Farm Collie/Farm Shepherd

The Farm Collie is a herding dog, of collie type. The term “Farm Collie” can have various definitions including:

• Any collie-like dog that lives on a farm.
• Any collie-like dog that does farm work such as herding, guarding and pest control.
• A dog of the Scotch Collie type that works livestock in a loose-eyed style.
• The remnants of the original Scotch Collie that lived and worked on farms in America from which the Australian Shepherd and English Shepherd breeds derived.
• A Rough Collie of old fashioned looks that does not meet current interpretations of breed standards.

The diversity of definitions means that a Farm Collie’s looks can vary greatly, ranging from those of a Border Collie to those of a Rough Collie. There are no current registries that include Farm Collies for show purposes, the American Working Farmcollie Association registers Farm Collies based on working ability and merit.

Old Time Farm Shepherd

The Old Time Farm Shepherd is a rare breed of working dog known for its versatility and intelligence. Old Time Farm Shepherds are the decedents of the old working Scotch Collies that were common on farms in America in the early twentieth century, as a recognized breed they were started by J. Richard McDuffie in 1994.

Appearance

The Old Time Farm Shepherds are medium-sized, collie-type dogs with moderate coats and large, expressive eyes. They come in a range of colors including sable, tri-color, merle and black and tan but predominantly sable and white. Most Old Time Farm Shepherds are in the 40 - 50 pound range. Tails may be full or natural bob-tailed.

Temperament

The Old Time Farm Shepherd is set apart from closely related breeds by its temperament. The founder of the breed, J. Richard McDuffie described them this way “They have almost human intelligence, being able to figure things out and respond appropriately to unusual situations. They are very people-oriented but distrustful of strangers.” Old Time Farm Shepherds are often very sensitive or “soft”, easily trainable, eager to please but also easily damaged by harsh words.

Farm work

Old Time Farm Shepherds are often employed as multi-purpose dogs on small farms. As the descendants of the old working Scotch Collies they possess all the instinct and ability of their forebears including herding, guardian and pest control. Herding instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Old Time Farm Shepherds that exhibit basic herding instincts can also be trained to compete in farm dog trials. McDuffie was adamant that selection by herding trials would not result in the same breed of dog.

Old-Time Farm Shepherds have a specialized motivation, they often move livestock out of a sense of rules and routine, and vary their working strategies to suit the situation. They are easier to train to leave the livestock alone unless the stock are not where they belong.