McNab

The McNab is a Californian herding dog created by a Scottish rancher who wanted a collie that could work in the heat.

History

Alexander McNab emigrated from Scotland to Mendocino County in 1868, found his imported Scotch collies struggling with California's dry heat and rough ground, and crossed them with local dogs — accounts name Basque shepherds' dogs among them. The result works stock on open range and is registered by working associations rather than kennel clubs.

Temperament

The breed is known for being intelligent, driven and closely bonded to one handler, reserved with strangers and happiest with stock to move.

Care and training

It needs a great deal of exercise and genuine work; it is a poor fit for a household with neither. The short coat is easy. It trains very readily.

Health

Generally robust from working selection; nothing is widely documented as breed-specific. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.