This week on the Super Smart Farm Show, we're in done chasing our tails — it's time to figure out how herding dogs work.

How do herding dogs know how to move cattle and sheep around? Have they learned how to speak sheep or cow? Is it special training? Or is there something else going on here?

Join host Elmer and Ollie the dog as they discuss how dogs help farmers take care of their herds.

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In this episode of the Super Smart Farm Show, Elmer explores the fascinating role of herding dogs on farms, answering the question: How do dogs move entire herds of sheep and cattle?

With help from Ollie, a skilled herding dog, listeners learn that successful herding relies on a combination of natural instinct and specialized training, developed over generations in breeds like Border Collies, Australian cattle dogs and Corgis.

The episode breaks down how livestock animals use a herd instinct for safety, which allows dogs to guide them by applying gentle pressure, body positioning and movement rather than force. It also highlights how farmers use voice commands and whistle signals to direct dogs, and why calm, controlled herding reduces stress and improves animal health.

Young listeners are introduced to concepts like the "herding eye," real-time problem solving and livestock behavior, making this an engaging and educational look at working farm dogs, livestock management and animal behavior in agriculture.