The Urban Herder - Herding Breed Specialist

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The Urban Herder - Herding Breed Specialist Helping herding breeds thrive in The Urban Environment. We cover all of Yorkshire.
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23/10/2026

Thinking of taking your dog to Europe? 🇪🇺🐾

There are a few things you need to sort before you pack the car and head off on an adventure!

🐾 Animal Health Certificate (AHC)
Since Brexit, UK pet passports issued in Great Britain are no longer valid for travel to the EU. You’ll generally need an AHC issued by an authorised vet for each trip to the EU.

🐾 Microchip and vaccinations
Your dog must be microchipped and have a valid rabies vaccination. Keep their routine vaccinations up to date, too.

🐾 Planning your return to the UK
Depending on where you’re travelling, your dog may need tapeworm treatment from a vet before returning to Great Britain. For dogs travelling from most of mainland Europe, this must be given 24–120 hours before arrival and recorded in their documents.

Make sure you check the requirements for your destination and return journey well in advance, as the rules can vary depending on where you’re going.

I love the idea of exploring Europe with the dogs. Imagine all those new places to sniff, trails to explore and adventures to have together! 🌍

If you could take your dog anywhere in Europe, where would you go? Tell me below! 👇

travelling to Europe with a dog, dog travel from UK to Europe, Animal Health Certificate for dogs, dog passport after Brexit, travelling abroad with dogs

22/10/2026

Easy to train doesn’t mean easy to live with.

Border Collies learn quickly, notice everything and are incredibly responsive to us. But that same sensitivity can make everyday life exhausting for them, and for their owners.

They notice the noise outside, the neighbour in the garden, the dog across the road and the tiny change in your voice when you’ve had a stressful day.

They’re not just switched on when you’re training. They can be switched on all day.

Then you get to the end of a long day, you want to sit down and relax, and your Collie is looking at you like you’ve personally cancelled Christmas because you’re not doing something exciting. 😂

Their working instincts don’t disappear just because they live in a family home.

Living with a Border Collie isn’t just about teaching them commands. It’s understanding their sensitivity, meeting their needs, managing arousal and helping them learn when it’s time to switch off.

That’s when things start to make more sense.

Border Collie training, Border Collie behaviour, living with a Border Collie, Border Collie sensitivity, Border Collie working drive, Border Collie enrichment, Border Collie arousal, helping a Border Collie settle, Border Collie temperament, herding breed behaviour.

What I wish people knew before getting a Border Collie. 🐾There's a big difference between loving the idea of an active d...
20/10/2026

What I wish people knew before getting a Border Collie. 🐾

There's a big difference between loving the idea of an active dog and having a lifestyle that consistently meets their needs.

You might love a long walk on a sunny Saturday. But what about a wet Wednesday in November, when it's dark, you're exhausted and the weather is miserable?

Your Collie's needs don't disappear because yours are harder to fit in.

And meeting those needs isn't simply about walking further.

Border Collies have been bred for generations to work, notice movement, respond to subtle information and influence livestock. They're specialist working dogs, and those instincts don't disappear just because they live in a home rather than a farm.

That can mean fixating on movement, chasing bikes, struggling to disengage or finding it difficult to settle. Some Collies adapt beautifully to pet life. Others need considerably more support. You need to be prepared to make adjustments.

That might mean changing walking routes, managing triggers, providing appropriate outlets for their instincts, teaching them to settle, protecting their rest or seeking professional help.

More exercise isn't always the answer. A dog struggling with arousal may need less stimulation, a more manageable environment and opportunities to recover.

Genetics matter, too. Not every Collie has the same temperament, drive, confidence or ability to cope. Training is important, but it can't erase every inherited tendency.

You're taking a dog whose instincts have been shaped for a particular purpose and asking them to live in a very different environment. They can absolutely thrive as pets, but we have a responsibility to understand and support them.

You can love a breed without it being the right fit for your lifestyle.

Choose a dog for the life you actually live, not the life you imagine living.

Save this for anyone thinking about getting a Border Collie.

Border Collie ownership | Border Collie exercise needs | Border Collie training | Border Collie behaviour | working dog instincts | helping a Collie settle | choosing the right dog breed.

19/10/2026

Less than TWO WEEKS until we set off on a nine-month trip around Europe with our three Border Collies… and this weekend was the first time we’d actually taken all three away in our new van. 😂🚐

Probably something we should have done sooner, but here we are!

We headed up to the North Yorkshire Dales for a practice run. The plan wasn’t to spend the whole weekend exploring — it was to get used to actually living in the van.

We cooked our meals in there, spent as much time in the van as possible, and I even tried working from it to see how we’d manage day-to-day life on the road.

We also wanted to see how Efa, Piper and Bear would settle in, and figure out what we might need to tweak before we leave.

On Saturday, we headed up Whernside, and honestly, we couldn’t have asked for a better day. Blue skies, crisp autumn air and three very happy dogs. 🐾

It was the perfect reminder of why we’re doing this in the first place.

