Herding with our Australian Shepherd in Montemor-oNovo

On the Last Weekend there was an International Meeting of shepherd dogs in Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal, and we had the chance to go on the 25 of April to try out the initial herding with our Australian Shepherd.

So we pack everything in and there we went for about a 4 hour drive.

We went through beautiful green fields and could enjoy our Alentejo after a rain season that left full of yellow and purple flours in the meddle of green plains and oak trees.

Herdade do Freixo is a big ecological farm and in the words of my son was full of animals, like pigs, sheep, donkeys and a few horses that gave a characteristically smell.

After a small debate about the state of herding initiatives and schools in Portugal, a nice couple of Trás-os-Montes (way north of Portugal) that has a hotel and farm, Quinta Equestre da Sardoeira ,by them self were kind to give me and my Australian Shepherd an introduction to herding.

As expected, Teco who had the chance to try and enjoy before herding, was exited enough to jump over the gate near the sheep and show what is truly brave full heart of an Australian Shepherd. This is my BOY !!!

Angel was interested but thinking, what is intend to do with this ? and she just kept looking at me for a hint and I was like “how can I explain …”

Cookie was also interested but she thought that they were to big … I suppose they are for a 6 month puppy.

In the end, like always I just had the feeling if I had the chance of go to a school I could teach my aussies to herd, since they have the interest and the feeling in the right place.

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