When we think of sheepdogs our minds most likely immediately make the jump to Border Collies. And rightfully so since they were bred to watch over and herd flocks of sheep. Some of us might have even seen Border Collies in action before. When I did a study abroad semester in Ireland, I got to witness firsthand the way Border Collies work. And the number of signals and commands that they understand and then perfectly execute is nothing short of impressive. Those sheepdogs really know what they’re doing! And during the demonstration, the dog’s handler explained that part of a sheep dog’s job is to remain calm while herding the sheep so as not to get the animals too excitable since worked up sheep can end up causing problems.
However, the firm grace of sheep herding was lost on one particular pooch who has been dubbed the “world’s worst sheepdog” after a video went viral. Nelson, a Norfolk Terrier, didn’t exactly have the prowess of a Border Collie in the field the day that the video clip was filmed. He was a bumbling mess of a herding dog. But at least the resulting footage made for a very entertaining watch. In the video, little Nelson ends up making a mess of his herding job by getting the sheep all riled up and in play mode.
Instead of rounding them up in an orderly fashion, Nelson just ends up frolicking around the field. The sheep quickly notice that the “sheepdog” is slacking off on his duties of herding them, so rather than form an orderly cluster, the sheep end up taking liberties of their own. The flock of sheep is quick to join in the playtime too. They run about the field but then end up teaming up together in order to chase Nelson around. Talk about a role reversal. But the plucky little pup doesn’t seem too bothered. In fact, he looks like he’s having the time of his life getting chased by the sheep.
The impromptu game of tag continues, and while the film clip is only a few seconds long, something tells us that Nelson’s playtime lasted a little while – especially since he kept ignoring his owner’s “Nelson, come here” commands. Watch the funny clip below:
