Abstract
This study investigated the current management practices associated with stock herding dogs on Australian farms. A parallel goal was to determine whether these practices and the characteristics of the dog handlers were associated with success rates. Success rate refers to the proportion of dogs acquired by the farmer that were retained as working dogs. Data on a total of 4,027 dogs were obtained through The Farm Dog Survey which gathered information from 812 herding dog owners around Australia. Using logistic regression, significant associations were identified between success rate and seven variables: dog breed, housing method, trial participation, age of the dog at acquisition, electric collar use, hypothetical maximum treatment expenditure and the conscientiousness score of the owner's personality. These findings serve as a guide to direct further research into ways of optimising herding dog performance and welfare. They emphasise the importance of not only examining the genetic predispositions of the working dog but also the impact the handler can have on a dog's success in the workplace.
Highlights
The Australian cattle and sheep industries function in a climate of increasing input costs, competition with subsidised international markets and variable commodity prices [1]
It has been estimated that an average of 25% of working dogs recruited for training in Australia fail to graduate successfully [10]
This paper reports the findings of the Australian Farm Dog Survey
Summary
The Australian cattle and sheep industries function in a climate of increasing input costs, competition with subsidised international markets and variable commodity prices [1]. With an estimated 270,000 stock herding dogs working in rural Australia [7,8], these animals represent a significant component of the labour force in the livestock industries. Australia has 91,000 livestock producers [8], who employ an average of three to four working dogs [7,9]. The cost associated with acquiring, keeping and training an unsuccessful herding dog for twelve months, prior to its eventual dismissal, has been estimated to be in excess of AU$1,000 [11]. This degree of performance failure represents costly wastage
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