We’ve still got things to figure out, but we’re getting there. And the fact that we’re actually leaving in less than two weeks is starting to feel VERY real!

Follow along for nine months of van life, dog-friendly adventures, training and whatever happens when you take three Border Collies around Europe. ❤️

van life with dogs | travelling Europe with dogs | North Yorkshire Dales | Whernside walk with dogs | campervan travel Europe | Border Collies | dog friendly travel UK

16/10/2026

Having you in my life is the greatest privilege 🖤🤍🖤.

My three little amigos!

16/10/2026

Morning walks like this are such a privilege. 🦌🤎

We came across these beautiful deer just calmly going about their morning, and honestly, I could have watched them all day.

Efa was absolutely brilliant. I trust her 100% not to chase them, so she got to enjoy the walk off lead.

Piper and Enzo went on lead for the few minutes it took us to pass. Not because they can’t be trusted individually, but because the three of them can feed off each other, and with the deer this close, it was simply the sensible choice.

Five minutes on lead, then back to enjoying the rest of their hour-long walk off lead. No big deal.

I feel incredibly lucky to walk in places like this, and I want to be able to enjoy seeing wildlife without disturbing it. These deer deserve to feel safe in their own environment, and my dogs don’t need to bother them.

Sometimes good dog ownership is about knowing your individual dogs, making sensible decisions and giving wildlife the space it deserves.

A beautiful morning, happy dogs and a little reminder of how lucky we are. 🤎

Collie off-lead training • dogs around deer • dog walking around wildlife • dogs and wildlife

15/10/2026

I don’t even get a look in 🤣😩

Dog dad • Border Collie • loyal border collie • funny dog

14/10/2026

If you have a reactive Collie, it can feel like the answer is always DO MORE.

More exercise.

More training.

More enrichment.

More exposure.

More stimulation.

More walks.

More, more, more.

But sometimes your Collie doesn’t need more.

They need better.

Better outlets.

Better recovery.

Better opportunities to make choices.

Better support when they’re struggling.

And, sometimes, a lot more rest.

Because with reactive Collies, I’m not just thinking about whether an activity tires them out.

I’m thinking about what it does to their nervous system.

Does it help them regulate?

Does it build confidence?

Does it give them an appropriate outlet for their breed-specific behaviours?

Does it help them learn how to cope with the world?

Or does it just leave them absolutely knackered… and even more switched on?

And this is why I’m not a massive fan of the constant cycle of exercise → exhaust → repeat.

I want a Collie who can do things AND switch off.

A dog who can cope with life, not just survive it because I’ve managed to physically wear them out.

Obviously, every dog is different. Some dogs will genuinely need more or less of certain things, and your environment matters too.

This isn’t about saying fetch is “bad” or that you should stop exercising your dog.

It’s about looking at the whole picture and asking whether what you’re doing is actually helping the dog in front of you.

If you’re struggling to work out what your reactive Collie actually needs, comment CALM and I’ll send you my free Calm Collie Road Map

12/10/2026

Your Border Collie is reading pressure all the time.

Bred to read tiny changes in movement and distance when herding sheep, that sensitivity doesn’t switch off at home.

Social pressure: people approaching or dogs getting too close.

Spatial pressure: narrow paths, doorways or someone moving directly towards them.

Environmental pressure: busy places, unexpected movement and changes around them.

The signs can be subtle. Moving away, hanging back, scanning or becoming tense.

By the time your Collie barks or lunges, they may have been feeling increasing pressure for a while.

Instead of asking, “How close can we get?”, ask “How much space does my dog need to feel comfortable?”

Giving them that space isn’t avoiding the problem. It’s creating the conditions where they can think, learn and build confidence.

Your Collie isn’t being difficult. They’re communicating. We just need to learn how to listen.

Follow for more Border Collie insights.

Border Collie pressure sensitivity | Border Collie behaviour | Border Collie reactivity | Border Collie body language | Border Collie herding instincts

08/10/2026

9 years of Efa 🥹🎂❤️

Obviously she needed a birthday cake, and liver cake felt like the perfect choice because she is OBSESSED with it 😂

I kept the cake really simple:

🫀 blended liver
🥚 a couple of eggs
🌾 oats
🌾 plain flour

Blend it all together, pop it in the oven and let it cool. Then, because it was a birthday cake and we had to make it a little bit fancy, I added some cream cheese on top 😂

Liver cake is also great to cut up into little pieces and use as training rewards. It’s a really high-value treat, so it’s perfect for those times when you need something extra tasty to get your dog’s attention.

Although I’m pretty sure Efa would happily eat the entire cake in one go given the chance… 😂

Happy 9th birthday to my best girl ❤️🐾

Border Collie Birthday | Dog Birthday cake | Homemade doggy birthday cake | Liver cake recipe | Border Collie Training

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The Woof Pack Training Centre
Halifax
HX28UL

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+447449038484

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