so that later, when you do need to give
commands, it knows what you are asking it to do and has no need to look back at you.
Outrun & Lift at increasing distance
At these early stages of Outrun training, I would begin by asking the dog to stay at the point
at which I would normally stand, then walk backwards towards the sheep while watching
the dog to make sure it doesn’t get up. Once I am a few yards from the sheep I quietly give
the dog the Away or Come-Bye command to go out around the sheep in a wide arc.
18

(Some people crunch a paper bag or equivalent here, making a noise if the dog comes in
too close to the sheep).
The next stage, while you’re still working close
to the sheep, is to both start at the post and then
send the dog out on its Outrun to the sheep from
your side. If a young dog starts drifting in or
coming in too tight on its Outrun, don't stand
and shout at it to keep out. It won't understand
that and you'll just confuse the dog. Instead
give it the Stop command immediately – it is
very important to have control of and be able
to Stop your dog on its Outrun.
Then walk up to where the dog has stopped
and cast it out again on its Outrun. This avoids
a lot of confusion for a young dog. Eventually,
when the dog is much more experienced, it
will automatically begin to run out wider when
it hears a Stop whistle on its Outrun as it will
understand then that it is coming in too tight
to the sheep.
First stage – learning the Out-Run
Handler’s post
Sheep
Dog
Handler
Walk backwards to the sheep asking the
dog to stay at the post; then cast it out to
its left (Come Bye) or right (Away to Me)
round the sheep, not allowing it to come
in too close
19

Once the dog is showing it can to go the head of the sheep over a short distance in a smooth
wide arc, my next goal is to teach the dog to do this consistently, but over a much greater
distance. Some people increase the distance by setting the sheep further down the field –
but Lifts by young dogs in territory they do not know can quickly get out of control.
My advice would be to do things the opposite way. Begin all of your early training and close
work at the top of the field leaving plenty of room behind the sheep for a good Lift.
Work with the young dog here until it has perfected the essential basic herding skills and is
moving the sheep towards you in a controlled way on command. The repetition in getting to
this stage allows the dog to become familiar with the lay of the land for the Lift and so all he
needs to concentrate on is the movement of the sheep and the commands you are giving him.
As the dog progresses, set the sheep in the same area of the field as before but move yourself and
the dog further away from the sheep so the only change for the dog is the length of the Outrun
to get to the head of the sheep. The Lift will be in the same place so he will not be challenged
to learn a new Lift at the same time as learning a smooth Outrun over greater distance.
Fetch
Once the dog shows it can deliver a smooth Outrun and Lift, I’d then concentrate on
teaching the dog to Fetch the sheep towards me at a steady pace and in a straight line over
greater and greater distance.
If a young dog gets out of position to any one side, or flank, move your own position to
keep the dog, the sheep and you in a straight line. It is at these early stages that you instill
into the dog to need to stay direct on the sheep and to learn natural balance in doing so.
Keep commands to a minimum and allow the dog to find its own way to keep the sheep
walking steadily in a straight line towards you. This is also the foundation for the next stage,
the Drive.
Drive
Driving sheep away from the handler comes naturally to some dogs but has to be taught to
others. The more natural instinct is to go round the sheep to bring them towards you.
My way to help a young dog build the ability and confidence to eventually move sheep
forward for 60 to 70 yards without command, is to take the difficulty away as much as
possible in the early stages. I’d use free-flowing sheep that walk on easily without the young
dog having to push them and I’d also re-position the sheep for the dog as needed by my
own actions rather than issue a lot of confusing commands.
20

There seem to be two main ways to train a young dog to Drive. Firstly, with the sheep set
in the middle of the field, or, if that seems too difficult for the young dog, using a fence as a
guide. I had much better results from the mid-field method which I have found really helps
develop the dog’s natural ability and confidence in moving sheep forward without reliance
on a boundary. My dog, Sweep, was trained in this way and he went on to win the
International Drive Championship.
The aim of Drive training is to keep the dog walking straight and steadily behind its sheep;
moving them away from you rather than bringing them towards you. For young dogs that
are puzzled by this at first, I found a simple way to explain this new skill. Keeping training
in the middle of the field and to counter their instinct to herd the sheep towards me, I’d
stop the dog immediately if it tried to flank to the right or left. Then, with the dog stopped,
I’d reset myself and the sheep relative to the dog before starting the Drive again.
This regular stopping and repositioning of the dog and sheep, perhaps every two or three
yards at first, means there will be a lot of short Drives in the very early stages - but that is
fine. Be patient. I hope the diagrams illustrate the zig-zag pattern we all made as we worked
our way up the field, that zig-zag becoming a long straight line as training progressed and
the dog’s understanding and confidence improved.
I’d stay close to the dog and the sheep in these first Drive training sessions to provide
support, walking normally and relaxed even when stepping across to correct the dog’s position.
Focus the dog on walking straight behind the sheep and nothing else. Little or no voice
commands, let the dog concentrate.
As time goes by the dog will walk further and further in a straight line so the zig-zag up
the field will become less pronounced. Eventually I’d want to see that the dog has control
of and so can Drive sheep straight ahead for 50 or 60 yards with no command, or perhaps
just an occasional quiet Walk On command.
Later, with the long cord released, I would begin to teach the dog the correct pace for the
Drive by walking alongside the dog. This also begins to give it experience of the need to
either slow down or stop on command to keep the sheep moving smoothly at the correct
pace. A walking dog is a winning dog.
To keep things really simple I’d never use Flank commands or call a dog off while teaching
the Drive as it can encourage the dog to look back at you when you want it to concentrate
on walking on. At the end of Drive training I’d ask it to go around to the head of the sheep
and call it back from there, or instead, call it off at the end of a Fetch if I have asked it to
bring the sheep back to me.
21

1
Movement
up field
DRIVE 1
Drive 1
To begin, attach a long cord to
the dog for one or two sessions
and position it three or four
yards behind the sheep and
yourself slightly forward and to
the right. Then ask the dog to
take just a few steps forward at a
time directly behind the sheep
by quietly saying ‘Walk On’.
Sheep
Dog
Handler
First stage Drive –
Close ‘in-line’ position
walking forward.
Movement
up field
2
STOP
You will find the dog only walks
a few yards before heading
off-line to try to get to the
opposite side of the sheep to
you. At this point immediately
give it the Stop command, no
flank commands.
Sheep
Dog
Stop
Drive 1
Handler
Dog begins to move
‘off-line’ to the left–
instinctively trying to
get to the ‘head of the
sheep’.
3
DRIVE 2
While the dog has stopped, step
across between it and the sheep,
so that you are now on the dog’s
left. With the dog repositioned
to face the sheep, ask it to Walk
On again, moving forward in a
straight line – albeit at a slightly
different angle up the field than
before.
Movement
up field
Drive 2
Stop
Drive 1
Handler
Dog
Sheep
Creating new
‘in-line’ formation –
Walk across between
the dog and sheep, until
it is once again in line.
By repositioning
yourself and the sheep,
the dog never has to
walk backwards or
flank. You do the work
to keep the dog
walking slowly forward
in line with its sheep.
22

Movement
up field
4
STOP 2
The dog will no doubt then
quickly try to flank on the
other, right side as it doesn’t
yet understand that it is
supposed to walk straight
behind the sheep.
Immediately Stop the dog.
Drive 2
Stop
Stop
Drive 1
Handler
Dog
Sheep
Dog instinctively tries
to move ‘off-line’ to
the right –
again trying to be on
opposite side to you
Movement
up field
5
DRIVE 3
Correct the formation by
walking across between the
dog and the sheep so you are
once again on its right and the
dog is set facing straight onto
the sheep ready to begin a new
Drive. Now ask the dog to
‘Get up’ and ‘Walk On’.
Sheep
Dog
Drive 2
Stop
Handler
Drive 3
Stop
Drive 1
Correcting dog back
into ‘in-line’ –
Make sure the dog has
stopped before you reposition
yourself and
the sheep. Don’t walk
behind the dog or he’ll
look back at you rather
than at the sheep.
Movement
up field
6
Drive
PERFECTING
THE DRIVE
Aim for longer Drive
distances and fewer
corrections as you move up
the field, the dog walking
straight behind the sheep over
longer distances without
command.
Sheep
Handler
Driving for
60-70 yards –
Ultimately, you can
stand further back
from the sheep and
leave the dog to drive
them ahead without
command.
Dog
23

Shed – Separating one or more sheep off from the flock on command
When teaching a young dog the Shed I would begin with a relatively large flock or
‘packet’ of sheep (30-50 is best in my view) which will move well and attract the young dog’s
attention.
The purpose of the Shed in a working environment is to separate one or a few sheep off the
flock. For a young dog though, all it needs to understand to begin with is the need to stop
a number of the sheep in the packet from running past you. It will be excited by the
movement of a large packet of running sheep and more likely to have the instinct to step
forward between the sheep when called. With just a few slow-moving or standing sheep
you are making the task much harder for the young dog and it can put them off this type of
work. So, make it easy to begin with. As the large flock move past, call the dog in through
them anywhere at all, just as long as the result is that some sheep are held back. This teaches
the dog that there is some urgency and that the purpose of the exercise is to hold back some
sheep. To reinforce this purpose, I would then ask it to help me Drive the sheep that have
been shed out of the field or to another paddock – whether I needed them there or not.
Only when the dog has experience of this kind would I fine-tune the Shed with smaller
packets of sheep.
24

Look back
Once the dog understands the Shed I would begin to teach it the ‘Look Back’ command –
asking it to go back and fetch the sheep that have got away. By turning my body to those
sheep I would say ‘Look Back’ to the dog and it would quite quickly learn to look where I
am looking. Using flank commands I’d then ask it to Lift and Fetch those sheep to join the
others that had been shed.
Fully on command? – my test of the dog’s reactions
In the early stages of training the Come Bye and Away to Me commands, it is usual to give
a Stop command before asking the dog to change direction and move around the sheep in
the opposite way. As the dog becomes more and more used to the Flank commands, I would
allow the dog to complete a full circle of the sheep, at speed, and then give it the command
for the opposite Flank so that it turns on the spot and circles in the opposite direction without
stopping. If it can do this smoothly and correctly then that is when I consider the dog to be
‘fully on command’ and ready for farm work.
Whilst this is usually my last piece of foundation training for a young dog, it will need a good
deal of experience in a working environment to prove it is trustworthy to work the sheep at
extreme distance. And then of course there is even more refinement needed on commands
before I would begin to consider it ready to compete at sheepdog trials. Working on that
together is where the real fun starts.
25

FINAL STAGE for a young dog
Some working or sports dogs are trained to work purely on command and not
trained or expected to use their own judgement. My way is not to train sheepdogs
like robots so they do what they are told and nothing else. To my mind that would
be a terrible waste of the potential of a Border Collie, traditionally bred for its
herding instincts and to be able to manage problems that crop up perhaps out of
sight of the handler. I’d encourage the dog to use its natural talent and its brain
so that I could eventually trust it make decisions for itself.
FIRST
FEW MONTHS
Socialising &
Essential Basics
Walking on a lead
Stop | Stay | Recall
4-6
MONTHS
Introduction
to Sheep
Observing
reactions & Recall
from sheep
WHEN
KEEN
Early Herding
Skills
Right from left
‘Head of sheep’
Close Fetch
WHEN
READY
Working Standard
Herding Skills
Outrun & lift
Fetch/Drive & Shed
Look/turn back
‘Silent gather’
Thinking for
itself
So I would really enjoy it when I had a dog at this stage of its training, on command but
still inexperienced. It would now know what I meant when I ask it to do a simple task, so
I’d now begin to give it more freedom to think for itself in getting the job done.
Providing the dog was fully on command and trustworthy with sheep – rock solid on all
earlier stages of training – I’d send it out on an outrun, sometimes over rough unfamiliar
ground and then leave it to its own devices, without any further commands, to see how it
would manage to bring the sheep back to me. I’d maybe sit myself on a rock and smoke my
pipe and just watch it figuring out the best way to work those sheep back to me at a good
pace and without the need for too much running around – a ‘Silent Gather’. It would give
the dog practice in moving the sheep quietly but firmly and to deal with any tricky situations
that might crop up along the way. It also gave me the chance to observe what the dog might
be capable of.
A dog’s ability to build a relationship with the sheep is what is most important, and
is what sets a champion dog aside from the rest. A strong dog is one that commands the
respect of the sheep, standing its ground when challenged but hiding its power until it
is needed.
26

Some dogs have natural authority with sheep, others need space and time to learn how to
earn that authority and that’s what I’d make sure I’d give them at this important stage of
learning.
One of my dogs, Dick, was trained from a puppy to become one of the most successful
working and trial sheepdogs of his generation – making the Irish Team five times on five
attempts, and the Supreme Championship three times. Because I’d given Dick time during
his training to understand what was being asked of him, and the opportunity to work on
his own, very often out of sight, he was both a very useful working dog and a life saver at
trials. On one occasion when competing with Dick, I dropped my whistle in the long grass
just as he left my foot. By the time I found it he was coming though the Fetch gates with
the sheep. That’s what I mean by natural ability and control.
Although he had a bit of a checkered history by the time I began to train him, another dog
that could eventually really think for himself was Jim. I always enjoyed his company and he
helped me when I began to stock and farm the Copeland Islands which
lie just over two miles off the coast at Donaghadee in County Down.
Jim became a very talented trial dog, winning the Irish National twice
and qualifying for the Irish team at the International Championship five
times in succession. He was also a very gifted working dog and something
of a character in his own right. Always very entertaining company.
One of Jim’s pet likes was boats. When I let him out of the Land
Rover at Donaghadee to go to the island, he would fly down the
harbour as fast as he could run and jump onto the
first boat he saw. While we were at sea, he would
sit on the very point of the boat and, no matter
how high the waves were, he was happy to ride
them. There were times when you’d have thought
he could easily have been washed over-board,
but he never was. He just stood looking ahead,
often eyeing seagulls about half a mile in
front of the boat. He’d stare hard and
sway his body as if trying to get
them under his control. But
once we reached the island he
didn’t give them a second
glance.
Harford & Dick
27

It just seemed to be something he did to entertain himself while he was on the water.
A demonstration of the Border Collie’s herding instinct.
At the back of the island, three small peninsulas went out into the sea. If I put a dog
down to bring the sheep off these peninsulas, very often the sheep would jump into the
water, thinking they were safer there, before the dog could get around them. But Jim soon
figured out that rather than go down the peninsula, he should swim out to the point of the
first peninsula. This brought the sheep up the peninsula away from him.
He could have then jumped up onto the point and followed the sheep from behind, but no,
he was too busy swimming to the second headland to repeat his success with the sheep
there. By the time he got to the third peninsula all the sheep had already come back.
He figured out this little performance for himself. It was certainly very effective and probably
a bit of fun for him too.
When we were gathering sheep to give them their final medicines before lambing time,
there were often one or two weak ones that could not keep up with the rest of the flock.
When that happened, I would go ahead to the pens with the strong sheep with the help
of whatever other dog I had with me, but leave Jim with the weak ones. Jim would work
his way back to the pens on his own with these lame or weaker sheep. Sometimes it would
take him up to two hours. He let these sheep set the pace, only moving forward to the pens
when they moved in the right direction, but blocking any movement by a simple shift of his
body if they were in danger of ambling in any other direction. It was a job he loved and he
was a master at it. He just tickled them along. He never put any pressure on them but made
sure they made it to the pens in the end for their medicine. Many a time I would sit and
admire him coming slowly towards us with his charges and wish that I could have caught
it on film.
Although Dick and Jim had very different histories, and characters, both could think for
themselves as working dogs – but importantly, they’d been trained to know what they should
be thinking about and what was expected of them.
So my advice to you would be to take time to observe your dog working on its own and
help it develop both the skills and the confidence to manage sheep well, be their ‘friend’ but
command their respect and be your working partner in managing the livestock to the best
of your ability. It may demand more of you as the handler, but you will be overall a stronger
team. More than that, it will be in the livestock’s interest too.
28

The Importance of Whistle
Command Sounds for Dog Training
A good whistle is an invaluable tool for a sheep dog handler, allowing us to issue
a range of commands that are instantly recognisable to the dog working at long
distances – even in terrible weather. It’s always good to see a well-trained dog
respond instantly to the whistle commands which are easier to regulate and less
upsetting or confusing to the dog.
During the very early stages, while the dog is still working close to you, your voice commands
are fine. A dog is not actually understanding the words as we would, but is listening to the
expression and volume of your voice and watching your body language to figure out what
you mean it to do – and then whether you are asking or insisting and whether you are pleased
or disappointed, relaxed or tense.
As the dog begins to work further away, you'll find that the best way
to communicate is through whistle commands. I’ve found that dogs
respond to the very first part of a command sound – whether it’s
voice or whistle. It’s why most Border Collie names are just one syllable
– Cap, Moss, Dick, Roy etc..
I always teach a dog its whistle commands by using the whistle command
before the voice command it knows. That way it is picking up the whistle first
and will very soon be reacting faster to whistle than to voice.
Make sure you use a consistent tone for each command, so practice with the
whistle out of the dog's hearing until you can produce clear consistent tones.
Although there are some commonly used whistle command sounds – and you
can find examples and sound clips in our Whistle Command Sound Guide – you
can create your own set of commands sounds, ones that you find easy to produce
again and again and that you remember easily too. The key is to make sure that each
command is very different so the dog is able to distinguish between them easily.
Our Whistle Command Sound Guide is an online resource and includes advice on…
29

How to use a Logan Whistle – including a video demonstration.
The first basic sounds – to practice with the whistle – the foundation of all whistle
commands.
And provides sound clips (which you can download) and visual guidance to help
you build up your own ‘set’ of commands – a ‘whistle language’ for you and your dog.
The Logan Whistle Command Sound Guide is available from www.loganwhistles.com
More from Harford Logan…
‘Over the Hills and Far Away’
The escapades and winning ways of Harford Logan and his Border Collies’
Harford has spent a lifetime working in partnership with his Border Collies –
winning his very first sheepdog trial and then regularly taking home the Irish
National Championship Cup. Here he candidly shares some of his magic and takes
us through the trials and tribulations of training the very boisterous puppy, Dick,
to become a top class working and trial dog.
About Us
Harford Logan, from County Down in Northern Ireland, has been winning and judging
sheepdog trials for well over 60 years. In 2010 he was awarded the International Sheep Dog
Society's most prestigious award, the Wilkinson Sword, for his 'outstanding contribution
to the Society, sheepdogs and trialing'. Seven times he won the ISDS National Sheep Dog
Championship (six times for Ireland & once for Scotland), and has for decades been a
respected judge of trials in the UK & Ireland, North America and across Europe. He is still an
avid watcher of young handlers and novice dogs, always on the look-out for the next champions.
Joanne McHardy, Harford’s daughter grew up surrounded by Border Collies. but left the
family farm in Ireland to pursue a career in business and the arts in London. By 2006 she
returned to country living, firstly helping her father write his book, Over the Hills and Far
Away. Her focus has most recently been on developing the Logan Whistles business whose
products are now recognised and valued worldwide.
30

31

HARFORD’S APPRENTICE
You have a young dog, possibly but not necessarily a Border Collie.
You have a desire to train it on a series of commands and most likely,
to use its instincts to train it to herd. But where to start?
As the heritage of Logan Whistles lies with Border Collies and herding, I took the
opportunity to quiz my father, Harford Logan, on his lifetime with these dogs…
…how he went about training them to work so well. And if he were to distil all
his years of experience into a short tutorial for someone just starting out in
sheepdog training, a simple but practical guide to the crucial first stages with
a young dog, what would he say?
So I offered myself up as his ‘Apprentice’ and beside a peat-fire in a little old inn
on the shores of Strangford Lough in Ireland, he explained to me how he took
a young dog through each stage of its early training in a way that could bring
out the dog’s own natural ability – and so help it to be the best it could be.
WHISTLES
When you need to be heard