Herding at
Rancho Terra Norté

If you are interested in working with your dog in one of the oldest team activities known to man: Herding. Rancho Terra Norté has an active training program to help you and your dog achieve your potential. While we love working with Shepherds, other herding & working breeds are welcome.

Training Program

How do I get started?

1. Herding Instinct Evaluation (HIT)

  • Determines dog’s herding acumen - instincts to control and maneuver stock
  • Gauges dog’s trainability - impulse control and level of  obedience, 
  • Stockmanship of the handler - experience working with livestock and dogs 

2. Lessons

  • For most teams, if you commit to a 1-hour lesson on stock/week and 10 minutes of dry work/day, you can be competitive in a few months.

3. RTN Intro Package

  • Includes herding instinct evaluation and your first two lessons.
Schedule an Evaluation

What to Expect

  • Herding is like no other sport you will do with your dog. It is exciting, challenging, frustrating, and incredibly rewarding.
  • Herding involves three different free-thinking beings — handler, dog, and stock. Living beings come with variables which may or may not work in your favor that day.
  • When it all comes together, it is beautiful to be a part of your dog excelling at what they were created to do. When it doesn’t go so well, we remind ourselves they’re still good boys and girls, tell them that, and move on (and maybe sit down in the shade with a cold drink).
Training session at Rancho Terra Norté

Additional Learning Opportunities at RTN

Multi-Day Intensives

Multi-day intensives at RTN are perfect for those who want to accelerate development of their herding skills, and handlers from outside the region who wish to train at RTN. Lodging and kennel space is available on site, plus ample space for dry camping if you bring your own rig. This is an immersive experience bespoke to each handler and dog team.

Events and Trials

RTN hosts AKC and AHBA trials in addition to specialty clinics and Fun Days. Check out our annual Herding Symposium, which draws herding community members from all over North America and features instruction from professional European shepherds.

Interested in going deeper? RTN offers immersive training opportunities beyond weekly lessons.

Inquire Here
Rancho Terra Norte - Home of the Northern Colorado Herding Cooperative

Co-Op

Rancho Terra Norté is the home of the Northern Colorado Herding Cooperative, a diverse group of handlers and their dogs who enjoy training and competing together. Membership ranges from novice beginners to experienced advanced handlers, including several AKC, AHBA and USBCHA Herding Judges.

The co-op developed in response to the need for a training facility where instruction could be tailored to each individual type of dog and their innate style of herding. Herding enthusiasts banded together to fund critical infrastructure such as gates, fencing materials, and herding equipment. In April 2003, the first 15 members invested their membership fees and their time to build RTN into a destination.

While you don't have to be a member to participate in activities at RTN, membership benefits include reduced rates for lessons & stock fees and priority for working slots at clinics and special events. The co-op offers membership in exchange for a one-time, non-refundable fee that supports facilities improvements and annual work days.

Co-op work day at RTN

Herding 101: Basics & Vocabulary

Herding plays on the roles of predator and prey. The livestock are the prey and the dog is the predator. Depending on how the human is behaving, they can be a member of the flock or a co-predator. By positioning the handler and the dog in different ways, the livestock are manipulated.

Suggested video: a 60–90 second “How herding works” primer (handler + dog + stock).

Herding Terms

Fetching

The dog brings the stock to the handler.

Fetching example

Driving

The dog drives the stock away from the handler.

Driving example

Flanking

The dog moves around the outside of the stock.

Flanking example

“Go By”

Moving clockwise (“by the clock”).

Go By example

“Away”

Moving counter-clockwise (“away from the clock”).

Away example

“Walk Up”

Dog walks towards the stock.

Walk up example

“Go / Get Back”

Dog turns off and moves away from the stock.

“Look Back”

Dog turns to check stock behind.

Look back example

“That’ll Do”

The dog is finished; disconnect from stock and return to the handler.

Styles of Herding

Different breeds tend to influence stock in different ways. Here are two common styles you’ll see at RTN.

“Tight eyed”

Tight eyed dogs use intimidation to get the stock to do its bidding.

  • Use posture and eye to apply pressure.
  • Often do best in pasture situations and larger spaces.

Examples: Border Collies, Kelpies, Aussies

Upright or “Loose eyed”

Upright or loose eyed dogs influence the stock with more of a guardian/enforcer presence.

Upright or loose eyed herding example
  • Use posture to escort and manage stock movement.
  • Comfortable in arenas or fields; prefer practical efficiency.

Examples: GSD, Collies, Rotties, Bouviers

Different dogs solve stock problems in different ways — understanding style helps handlers train more clearly and more effectively.

AKC Herding Trials

Unlike the ASCA (Aussie) or USBCHA (Border Collie) programs that showcase the working style of a particular breed, the AKC and AHBA herding programs  are designed to exhibit the diverse styles of
herding found in the “Herding & Working” group.

AKC

Elements | Tests | Trials

Herding Test — “HT” (Pass/Fail)

Dogs enter small arena (100 x 100 ft) on lead.

Three head of sheep or goats are placed in the arena. The dog is expected to wait until the handler asks the dog to move — either to flank around and gather or walk up. The handler/dog must move stock in a controlled manner back & forth across the arena between two cones (generally three passes). The dog must flank in both directions (By and Away). The handler must call the dog off the stock — “That’ll Do”.

You need 2 legs under different judges to get the HT title.

AKC herding test diagram

Pre-Trial — “PT” (Pass/Fail)

This class is in a bigger arena (100 x 200 ft) and shows the basic elements found on the trial course.

Gather, controlled movement, pause/change of direction, and pen. Handler leashes the dog at the end — “That’ll Do”.

Dog needs 2 legs under different judges.

AKC pre-trial diagram

PT with Boundary + 3-sided Graze (Pass/Fail)

This class is in a bigger arena (100 x 200 ft) and shows the basic elements found on the C course.

The handler releases the dog; stock move down the fence and around panels. The dog works the flock from its side of the border. The team demonstrates a controlled graze, a pause, and then proceeds to pen — “That’ll Do”.

Dog needs 2 legs under different judges.

AKC PT boundary diagram

A-Course (Arena)

3 levels: Started, Intermediate, Advanced. Judged by points and time.

3 qualifying legs needed under different judges; minimum score requirements apply per obstacle.

AKC A-course diagram

B-Course (Pasture/Field)

3 levels: Started, Intermediate, Advanced. Judged by points and time.

3 qualifying legs needed under different judges; minimum score requirements apply per obstacle.

AKC B-course diagram

C-Course (Tending)

Do you have a tending breed?

German Shepherds, Beaucerons, Bouviers, Briards, Belgian Shepherds, Tervurens, Malinois, and Bearded Collies are a few breeds that instinctually look for borders and excel in this style of herding.

AKC C-course diagram

D-Course (Ranch)

The D course emulates ranch work and incorporates multiple spaces and practical tasks (sorting, chutes, loading, setting stock) alongside classic trial elements. Runs are judged by points and time.

Ranch course example
Ask About Trials & Training