The Morning After Certification
I remember a handler at Blackdown Hills Farm who called me the morning after her Australian Shepherd passed his HIC. She was elated, talking a mile a minute about herding trials and working farm dogs and Scottish hill shepherding. She wanted to know how quickly they could compete.
I had to slow her down. The HIC is a starting point, not an arrival. The journey from instinct certification to working competence involves months or years of patient development. If you have not yet taken the test, our guide on what happens during an HIC evaluation provides essential background.
But what a journey it is. Watching raw instinct transform into controlled, reliable work remains one of the most satisfying experiences in dog training. If you are ready to begin that process, here is what comes next.
Finding the Right Trainer
Your choice of trainer matters more than almost any other factor in your dog’s development. The wrong trainer can damage confidence, create bad habits, or suppress the instinct you just discovered. The right trainer builds on natural ability while developing handler skills alongside dog skills.
What to Look For
Seek trainers with experience in your breed or breed type. Border Collie trainers do not always understand how to work with German Shepherds. Australian Cattle Dog specialists may struggle with the softer temperament of Shelties. Breed-appropriate training methods matter enormously.
Visit potential trainers before committing. Watch lessons with other students. Observe how they handle dogs that make mistakes, dogs that struggle, dogs that lose focus. The trainer’s response to problems reveals more than their handling of dogs that are working well.
Ask about their philosophy on correction and pressure. Traditional herding training used significant correction, including physical pressure that modern trainers increasingly avoid. Understand where your potential trainer falls on this spectrum and whether their approach matches your values.
Questions to Ask
- How long have you been training herding dogs?
- What breeds do you work with most frequently?
- How many dogs are in a typical lesson?
- What does early progression look like with your program?
- How do you handle dogs that show fear or stress?
- Can I observe a lesson before signing up?
Red Flags
Be cautious of trainers who guarantee results or promise rapid progression. Herding development varies enormously between individuals. Trainers who make specific timeline promises either do not understand this variation or are not being honest.
Watch for trainers who blame the dog excessively. While some dogs genuinely lack the temperament or instinct for serious work, trainers who consistently attribute problems to dogs rather than examining training methods may not be the partners you need.
Avoid trainers who will not let you observe or who discourage questions. Transparency in training methods and willingness to explain why they do what they do indicates confidence in their approach.
Early Training Goals
The period immediately after HIC certification focuses on building foundation skills rather than teaching specific herding maneuvers. Rushing this foundation work creates problems that surface months or years later.
Stock Exposure
Your dog needs regular exposure to livestock in controlled settings. Weekly sessions work well for most dogs, though some benefit from more frequent but shorter exposures. The goal is building comfort and confidence around stock while channeling instinct into productive patterns.
Early sessions should be calm and positive. Do not push for specific behaviors. Let your dog figure out how to interact with stock while you provide gentle guidance. This discovery process develops understanding that forced training cannot replicate.
Direction Control
Before teaching formal herding commands, dogs need to understand that their movement affects stock movement and that handler communication guides their position. This awareness develops through experience rather than instruction.
Trainers often start with simple directional control in the round pen. Moving the dog clockwise, then counterclockwise, around the stock. No commands yet, just physical positioning that the dog begins to associate with handler movement and pressure.
Stopping and Starting
The ability to stop forward motion on command proves essential for all later training. Most trainers introduce some version of a stop early in development, building it gradually from a slow-down to a full pause to a reliable down at distance.
Do not rush this skill. A dog that stops reliably at close range but ignores the command at working distance creates dangerous situations. Build duration and distance slowly, testing reliability at each stage before progressing.
Balancing Work
As mentioned in our body language guide, dogs with instinct naturally seek the balance point opposite the handler. Early training reinforces and refines this tendency, teaching the dog to use balance purposefully rather than instinctively.
Understanding Progression Levels
Herding sports use various titling systems that indicate training progression. Understanding these levels helps you set realistic goals and track development.
