Herding behavior?

[Lakeguy929]

Our two year old GSD Milly has a tendancy when off leash to circle when walked, including making passes around our riding mower and other moving objects in a circular motion, is this a hearding instinct? Never witnessed this in our other GSD's.

[TrackingPuppy]

Does she act the same way with any other object, your other dogs, children? Without more info it is hard to say.

[Liesje]

It can be but in order to be good for herding the dog needs more than just circling. My dog circles a lot too, same type of thing. When we walk off leash in open areas she does wide circles. I took her to a herding test with a well known judge. She of course did the circling both ways very well (an accomplishment for an "obedience" dog that is often strictly required to be on the left), the judge said she was very good at staying alert and predicting where the sheep were going to go, but she lacked a little confidence to get in and push the flock of sheep. So the circling is only part of it. The dog needs to be able to predict the sheeps movement and be able to get the sheep moving herself.

[Lakeguy929]

Originally Posted By: TrackingPuppyDoes she act the same way with any other object, your other dogs, children? Without more info it is hard to say.

Yeah, pretty much any moving object. She also has amazing focus on her target, even to the point of being obsessive. She is so much different in temperament from our other younger GSD. While Sasha is affectionate and mischievous, Milly is all about getting down to business and loves to work. She will just about fetch her Kong until she collapses from exhaustion. And although Sasha is softer in temperament she is the pack lead and Milly will defer to her.

[onyx'girl]

You could take her to a herding instinct test and have her evaluated. Google it and then put in your location. Sounds to me she has it in her!