Huntaway

The Huntaway is New Zealand's sheepdog, and it was bred for one specific thing: to bark on command.

History

New Zealand's high country runs hold enormous flocks on steep open ground, and the silent eye-and-crouch of the Border Collie could not move them. Farmers there bred a larger dog that drives sheep away from the handler by barking — huntaway, from hunting them away — and selected purely on that ability. It is registered on working performance rather than appearance, so its looks vary widely.

Temperament

The breed is known for being friendly, energetic and enormously loud, good-natured with people and utterly focused on stock.

Care and training

It needs a very great deal of exercise and real work. The barking is the breed's purpose and cannot be trained out, which rules out most households. Coats vary and all are easy.

Health

Generally robust from strict working selection, with hip dysplasia among the known tendencies. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.