Herding Dogs Beyond the Paddock: Understanding Behaviour in Pet Homes with Jessica Strain
Your Webinar Description:
Herding dogs are often described as intense, challenging, or difficult to live with in modern pet homes. Many of the behaviours that concern owners and professionals alike—such as hypervigilance, reactivity, motion sensitivity, and difficulty settling—are frequently interpreted as training or management issues. In reality, these behaviours are often closely linked to the traits deliberately selected for in working herding dogs.
This educational webinar explores what herding really is, the functional traits bred into herding dogs, and how those traits can manifest in everyday pet environments. Using Border Collies, Australian Kelpies, and Australian Cattle Dogs as primary examples, the session examines differences in herding styles, working roles, and breeding lines, and how these factors influence behaviour.
By grounding behaviour in breed purpose and genetics, this webinar aims to support professionals in developing more accurate expectations, clearer explanations for clients, and a deeper understanding of why certain behaviour patterns are so common in herding dogs living as pets.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the functional purpose of herding dogs and the traits selected for in working lines
- Identify key differences in herding styles across Border Collies, Australian Kelpies, and Australian Cattle Dogs
- Explain how breeding, selection, and bloodlines can influence behavioural expression
- Recognise common behaviour patterns in herding dogs that are closely linked to genetic and functional traits
- Apply a breed-informed lens when interpreting behaviour in herding dogs living in pet homes
Your Presenters- Jessica Strain
Jessica Strain is a dog behaviour trainer and the founder of The Mindful Canine, based in Canberra, Australia, where she works exclusively with herding breeds. Her work focuses on helping dogs bred for intensive working roles adapt successfully to life in modern pet homes, with an emphasis on understanding breed-specific instincts, welfare, and realistic expectations.
Jessica has over 18 years’ experience working with dogs in a variety of roles, including as a professional trainer, dog club instructor, veterinary nurse, foster carer, and shelter volunteer. She is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP), a qualified Family Dog Mediator (FDM), and holds a Certificate III in Animal Studies. Her approach is force-free and grounded in both behavioural science and practical, real-world application.
Jessica lives and works alongside herding dogs and actively participates in sheep herding with her own Border Collie–Kelpie crosses, Winston and Archie. This hands-on experience informs her education work and supports her passion for helping professionals and owners better understand why herding dogs behave the way they do
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