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Herding Dogs & Rotational Grazing: Building Connection Over Control | with Seth Thompson
Herding goats with a working dog isn't about force or control—it's about partnership, patience, and understanding what your dog was bred to do. In this episode, we meet a farmer who traded in his old life three years ago to become a goat herder in Wisconsin, bringing regenerative agriculture to his land with the help of his English Shepherd, Dutch. Their work together is a beautiful reminder of what happens when we honour a dog's natural instincts and let them do what they were born for.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- Why goats need a different kind of herding dog than sheep, and how "loose-eyed" breeds like English Shepherds work up close and personal with stubborn livestock
- What it takes to train a herding dog from scratch when you've never trained a dog before, including why you have to wait a full year before introducing a puppy to stock
- How rotational grazing with a working dog can heal degraded soil while producing high-quality goat milk for soap making
- The importance of always backing up your dog around livestock, even when things don't go to plan—and how discouragement can ruin a working dog's confidence
- What a typical day looks like moving goats from barn to pasture, and how farmer and dog work as a team to guide the herd
- How working dogs stay engaged during winter months when there's no grazing, and why skills like "steady" help a dog learn to respect the bubble of space around stock
- Why early socialisation between young dogs and livestock matters, and how encouragement builds a dog's ability to be the calm, confident leader of the herd
A FAVOURITE MOMENT
"I feel bad that I'm the only person here. I think more people should be able to see this." — Seth
ABOUT SETH
Seth is a farmer and goat herder at New Plymouth Farm in Wisconsin, where he produces goat milk soap using regenerative agriculture practices. Three years ago, he left his previous life behind to work the land with his English Shepherd, Dutch, who helps move the herd from barn to pasture and back again. Seth is passionate about improving soil health and sharing the peaceful, purposeful work of grazing with others.
CONNECT WITH SETH
Website: newplymouthfarm.com
Facebook: New Plymouth Farm
Special offer: Use code Soul10 for 10% off goat milk soap at newplymouthfarm.com. Sign up for emails to be notified when live herding videos launch this spring.
CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS
To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit https://soultouchedbydogs.com
View all episodes
By Anke HerrmannHerding goats with a working dog isn't about force or control—it's about partnership, patience, and understanding what your dog was bred to do. In this episode, we meet a farmer who traded in his old life three years ago to become a goat herder in Wisconsin, bringing regenerative agriculture to his land with the help of his English Shepherd, Dutch. Their work together is a beautiful reminder of what happens when we honour a dog's natural instincts and let them do what they were born for.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- Why goats need a different kind of herding dog than sheep, and how "loose-eyed" breeds like English Shepherds work up close and personal with stubborn livestock
- What it takes to train a herding dog from scratch when you've never trained a dog before, including why you have to wait a full year before introducing a puppy to stock
- How rotational grazing with a working dog can heal degraded soil while producing high-quality goat milk for soap making
- The importance of always backing up your dog around livestock, even when things don't go to plan—and how discouragement can ruin a working dog's confidence
- What a typical day looks like moving goats from barn to pasture, and how farmer and dog work as a team to guide the herd
- How working dogs stay engaged during winter months when there's no grazing, and why skills like "steady" help a dog learn to respect the bubble of space around stock
- Why early socialisation between young dogs and livestock matters, and how encouragement builds a dog's ability to be the calm, confident leader of the herd
A FAVOURITE MOMENT
"I feel bad that I'm the only person here. I think more people should be able to see this." — Seth
ABOUT SETH
Seth is a farmer and goat herder at New Plymouth Farm in Wisconsin, where he produces goat milk soap using regenerative agriculture practices. Three years ago, he left his previous life behind to work the land with his English Shepherd, Dutch, who helps move the herd from barn to pasture and back again. Seth is passionate about improving soil health and sharing the peaceful, purposeful work of grazing with others.
CONNECT WITH SETH
Website: newplymouthfarm.com
Facebook: New Plymouth Farm
Special offer: Use code Soul10 for 10% off goat milk soap at newplymouthfarm.com. Sign up for emails to be notified when live herding videos launch this spring.
CONNECT WITH SOUL TOUCHED BY DOGS
To find out more about Soul Touched by Dogs, visit https://soultouchedbydogs.com