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50-507: The comic's protagonist is a border-collie sheepdog known as "the Dog", owned by Wal Footrot, who runs a sheep and cattle farm called Footrot Flats near the fictional rural town of Raupo in New Zealand. The comic depicts the trials and tribulations of Wal, the Dog and other characters, human and animal, which they encounter. The Dog's thoughts are voiced in thought bubbles , though he is clearly "just

100-402: A "type" fixes a name to a taxon . Dog fanciers use the term "breed type" in the sense of "qualities (as of bodily contour and carriage) that are felt to indicate excellence in members of a group". "Breed type" is specific to each dog breed's written standard . A dog that closely resembles the appearance laid out in the standard is said to be "typey". "Type" also is used to refer to "dogs of

150-448: A stock dog or working dog , is a type of dog that either has been trained in herding livestock or belongs to one of the breeds that were developed for herding. A dog specifically trained to herd sheep is known as a sheep dog or shepherd dog, and one trained to herd cattle is known as a cattle dog or cow dog. All herding behavior is modified predatory behavior. Through selective breeding, humans have been able to minimize

200-878: A "living fence", guiding large flocks of sheep to graze, while preventing them from eating valuable crops and wandering onto roads. Herding instincts and trainability can be measured when introducing a dog to livestock or at noncompetitive herding tests. Individuals exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials. In Australia , New Zealand and the United States herding dogs are known as working dogs irrespective of their breeding. Some herding breeds work well with any kind of animals; others have been bred for generations to work with specific kinds of animals and have developed physical characteristics or styles of working that enhance their ability to handle these animals. Commonly mustered animals include cattle , sheep , goats and reindeer , although it

250-590: A distinctive conformation." Human manipulation was very indirect. In a very few cases emperors, monasteries, or wealthy hunters might maintain lines of special dogs, from which we have today's Pekingese , St. Bernards , and foxhounds . At the beginning of the 19th century, there were only a few dogs identified as breeds, but when dog fighting was outlawed in England in 1835, a new sport of dog showing began. Along with this sport came rules, written records, and closed stud books . Dog fanciers began refining breeds from

300-432: A dog", unlike the heavily anthropomorphised creatures of some other comics or animation. The humour draws on the foibles of the characters, which many farmers found easy to recognise around them. There was much "humour in adversity", making fun of the daily struggle that permeates farming life. The depictions of the animals are quite realistic and detailed, with a dose of comic anthropomorphism superimposed without spoiling

350-494: A homemade course on his farm. Cooch is better than Wal at golf, even though the course is very hard (the first hole is a par 14). When they do play on a real course, Cooch usually wins. Wal claims the trees are on Cooch's side. Wal and Cooch also play snooker on a small table in Cooch's house, where a tree hampers play. Wal also occasionally plays tennis with Cheeky Hobson and fights for her affections with Nigel Erskine, another member of

400-761: A job to do. These dogs have been bred as working dogs and need to be physically and mentally active. They retain their herding instincts and may sometimes nip at people's heels or bump them in an effort to 'herd' their family, and may need to be trained not to do so. Their activity level and intelligence makes them excellent canine athletes. The Australian Shepherd , Shetland Sheepdog , Rough Collie , Smooth Collie and Old English Sheepdog are more popular as family companion dogs. Dogs of herding breeds now often live in urban or suburban neighbourhoods. Their owners need to maintain their physical and mental health, taking into consideration their herding instinct and qualities. The services of dog-trainers are in demand, along with

450-587: A similar fashion in the cattle droves that moved cattle from Wales to the Smithfield Meat Market in London but are rarely used for herding today. Other breeds, notably the Border Collie , get in front of the animals and use what is called strong eye to stare down the animals; they are known as headers . The headers or fetching dogs keep livestock in a group. They consistently go to the front or head of

