A shepherd dog (also known as sheep dog or sheepdog) is a type of working dog used by shepherds to herd and/or protect their flocks. The expression may refer to distinct breeds that are recognised by Kennel Clubs, and it may also describe non-purebred types of dogs that are used by shepherds for these purposes.
The two main types of shepherd dogs are:
- Herding dogs, used to herd sheep and other livestock
- Livestock guardian dogs, used to guard sheep and other livestock
Read more about Shepherd Dog: Classification
Famous quotes containing the words shepherd and/or dog:
“When icicles hang by the wall,
And Dick the shepherd blows his nail,
And Tom bears logs into the hall,
And milk comes frozen home in pail;
When blood is nipped, and ways be foul,
Then nightly sings the staring owl:
Tu-whit, tu-whoo!—
A merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“When they shot him down in the highway,
Down like a dog in the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with the bunch of lace at
his throat.”
—Alfred Noyes (1880–1958)