The Results That Surprise Everyone
A woman drove four hours to bring her rescue Border Collie to a test I was running at Meadowbrook Farm. She was certain he would fail. The dog had never shown interest in anything that moved. No chasing cars, no stalking cats, nothing that suggested herding instinct existed.
He passed with one of the strongest instinct displays I had seen that year.
Turned out the dog had been suppressed for years. His previous owners punished any forward behavior, any intensity, any drive. Once released into an environment where that behavior was appropriate, everything he had been holding back emerged.
Test results do not always match expectations. Understanding what different outcomes actually mean helps you interpret your dog’s results accurately.
Strong Pass Results
A strong pass indicates clear, unmistakable herding instinct. The dog demonstrated multiple behaviors associated with natural herding ability without training or instruction.
What Strong Pass Dogs Showed
These dogs typically displayed immediate orientation to livestock, natural wearing and balance seeking, appropriate pressure modulation, and sustained interest throughout the test. Their movement patterns showed herding rather than prey characteristics. They responded to handler position changes by adjusting their own position accordingly.
Evaluator notes for strong passes often mention specific moments of instinctive behavior. They might describe a natural outrun, a spontaneous stop when stock turned, or eye contact that pressured sheep without physical approach. These details indicate the quality of the instinct observed.
What This Means For You
A strong pass suggests your dog has significant potential for herding work if you choose to pursue it. The raw material exists for training to build upon. These dogs often progress quickly through early training stages because their instinct fills in gaps that other dogs must learn consciously. Proper preparation before testing often correlates with better performance, though the instinct itself is innate.
However, a strong pass does not guarantee success in competitive herding or working farm contexts. Other factors matter. Temperament under pressure, physical soundness, handler skill, and training consistency all affect outcomes regardless of initial instinct strength.
Strong instinct also means strong drive that needs management. Your dog may develop or intensify behaviors that reflect misdirected herding instinct. Chasing, circling, nipping at heels, controlling movement of family members. Providing appropriate outlets becomes more important, not less. Understanding what to look for in your dog’s body language helps you recognize when instinct is expressing itself.
Standard Pass Results
A standard pass indicates sufficient instinct to earn HIC certification but without the intensity or completeness of a strong pass. The dog showed enough herding-related behavior to demonstrate genuine instinct, but evaluators noted limitations or inconsistencies.
What Standard Pass Dogs Showed
These dogs typically demonstrated interest in livestock and some herding-related behaviors, but not the full range. They might have shown good balance but weak eye, or strong interest but erratic movement patterns. They might have needed encouragement to engage or lost focus partway through the test.
Evaluator notes for standard passes often include suggestions for what might develop with exposure. They might indicate that the dog showed promising behaviors that could strengthen or that certain instinct elements seemed present but undeveloped.
What This Means For You
A standard pass suggests your dog has workable instinct that might develop further with appropriate experience. Some dogs bloom with training and exposure, showing stronger instinct as they learn. Others remain moderate workers throughout their careers.
Standard pass dogs often make excellent hobby herders and farm helpers. They may not have the intensity needed for high-level competition, but they possess enough instinct to enjoy the work and provide practical assistance.
If you pursue training, expect a longer development period than dogs with stronger initial instinct. Be patient with progress and avoid comparing to dogs who started with more obvious natural ability.
Conditional Pass Results
Some testing organizations offer conditional passes for dogs who showed promising behaviors but did not quite meet certification standards. The designation varies by organization and testing format.
What Conditional Pass Dogs Showed
These dogs typically demonstrated some herding-related behaviors mixed with concerning elements. They might have shown good interest but also inappropriate aggression. They might have displayed natural movement but excessive fear. The positive elements suggested instinct exists, but issues prevented clear certification.
What This Means For You
A conditional pass usually comes with recommendations. The evaluator might suggest retesting after specific training, after the dog matures, or after addressing particular behavioral issues.
If your dog received a conditional pass, discuss the specific concerns with your evaluator. Understand exactly what prevented full certification and whether those issues are likely to resolve with time and work.
Some conditional dogs become fully certified on retest. Others continue showing the mixed behaviors that prevented initial certification. The prognosis depends heavily on what specific issues were noted.
Failed Test Results
A failed test means the dog did not demonstrate sufficient herding instinct to earn certification. This result, while disappointing, provides valuable information about your individual dog.
Why Dogs Fail
Dogs fail instinct tests for various reasons, and understanding the cause matters for interpretation.
Absence of Instinct Some dogs simply do not carry working herding instinct despite their breeding. Generations of breeding for appearance rather than working ability have reduced instinct prevalence in many herding breed lines. A dog from show breeding may be magnificent in appearance and lovely in temperament while lacking the genetic programming for herding work.
Prey Drive Instead of Herding Some dogs show intense interest in livestock but demonstrate prey drive rather than herding instinct. They want to catch and harm rather than control and move. These dogs fail because their behavior is fundamentally different from what herding requires, regardless of how interested they appear.
Fear or Stress Environmental factors can prevent dogs from demonstrating instinct they possess. Fear of the setting, stress from travel, overwhelming sensory input, or previous negative experiences can suppress natural behaviors. Understanding proper preparation for instinct testing helps prevent stress-related failures.
Poor Testing Conditions Sometimes the test itself creates problems. Uncooperative livestock, an inappropriate match between dog size and stock type, or environmental distractions can prevent accurate evaluation. If you suspect testing conditions affected results, discuss retesting in different circumstances.
What Failure Means For You
A failed test does not mean your dog is lesser or that you made poor choices. It simply means that particular dog does not demonstrate the specific trait being evaluated.
For owners who hoped to pursue herding sports, failure closes that particular door. But countless other activities provide enrichment and fulfillment for dogs without herding instinct. Agility, nosework, obedience, rally, tracking, and numerous other sports offer alternatives.
For owners who wanted to understand their dog better, failure provides useful information. The behaviors you might have attributed to herding instinct likely have other sources that might respond to different management approaches.
If you believe your dog failed due to environmental factors rather than absence of instinct, consider retesting after addressing those factors. Dogs who fail in stressful conditions sometimes pass when tested with proper preparation.
Interpreting Evaluator Notes
Whatever your result, the evaluator’s written notes provide valuable detail beyond the pass or fail designation.
Specific Behavior Descriptions
Pay attention to descriptions of what your dog actually did during the test. Notes about approach style, movement patterns, focus maintenance, and pressure responses tell you about your dog’s working style, not just whether they passed.
Breed-Appropriate Expectations
Evaluators familiar with your breed should note whether behaviors fit typical working style for that breed. Border Collies work differently than Australian Cattle Dogs, who work differently than German Shepherds. Understanding breed expectations helps contextualize what you observed.
Suggestions for Development
Many evaluators include recommendations regardless of test outcome. They might suggest specific training approaches, particular environments for exposure, or behaviors to encourage or discourage. These suggestions draw on experience with many dogs and often prove valuable for whatever path you pursue.
Moving Forward From Results
Whatever outcome you received, resist the urge to let the result define your relationship with your dog. The HIC tests for a single trait within the complex animal you share your life with.
Strong instinct brings challenges alongside opportunities. Weak or absent instinct may simplify some aspects of ownership while closing certain doors. Neither result makes your dog more or less valuable as a companion.
Use the information to inform decisions about activities, training approaches, and enrichment strategies. Let it guide rather than limit. Your dog is the same animal after testing as before, just with one more piece of understanding about who they are. For dogs with passing results, the path from HIC to started-level training offers detailed guidance on next steps.