500-483: A specific working ability rather than appearance may not closely resemble other dogs doing the same work, or any of the dogs of the analogous breed group of purebred dogs. The earliest books in the English language to mention numbers of dog types are from the "Cynegetica" (hunting literature), namely, The Art of Venery (1327) by Twiti (Twici), a treatise that describes hunting with the limer (a leashed bloodhound type);

550-469: A subcategory of working dogs , but for conformation shows they usually form a separate group. Australia has the world's largest cattle stations and sheep stations and some of the best-known herding dogs, such as the Koolie , Kelpie , Red and Blue Heelers are bred and found there. Creating herding dog breeds is associated with the development of cattle breeding. Domestication of sheep and goats began in

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600-407: A tight lump, paw pads are thick, claws are strong. The coat has structure and density to protect from getting wet and temperature extremes common in the region of the breed origin. All herding dogs have excellent eyesight and hearing. Cattle dog colors are varied and depend on local breeders' preferences, but all herding dogs should have well-pigmented eyelids, lips, nose and paw pads, because pink skin

650-416: A well established line", an identifiable style of dog within the "breed type", usually from a specific kennel. In 2011, a study found that herding dogs were more trainable than hounds , toy dogs, and non-sporting dogs. Sporting dogs were more trainable than non-sporting dogs. Terriers were bolder than hounds and herding dogs. Breeds with ancient Asian or African origin were less trainable than breeds in

700-409: Is a greyhound, a bastard, a mongrel , a mastiff, a limer, a spaniel, " raches " (small-to-medium-sized scenthounds), "kennets" (small hunting dogs), terriers , "butcher's hounds", dung-heap dogs, "trundel tails" ( lapdogs ?) and prick-eared curs , and small ladies puppies that bear away the fleas and diverse small sorts." Almost 100 years later, another book in English, De Canibus Britannicus , by

750-629: Is based on Murray Ball's cousin Arthur Waugh, who was a sheep shearer around the time of the strip's inception and went on to own a 2,100-hectare farm situated east of Pahiatua in the southeastern North Island of New Zealand. Ball cited different reasons for quitting the strip, including the death of his own dog, and his displeasure with the direction of New Zealand politics . Among the strip's fans were Peanuts creator Charles Schulz and Garfield creator Jim Davis . The Gisborne Museum & Arts Centre created an exhibition for Footrot Flats, which

800-418: Is compared against the ideal of the written standard, and awards are based on how closely the dog resembles the standard. Their origin comes from the earliest European cynegetica: on a "sound hunting dog" see Xenophon , and the "correct type" of good sighthound, the vertragus , see Arrian . Note 2 : Many modern breeds of dogs still use the names of early types, although they may or may not resemble

850-489: Is not unusual for poultry to be handled by dogs. The term "herding dog" is sometimes erroneously used to describe livestock guardian dogs , whose primary function is to guard flocks and herds from predation and theft, and they lack the herding instinct. Although herding dogs may guard flocks their primary purpose is to move them; both herding dogs and livestock guardian dogs may be called "sheep dogs". In general terms when categorizing dog breeds, herding dogs are considered

900-481: Is too delicate and prone to wounds and sunburn. In countries where herding is preserved, herding dogs continue to work for their main purpose and are appreciated as effective and even irreplaceable helpers that can save labor costs and avoid investments in expensive equipment. Economic studies in Australia have shown that herding dogs are worth more than five times their cost, including training and maintenance. Meanwhile,

950-517: The Canis melitaeus of lapdogs descended from ancient Roman pet dogs to the even more ancient Canis molossus , the Molossan types, to the Canis saultor , the dancing mongrel of beggars. These types were uniform enough to appear to have been selectively bred, but as Raymond Coppinger wrote, "Natural processes can produce, could produce, and do produce populations of unusual and uniform dogs, that is, dogs with

1000-594: The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) alone. Dog types today are recognized in the names of Group or Section categories of dog breed registries . Named types of dogs that are not dog breeds are still being used where function or use is more important than appearance, especially for herding or hunting, as with the herding dog types of New Zealand that are described by their exact function (Heading Dog, Huntaway , Stopping Dog, etc.—functional terms, not necessarily breed names). For biologists,

