Australian Shepherd Trying to Herd Cat Into Behaving Gets the Sassiest Swat

Herding dogs are not easy to keep as every day pets. Even if you never train them to herd a single day in their life, they'll always have a little bit of those herding instincts in them. Honestly, completely untrained herding dogs can be a little bit dangerous.

If they can't find livestock to herd, it doesn't mean they won't find something else. You, your kids, and any pets in your house are all prime candidates for herding, which can lead to some tiffs among the family. Take this video from September 21st for example: an Australian Shepherd attempts to herd his cat sister, and he ends up on the receiving end of a pretty nasty swat:

Layla and this cat are textbook siblings. This is not the first time she has attempted to herd her, and it is not the first time she's gotten sick of it. Nor will it be the last!

Related: Australian Shepherd 'Splits the Housework' with Mom Like the Most Dutiful Little Helper

Layla is a sweet dog. She means well - she's just doing what she thinks is right. In this instance, she's probably seen her dad, Greg, tell the kitty to get off the counters, and she's just trying to help. She's not even being particularly obnoxious about it, but the kitty is not having it.

By swatting at her sister, the cat is effectively saying "back off, this is my spot!" Cats don't love to be looked at too closely most of the time, so it's no surprise that having a herding dog's intense stare shooting up at you is enough to make her a little grouchy!

How to Calm Herding Dogs Down

Even if your herding dog doesn't herd, they're still a herding breed. They were literally bred to run super fast in order to bring in big groups of animals! It's why they're so high-energy, and in some cases, so nippy. If an animal starts to stray, they'll nip their ankles or even their bottoms to get them back on track. Does it hurt a 1,000+ pound cow? No, but it will hurt a toddler.

The best way to prevent a herding dog from becoming too overexcited is to train them from the get-go. However, that's not always an option. When you get your pup, you should:

1. Establish a firm routine to follow every day. These dogs thrive with structure.
2. Train them, even if you're not working them. You can coordinate with a local farm sometimes, or you can just buy herding balls!
3. Make sure they get enough exercise, whether that's from long walks, outside play sessions, or doggy daycare.
4. Establish boundaries around biting and herding.

Face this now: you will never fully get the herding instincts out of a herding dog, but you can manage them. The important thing is to make sure that they can explore their instincts in a safe way. Maybe not like this, though, Layla... you might lose your nose!