Sheep herding and R+ (Notes from VT Part 3)

October 4, 2025 Lili Chin

(notes from Vermont, contd.)

This presentation was such a wonderful surprise. Maia Huff-Owen talked about using a behavior science lens with which to view herding behaviors in dogs, and how to shape these herding behaviors.

I had not heard of Maia Huff-Owen before this weekend in Vermont, and did not know that that R+ herding existed. (Well, it's rare) Who here remembers the Muster Dogs TV series? I was enthralled watching the dogs and humans working together in this Aussie reality series but often sighed to see aversive/"blocking" devices used to train the dogs. P+/R- procedures are still the norm in the stock dog world.

The way I understand it now is that instincts are still behaviors that are shaped by reinforcement. When we say that certain dogs are born with a "herding instinct" (or "herding drive") it doesn't mean that a dog is born instantly knowing how to move sheep. It means that sheep movements are more naturally reinforcing to them than to other dogs if they have access to sheep.

The dogs still have to learn how to "herd". The R+ trainer's role is to help the dog access the goal reinforcer in a way that feels good and is ethical for everyone in the interaction - the human, the dog, and the sheep.

The presentation started with a video of Maia's border collie bringing sheep from a distant pasture by listening to a series of different whistle cues. The whole performance was so amazing to watch. We were told that the dog's behaviors were shaped away from sheep, using food and other reinforcers, before sheep were brought in as the "goal reinforcers."

A lightbulb moment for me was when Maia suggested that the sheep can be seen as PEOPLE. PEOPLE as social reinforcers are always shaping and modulating behavior. Sheep, squirrels, wildlife.... all these living beings can all be thought of as "social reinforcers".

I always thought Coppinger's explanation seemed lacking in something! (People!)