21/06/2026
🐕 THE PROBLEM WITH YOUR WORKING DOG MIGHT ACTUALLY BE YOU
We've all been there.
You're in the yards, the mob is scattered, your working dog is running amok, and you're wondering what on earth went wrong with this dog.
Before you blame the dog — stop for a minute.
Because more often than not, the confusion your dog is showing is simply a reflection of the confusion you've been giving them.
🔁 INCONSISTENCY IS THE ENEMY
The Working Kelpie Council puts it plainly:
"Frustration and bad temper by the handler will not make good dogs, only cringing, scared ones."
Your dog doesn't understand what you paid for them. They don't know you're late for the sale yards. They don't care how many good dogs you've owned before.
What they do understand is consistency.
If you give a command and don't follow through, you're not training your dog, you're teaching them that your commands are optional.
If "get back" means one thing today and something different tomorrow, your dog isn't being stubborn. They're simply trying to make sense of mixed information.
Every command. Every time. The same way.
That's the standard.
🚶 YOUR BODY IS LOUDER THAN YOUR VOICE
A good working dog is constantly reading you.
They watch where you're standing, where you're looking, how you're moving, and whether you're confident or uncertain.
Generations of breeding have produced dogs that are exceptionally good at reading stock — but they're just as good at reading their handler.
When your words say one thing and your body says another, confusion follows.
If you're blocking the dog's path while telling them to move forward, stepping into pressure at the wrong time, or changing your position without purpose, your dog has to guess what you want.
Walk with intent.
Be deliberate.
Know where you need to be before you get there.
Because your dog is already paying attention.
😤 YOUR STRESS BECOMES YOUR DOG'S STRESS
This is one of the hardest truths for handlers to accept.
Dogs feed off pressure.
If you're frustrated, impatient, angry or rushing, your dog feels it.
We've all had those days. The stock aren't cooperating, the weather's against you, the truck won't start, and then the dog makes a mistake.
The temptation is to push harder.
Usually that's the worst thing you can do.
A stressed dog cannot think clearly. They cannot learn effectively. And they certainly won't perform at their best.
Sometimes the smartest training decision you can make is to put the dog away, have a break, and come back when you're calm and focused.
As the old stockman's saying goes:
"Hurry slowly."
📢 LESS CALLING, MORE TRUSTING
One of the biggest mistakes handlers make is overcalling their dog.
•Constant whistles.
•Repeated commands.
•Stepping in every time the dog has to make a decision.
What you're actually teaching is dependence.
A good working dog needs confidence to think for itself when situations change.
The best handlers don't control every movement.
They create situations where the dog can succeed, then allow the dog to learn from the stock.
•Trust the breeding.
•Trust the training.
•Give the dog room to work.
You might be surprised what they're capable of when you stop trying to do their job for them.
🐕 THE BOTTOM LINE
The dog is rarely trying to do the wrong thing.
More often than not, it's the handler who has created confusion, applied too much pressure, or failed to recognise when a session has stopped being productive.
Before questioning your dog's ability, run through this Handler Self-Check:
✅ 1. The Command Check
Am I giving commands once and meaning them?
If my dog ignores me, am I enforcing the command or simply repeating it louder?
✅ 2. The Body Language Check
Does my positioning match what I'm asking?
Am I helping the dog or creating confusion?
✅ 3. The Emotion Check
Am I calm and in control?
Or am I bringing frustration and pressure into the session?
✅ 4. The Micromanagement Check
Am I allowing my dog to think?
Or am I over-whistling, over-calling and trying to control every movement?
✅ 5. The Setup Check
Have I set my dog up to succeed?
Or have I made the task too difficult, too soon, under too much pressure?
The best working dogs in Australia didn't become great by accident.
They became great because their handlers provided clarity, consistency and confidence.
A great working dog is built through trust, communication and understanding. The dog learns from the handler, but the handler should never stop learning from the dog.
Be the handler your dog deserves. 🐕
💬 LET'S HAVE AN HONEST DISCUSSION...
If you could change just ONE thing about your working dog right now, what would it be?
👉 More control?
👉 More confidence?
👉 Better stock sense?
👉 More bite?
👉 Less pressure?
👉 Better recall?
👉 More patience around stock?
Or maybe the problem isn't the dog at all...
Maybe it's something you're struggling with as a handler.
Drop your answer in the comments below. No judgement, no silly questions — just genuine conversations about working dogs and the people behind them.
The chances are if you're dealing with it, someone else is too.
Because every good dog teaches us something, and every challenge is an opportunity to become a better handler.
Let's learn from each other. 🐕👇