1050-611: The Netherlands , through the Mediterranean Sea to the Alps , up the Rhone to central and southwestern France. The development of agriculture, increasing number of settlements and foundation of cities have led to a decrease in the number of predators. After the extinction of large predators in most of Europe and Great Britain , with the massive spread of sheep breeding and with an increase in

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1100-638: The United Kingdom , Ireland , South Africa , Chile , Canada , the USA , Australia , New Zealand and other farming nations, and have occasionally even become primetime television fare. In the US, regular events are run by the United States Border Collie Handler's Association, Australian Shepherd Club of America, American Kennel Club and many others. The world record price for a working sheep dog

1150-486: The 8-7th millennium BC. Originally this process began in Western Asia , on the territory of modern Iran and Iraq . Shepherding was a difficult task: primitive herders did not have horses and moved their cattle for grazing on foot as horses and donkeys were not yet fully domesticated and obedient enough. Dogs that were previously helping humans in hunting, became assistants in livestock maintenance. The main task for dogs in

1200-505: The Dog serving as mascot (a duty he takes seriously, often blaming himself if the team loses). In the cricket season, Wal plays for an unnamed team as an all-rounder, although he is sometimes pictured as the wicket keeper. Cooch often plays cricket with Wal and so does the Dog, usually fielding in the slips or in the covers (wherein the Dog's alias of 'The Scarlet Manuka' sometimes comes into play, stealing cricket balls to 'rescue' them from persecution). Cooch also plays golf with Wal, who has

1250-605: The Raupo rugby club as a hooker and is often seen playing and training in the strip. At one point Wal was replaced by a younger man as he was getting too old, but the younger player wasn't as good. The final few strips ever drawn involve an unlikely chain of events which culminate in Wal somehow scoring a try against a touring international rugby side. Wal also coaches the Raupo School rugby team, with Rangi being one of its more prominent members and

1300-494: The ability to manage the herd, but also to protect it. With the spread of reindeer breeding among the northern peoples, hunting spitz -like dogs were "retrained" into shepherds. Most breeds of Central European shepherd dogs – with erect ears and short hair on the head, similar to wolves, were mainly formed in the 16th to 17th centuries, the breeds of curly-haired dogs of the Northern European type were formed later. During

1350-688: The animals to turn or stop the animal's movement. The heelers or driving dogs keep pushing the animals forward. Typically, they stay behind the herd. The Australian Kelpie and Australian Koolie use both these methods and also run along the backs of sheep so are said to head, heel, and back. Other types such as the Australian Shepherd , English Shepherd and Welsh Sheepdog are moderate to loose eyed , working more independently. The New Zealand Huntaway uses its loud, deep bark to muster mobs of sheep. Belgian Malinois , German Shepherd Dogs and Briards are historically tending dogs, who act as

1400-491: The author/physician John Caius , translated (Fleming) from Latin in 1576, attempted the first systematic approach to defining different types of dogs in various categories, demonstrating an apparent increase in types and population. "English dogs": the gentle (i.e., well-bred) kind, serving game— harriers , terriers, bloodhounds , gazehounds , greyhounds, limers, tumblers, and stealers; "the homely kind"; "the currish kind", toys ; "Fowling dogs"— setters and spaniels; as well as

1450-537: The dog's natural inclination to treat cattle and sheep as prey while simultaneously maintaining the dog's hunting skills, thereby creating an effective herding dog. Dogs can work other animals in a variety of ways. Some breeds, such as the Australian Cattle Dog , typically nip at the heels of animals (for this reason they are called heelers ) and the Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgis were historically used in

1500-446: The early stages of cattle breeding was protecting herds from a variety of wild predators, that were very numerous. This function predetermined herding dogs' characteristics: they had to be strong, vicious, courageous, decisive, able to stand alone against a large predator and, most importantly, ready to defend their herd. The history of the ancestors of herding dogs can be traced back to six thousand years ago, archaeological findings of

1550-513: The farming realism. Footrot Flats was initially rejected for syndication by both The New Zealand Herald and The Auckland Star . It was first accepted in 1976 by Mike Robson, editor of Wellington's The Evening Post . The strip appeared in hundreds of newspapers in Australasia and also gained an international following, especially in Denmark. The strip's leading human character, Wal Footrot,

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1600-643: The help of herding dogs turned out to be the most effective and only easily implemented way: walking through the patrolled area several times a day, the dogs force the geese to settle in places where they cause less trouble, while the nature is not being harmed. All shepherd dogs are born athletes. Their high need for physical and intellectual activity can be replenished not only by sports grazing, but also by other types of cynological sports. Border Collies as owners of outstanding sports qualities, Belgian Shepherds, Australian Shepherds invariably occupy leading positions in agility, flyball, frisbee, dog dancing, obedience. At

1650-402: The herding/sighthound cluster and the hunting breeds. Breeds in the mastiff/terrier cluster were bolder than the ancient breeds, the breeds in the herding/sighthound cluster, and the hunting breeds. Note 1 : Every modern dog breed has a written "standard" that describes in detail aspects of its appearance. Modern breed standards are the basis of the sport of dog showing, as each dog

1700-526: The joint remains of sheep and dogs date back to 3685 BC. The place of their origin is considered to be the territories of modern Turkey , Iraq and Syria . Shepherd dogs are mentioned in the Old Testament , the writings of Cato the Elder and Varro , their images are found in works of art created more than two thousand years ago. These dogs were used not only to guard herds, but also for military purposes. From

1750-414: The only commands used: there are many variations. When whistles are used, each individual dog usually has a different set of commands to avoid confusion when several dogs are being worked at one time. Dog type Dog types are broad categories of domestic dogs based on form, function, or style of work, lineage, or appearance. Some may be locally adapted dog types (or landraces ) that may have

1800-719: The owner and a desire to work has led to the widespread use of large European Shepherds for a number of other civil and military jobs. These are the most common police and military dogs employed in the guard, search, rescue and other types of services. The modern world presents people with new tasks, which are successfully solved with the help of dogs. For example, in the United States, legally protected geese often pose serious problems for life and work. Here, border collies and other strong-eyed herding dogs are used to patrol crops, residential and recreational areas, parks, beaches, golf courses and, above all, airports. Protection from birds with

1850-403: The pack of running hounds , which included barcelets and brachetz (both scent hounds ); and the sighthound and greyhound . More significant in recording the use and description of various dog types is The Master of Game (circa 1406) by Edward of York , a treatise that describes dogs and their work, such as the alaunt , greyhound, pack scent hounds, spaniel , and mastiff , used by

1900-450: The pastoral or shepherd types, mastiffs or bandogs , and various village dogs. Subtypes describing the function of dogs in each group were also included. "It is important", reminded Anne Rogers Clark and Andrew Brace, "not to claim great age for breeds, though it is quite legitimate to claim considerable antiquity for types of dogs". Attempts to classify dogs into different 'species' show that dog types could be quite distinctive, from

1950-510: The popularity and the number of herding dogs are growing, and the scope of work for them is narrowing. In the 21st century herding dogs are often chosen as family pets . The collie breeds including the Bearded Collie and Border Collie are well known, as are the Australian kelpie and Australian Working kelpie, Welsh Corgis . They make good family dogs and are at their best when they have

2000-469: The privileged and wealthy for hunting purposes. The Master of Game is a combination of the earlier Art of Venery and the French hunting treatise Livre de Chasse by Gaston Phoebus (circa 1387). The Book of Saint Albans , published in 1486, a "school" book about hawking , hunting, fishing, and heraldry , attributed to Juliana Berners (Barnes), lists dogs of the time mainly by function: "First there

