Learning about dog behavior can help you understand your cow dog better

Dogs have been man’s best friend for centuries together. Dogs are very loyal and in fact, these animals are considered more loyal than even human beings are. If you feed a dog, take care of it, provide it shelter and take care of its basic needs, then you own the loyalty of that dog. Dogs can respond to their caretakers and the best way they respond to them is by observing them, training under them and obeying their commands. Dogs have been used for various purposes. Most dogs are kept by human beings as pets because they offer great company and they are very lovable and affectionate if taken care of.

Dogs have also been used by humans for security purposes as watchdogs or police dogs and even as cattle dogs. Farmers and people who own cattle own cattle dogs and these dogs are specifically trained to gathering and retrieving. Farmers on large ranches in the U.S own hundreds of cattle and taking the cattle out to graze is a major part of farming and being a cowboy. When large number of cattle is taken out all together then there are chances of a goat, cow or sheep wandering off somewhere or one being a little slow than the rest and lagging behind the group. Sometimes the cattle also have danger from stray wolves or foxes that attack them.

A cow dog or cattle dog can keep the cattle safe from attack from other animals. The cow dog can also retrieve lost cattle if he has been trained efficiently. The cow dog should be a tough and aggressive dog that can stand up to all types of cattle. A cow dog is usually a short or slick haired dog and the animal should be capable of withstanding heat when the time arises. The cow dog should also shed burs and mud with absolutely minimal coat maintenance. Training plays a pivotal role when it comes to cow dogs and the best cow dogs are those who are intelligent enough to be trained by cowboys who first understand their behavior.