Prey Drive vs. Herding Instinct: They're Not the Same
Why confusing predatory motor patterns with true herding instinct leads to training disasters and misguided breeding decisions. A behavioral scientist's perspective.
Research Articles
Peer-informed insights from two decades of field research and laboratory studies. Each article draws on published research, practical experience with working dogs, and the hard-won wisdom of the shepherds who work alongside them.
The Critical Periods Nobody Talks About
The developmental windows that determine whether a dog's genetic potential for herding work manifests, and why most breeders get timing wrong.
The Genetic Roots of the 'Eye': What Makes a Border Collie Stare
Exploring the neurological and genetic basis for the intense, fixed stare that defines Border Collie herding style, drawing on two decades of field observation and laboratory research.
Why Some Herding Dogs Never 'Turn On'
Investigating why dogs from strong working lines sometimes never develop herding behavior, and what this teaches us about gene-environment interactions in behavioral development.