Category: Sheepdog book

Finally I’ve found THE book I’ve been needing for years! I am really starting to understand in detail what herding instinct and ability really means, how sheep behave as a group of prey animals, and how to think about sheepdog training and especially breeding. This remains my BOOK OF BOOKS in my brand new shepherd’s life!

My very favorite herding how-to book.

This book will teach you all the traits a dog should have without being trained. It will let you be able to pick a pup from a litter that has a good temperament. I give this book a five star rating.

Anyone serious about breeding and/or training better dogs must get this book.
A treasure of great information.
You won’t regret buying this book.

Hi Tully, I just wanted to let you know I received your fantastic DVD and book last week. Your DVD is by far the most in depth discussion on natural ability and instinct I have ever come across! I am thoroughly enjoying it, and it’s so nice to purchase something like this that isn’t over within the hour! I am almost half way through your book and am about ready to start at the beginning again! There is just so much to take in it’s fantastic! The little bit I have read has changed my views so much on how I look at my dogs.

Man’s best friend can also be one of man’s best workers. “Working Sheep Dogs: A Practical Guide to Breeding, Training, and Handling” is a comprehensive handbook to raising and training one’s sheep dogs to serve their tasks. Covering every aspect of raising and educating a dog in terms that one doesn’t need to be a veterinarian to understand, “Working Sheep Dogs” is a seminal book on the subject.

Hi Tully, I purchased your book just prior to picking up my Kelpie, she is now just over 2 years old.

I work in the city and to this day I still carry your book in my bag and most days I will flick through different chapters and it’s amazing how things spring into your head when a mistake is made I ask myself “what would Tully say”. I just cannot thank you enough for a book that can be read by the most experienced handler or the complete novice like me and learn.

This book should be like pedigree papers and given to everybody to read it as there is real information in that book that will help regardless of your experience. A mate of mine has a copy and often we find ourselves asking questions when something goes wrong, we always refer back to the “Tully bible”. I hope I am not bothering you but just want you to know what your book has done to us.”

In my opinion this is the finest book written on the selection, breeding, training and handling of working dogs. It has been written by a very knowledgeable person with a great deal of passion to breed and train good working dogs – Tully Williams.

I came across this book which was advertised on the CSIRO web site, and since I had just lost my border collie due to illness and was looking for another dog, I decided to purchase this book on the expectation that it may contain information that would help me in the selection and training of my new dog. It certainly has done just that. I followed the author’s suggestion to read through the working instincts once fairly quickly, then re-read it again – this way one gains an overall picture of what the author’s terminology is all about.

Tully Williams has lain down the gauntlet to breeders to breed good dogs with natural ability, to assist farmers in their daily tasks and not to breed only for dog trials.

This book is a MUST for every working dog breeder, trainer and farmer.

I saw this book advertised in the last newsletter so I thought I would have a look. I am glad I did, it’s a wee beaut!

This is an OUTSTANDING piece of work in both the quantity; there is barely a wasted sentence, and the quality of the information it contains. An Aussie book, (no Huntaways sorry), it focuses on breeding good quality heading types (although most of the principles apply to any breed of sheepdog). The first seventy odd pages consists mainly of critical assessment of temperament, natural abilities and intelligence, including the good and not so good. This is followed by twenty or so pages devoted to breeding and selection for breeding and likely outcomes from certain choices. I think it is in these two sections that this book excels and stands alone.

Some 265 pages long, this is an information dense book, well-written and laid out. It requires careful reading because of the intensity of the information. The remaining pages contain excellent ideas regarding training, training psychology, rearing, stockwork and trials. It includes clear line drawings and a few photographs. The training section is very detailed and focuses considerably on training the trainer and gaining insight in this area. This is high value information for those prepared to take the time to understand it. There is a strongly critical tone throughout this book which is really urging us to take more care in the breeding and handling of these outstanding work mates. It is presented in a solid and informative way by a young but clearly experienced man, of great integrity.

In his analytical and passionate approach he is is deeply concerned about the decline in quality of sheepdogs in his own backyard. And it is a very big back yard. I think this book is destined to become a classic in its field. For those of you who value quality books on this subject, BUY ONE NOW!!

Working Sheep Dogs is not simply a manual on how to train a working animal, but provides a whole new approach to breeding, training and handling farm dogs.