Started or Instinct Titles
The first competitive level typically tests basic stock handling with significant handler involvement. Dogs must demonstrate controlled movement around stock, basic directional response, and the ability to stop on command. Courses are simple, and handlers can provide considerable guidance.
Most dogs require six months to two years of consistent training to reach started-level reliability. Rushing to competition before skills solidify creates stress for both dog and handler.
Intermediate or Open Levels
Intermediate titles require more independent work with less handler intervention. Dogs must complete more complex courses, respond to commands at greater distances, and show more refined stock handling skills.
Reaching intermediate level typically takes one to three years of consistent training after started-level certification. Many hobby herders find this level satisfyingly challenging without the demands of advanced competition.
Advanced Levels
The highest competitive levels demand sophisticated stock handling, complex courses, and significant independence from the handler. Few dogs and handlers reach these levels, which require years of dedicated training and considerable natural talent in both team members.
If advanced competition appeals to you, be realistic about the commitment involved. It is not merely more training but a lifestyle that prioritizes herding above most other activities.
Training Frequency and Structure
How often you train matters, but more is not always better.
Weekly Lessons
Most trainers recommend weekly lessons for dogs in active development. This frequency allows enough practice to build skills while providing recovery time between sessions. Dogs that train too frequently may show diminished enthusiasm or develop stress-related problems.
Practice Between Lessons
If you have access to livestock between formal lessons, brief practice sessions reinforce what you are learning. Keep these sessions short, ten to fifteen minutes maximum, and focus on skills your trainer has introduced rather than experimenting independently.
If you do not have livestock access, you can still practice components. Directional movement, stops, recalls, and handler positioning all transfer to work without stock present. Do not neglect these foundation elements.
Rest Periods
Build rest into your training schedule. Dogs need time to process what they have learned, and physical recovery matters for demanding work. Many trainers recommend occasional breaks of a week or two, especially after intensive periods or before competitions.
Managing Expectations
The gap between instinct and competence humbles most handlers. Dogs that showed brilliant instinct in testing may struggle with structured work. Handlers who imagined themselves as natural stockmen discover their timing needs development as much as their dogs’ skills.
It Takes Time
Resist comparing your progress to other teams. Some dogs develop quickly. Others take years to reach their potential. Handler skill varies enormously and affects how quickly dogs progress. Your journey is your own.
Setbacks Happen
Every serious herding team encounters setbacks. Dogs regress. Skills that seemed solid fall apart. Enthusiasm wanes. These periods challenge commitment but do not indicate failure. Understanding what your test results actually mean helps set realistic expectations for the training journey ahead.
Experienced trainers recognize setbacks as part of development. They adjust approaches, reduce pressure, revisit foundations, and wait for things to click again. Patience during difficult periods separates handlers who succeed long-term from those who give up.
Success Looks Different
Define success for yourself rather than accepting external measures. For some handlers, success means competing at advanced levels. For others, it means enjoyable weekly lessons with a happy dog. For still others, it means moving sheep efficiently on a working farm without ever entering a trial ring.
All of these outcomes represent valid uses of your dog’s instinct. None is more legitimate than another. Find what fulfills you and your dog, and let that guide your training choices.
Beyond Competition
Not everyone who passes an HIC pursues formal herding training. The information gained from testing has value beyond the trial field.
Understanding that your dog carries herding instinct helps explain behaviors and guides enrichment decisions. You might channel that instinct through activities that do not involve livestock. Treibball uses large balls as a substitute for sheep. Urban herding games adapt working concepts to city environments.
Simply knowing why your dog circles, stalks, or nips helps you respond appropriately. You can redirect rather than punish, provide outlets rather than suppress. This understanding improves your relationship regardless of whether you ever see sheep again.
Whatever path you choose after certification, the HIC gave you knowledge about who your dog is at a fundamental level. Use that knowledge well, and the test’s value extends far beyond the piece of paper it produces.