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Dog A-Z > C > Choosing a dog > Pastoral breeds
These were bred for herding and in some cases guarding livestock. These dogs were bred to think for themselves and anticipate what the shepherd wants and also what the sheep or cattle, reindeer etc. are going to do.
Because they need to use their brains, they can become very unhappy and problematic if they get bored and if you can’t give them the mental stimulation that they need then perhaps a less demanding breed would be the answer.
If you can give the ideal home to one of these breeds and want to put the work in then you’ll get a super intelligent, obedient, active companion. If you want to do serious or competitive obedience, agility, flyball or other canine activities than perhaps one of these breeds would be the one you are looking for.
Anatolian Shepherd Dog
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael)
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois)
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)
Belgian Shepherd Dog Tervueren)
Bergamasco
Border Collie
Briard
Rough Collie
Smooth Collie
Estrela Mountain Dog
Finnish Lapphund
German Shepherd Dog
Hungarian Kuvasz
Hungarian Puli
Komondor
Lancashire Heeler
Maremma Sheepdog
Norwegian Buhund
Old English Sheepdog
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Pyrenean Mountain Dog
Pyrenean Sheepdog
Samoyed
Shetland Sheepdog
Swedish Lapphund
Swedish Vallhund
Welsh Corgi (Cardigan)
Welsh Corgi (Pembroke)