Commonly Used Commands

There are eight common herding commands and words used by shepherds when working or training the dog.

For further information please see www.workingsheepdog.co.uk.

Come-bye:

This means to move around (circle) the sheep in a clockwise

Away:

Move around (circle) the sheep in an anti-clockwise direction.

Stand:

Confusing this one - it can mean stop, or sometimes just slow down!

Get Back:

The dog is working too close and likely to cause stress.

Lie Down:

Stop, lie down, slow down, or just stand still, but often used to slow the dog down.

Look Back:

The dog must leave the sheep it’s working and turn around to look for more sheep.

Walk On:

Requires the handler to move straight towards the sheep in a calm, steady fashion without spooking or stressing them.

That’ll Do:

The dog must stop what it is doing and return directly to the handler.