2050-480: The regions of Western Asia, herding spread to west and north, followed by an increase in the number of domestic animals. On the territory of Europe , the progenitors of herding dogs appeared in the 6th to 7th centuries BC. According to archaeological research, cattle breeding and agriculture spread across Europe in different ways: along the Danube and Rhine rivers to the territory of modern Germany , northern France and

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2100-527: The same time, in service, sport and show dogs of herding breeds that do not interact with livestock, the herding instinct is gradually weakened. The competitive dog sport in which herding dogs move animals around a field, fences, gates, or enclosures as directed by their handlers is called a sheepdog trial , herding test or stockdog trial depending on the area. Such events are particularly associated with hill farming areas, where sheep range widely on largely unfenced land. These trials are popular in

2150-406: The selection process, the physical characteristics of the dogs were formed, allowing them to do their job in the best possible way. Regardless of the conditions in which herding dogs work and what function they perform, they all have a number of common characteristics. Herding dogs are strong and have a lot of stamina. Their paws are well protected from thorns and sharp stones: toes are compressed into

2200-581: The share of cultivated and populated land, the main task of herding dogs was to protect crops, private and protected areas from harm during grazing and moving herds. Shepherd dogs were more suitable for this work than larger and stronger breeds, being medium-sized and mobile. Such dogs managed small and large livestock, as well as domestic birds. In addition to the Central European type of shepherd, another type of dog has emerged, often with thick hair, more suitable for colder areas. These dogs have shown not only

2250-521: The tennis club. The Dog is usually the ball boy. Wal and Cooch frequently fish in various ways: whitebaiting, long line fishing, and most often floundering. Other sports seen in Footrot Flats are boxing , polo , soccer , squash , badminton and shooting . Main series Pocket books Combined collections Murray Ball Collector's Trilogy Misc Miscellaneous merchandise included: Herding dog A herding dog , also known as

2300-415: The training centres for working and sporting herding dogs, offering sheep rental and walks in the pasture. Dogs living in the suburbs and villages can work with small groups of animals or poultry. Sometimes owners even buy a few sheep so that their dogs can enjoy what they were originally bred for. The combination of quick learning ability, physical strength, endurance, predatory behavior with dedication to

2350-418: The various types of dogs in use. Some of the old types no longer needed for work (such as the wolfhound ) were remade and kept from extinction as show dogs, and other old types were refined into many new breeds. Sometimes, multiple new breeds might be born in the same litter of puppies. In 1873, only forty breeds and varieties were known; today, there are many hundreds of breeds, some 400 of them recognized by

2400-473: The visual characteristics of a modern purebred dog. In contrast, modern dog breeds strictly adhere to long-established breed standards , that began with documented foundation breeding stock sharing a common set of inheritable characteristics, developed by long-established, reputable kennel clubs that recognize the dog as a purebred. A "dog type" can be referred to broadly, as in gun dog , or more specifically, as in spaniel . Dogs raised and trained for

2450-517: Was broken February 2011 at the auction at Skipton Market, England, with £6,300 ($ 10,270) for Dewi Fan. The previous record was £5,145 ($ 8,390) These commands may be indicated by a hand movement, whistle or voice. There are many other commands that are also used when working stock and in general use away from stock. Herding dog commands are generally taught using livestock as the modus operandi. Urban owners without access to livestock are able to teach basic commands through herding games. These are not

2500-727: Was exhibited at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in September 1991. The characters are invariably known by their nicknames, such as Cooch, Pongo, Rangi, and Aunt Dolly. However, Aunt Dolly never uses the nicknames and always addresses them by their proper names. Sport plays a major part in Footrot Flats. Wal plays all sorts of sports including cricket , golf , fishing , rugby union , tennis and snooker . The Dog often plays with Wal, sometimes helping him, sometimes embarrassing him and sometimes being exploited. Wal can never beat his younger brother Rex in any sport. Wal plays for

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