Working Sheep Dogs

A Practical Guide to Breeding, Training and Handling

By: Tully Williams

Write A Review

Paperback | 1 November 2025

At a Glance

Paperback
280 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
24.5 x 17 x 1.5

Paperback

$69.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $17.44 with

or

Ships in 10 to 15 business days

Working Sheep Dogs examines and illuminates every aspect of the high-quality working dog. It provides a detailed discussion of the principles behind the training of working dogs, and reveals little-known methods for training and handling sheep dogs in the most effortless manner.

The text is divided into six major sections covering the instincts of the working dog, breeding, principles of training, methods of training, handling livestock and sheep dog trials. Photographs and line drawings help to illustrate best techniques when training dogs, such as how to teach dogs to cast, muster and drive.

Containing the first comprehensive breakdown and analysis of the instincts of the working dog, and discussing the various principles and methods of their breeding, this book is a practical reference for farmers and stockmen, hobby and lifestyle farmers, sheep dog trial competitors and breeders of working dogs.

Industry Reviews

"Working Sheep Dogs is not simply a manual on how to train a working animal, but provides a whole new approach to breeding, training and handling farm dogs."--Trudi Slavin "The Land "

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

More in Agriculture & Farming

Honeybees

The Wonders of the Hive and How to Help Them Thrive

Hardcover

RRP $34.99

$28.75

18%
OFF

The Australian Beekeeping Manual

3rd Edition

Hardcover

RRP $59.99

$45.75

24%
OFF

Call of the Reed Warbler

Revised Edition

Paperback

RRP $39.99

$30.75

23%
OFF

The Compost Coach

Make compost, build soil and grow a regenerative garden - wherever you live!

Paperback

RRP $42.99

$33.99

21%
OFF

Diddly Squat

The Farmer's Dog

Paperback

RRP $36.99

$29.75

20%
OFF

The Oyster Book

A Chronicle of the World's Most Fascinating Shellfish-Past, Present, and Future

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$29.75

15%
OFF

Diddly Squat

The Farmer's Dog

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

100 Top Crops You Can Grow

Growing your own sustainable and nutritious garden

Paperback

RRP $39.99

$39.95

Fish Butchery

Mastering The Catch, Cut And Craft

Hardcover

RRP $70.00

$52.75

25%
OFF

Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney

Paperback

RRP $59.99

$39.75

34%
OFF

Diddly Squat

'Til The Cows Come Home

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

The Place of Tides

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

The Ultimate Guide to Butchering, Smoking, Curing, Sausage, and Jerky Making

Paperback

RRP $32.99

$26.99

18%
OFF

The Cunning Farmer

Agrarian Magical Practices, Mythology, and Folklore

Hardcover

RRP $104.99

$73.99

30%
OFF

Weeds of the South-East

An Identification Guide for Australia

Paperback

RRP $99.99

$74.75

25%
OFF

First Knowledges Plants

Past, Present and Future

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

A Guide to Native Bees of Australia

Paperback

RRP $49.99

$40.75

18%
OFF

Diddly Squat: Pigs Might Fly

Diddly Squat

Paperback

RRP $26.99

$22.99

15%
OFF

Arid Shrubland Plants

of Western Australia, third edition

Paperback

RRP $89.99

$64.99

28%
OFF

Entomological Health and Safety for Ecologists and Environmental Professionals - Grant D. De Jong

$36.99

12%
OFF

One Health Integration

Global Perspectives on Animal Health and Sustainable Agriculture

Hardcover

RRP $213.95

$158.75

26%
OFF

The Age Code

The New Science of Food and How It Can Save Us

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$29.99

14%
OFF

Natural ability and selection	p. 7
Natural ability	p. 9
Temperament, intelligence, steadiness, minimal activity, and force	p. 15
The holding traits	p. 25
The driving traits	p. 38
Cast and muster	p. 45
The high-calibre working dog in summary	p. 52
The case for the 'all-rounder'	p. 56
When things are not as they seem	p. 58
A few good dogs	p. 63
Breeding sheep dogs	p. 75
Dogs past and present	p. 77
Breeding methods	p. 84
Principles of training and control	p. 101
How dogs learn	p. 103
Training tips	p. 112
Principles of control	p. 116
The long rope	p. 125
Commanding systems and their role in achieving control and initiative	p. 127
Overview of commands	p. 132
Training	p. 137
Rearing	p. 139
Early sheep work	p. 147
Colour photographs	p. 151
Mustering	p. 151
Working a mob	p. 152
The directional and positioning commands	p. 159
Cast, lift and draw	p. 166
Heel	p. 175
Inhibiting and wide-working commands	p. 177
Driving	p. 182
Recasting and mustering	p. 188
Force	p. 193
Yard work	p. 198
Splitting and working one	p. 201
Working more than one dog	p. 204
Overview of training	p. 206
At work	p. 209
Handling stock	p. 211
The dog in hard work	p. 231
Dog trials	p. 237
Sheep dog trials	p. 239
Various trials - their limitations and benefits	p. 243
Judging trials	p. 247
A true test	p. 253
Afterword	p. 263
References	p. 265
Index	p. 267
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

Working Sheep Dogs

A Practical Guide to Breeding, Training and Handling

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Agriculture & Farming

Honeybees

The Wonders of the Hive and How to Help Them Thrive

The Australian Beekeeping Manual

3rd Edition

Call of the Reed Warbler

Revised Edition

The Compost Coach

Make compost, build soil and grow a regenerative garden - wherever you live!

Diddly Squat

The Farmer's Dog

The Oyster Book

A Chronicle of the World's Most Fascinating Shellfish-Past, Present, and Future

Diddly Squat

The Farmer's Dog

100 Top Crops You Can Grow

Growing your own sustainable and nutritious garden

Fish Butchery

Mastering The Catch, Cut And Craft

Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney

Diddly Squat

'Til The Cows Come Home

The Place of Tides

The Ultimate Guide to Butchering, Smoking, Curing, Sausage, and Jerky Making

The Cunning Farmer

Agrarian Magical Practices, Mythology, and Folklore

Weeds of the South-East

An Identification Guide for Australia

First Knowledges Plants

Past, Present and Future

A Guide to Native Bees of Australia

Diddly Squat: Pigs Might Fly

Diddly Squat

Arid Shrubland Plants

of Western Australia, third edition

Entomological Health and Safety for Ecologists and Environmental Professionals

Entomological Health and Safety for Ecologists and Environmental Professionals

For the Love of Soil

Strategies to Regenerate Our Food Production Systems

One Health Integration

Global Perspectives on Animal Health and Sustainable Agriculture

The Age Code

The New Science of Food and How It Can Save Us

This product is categorised by