When it comes to this fantastic working dog, few people think of its ability to herd livestock. But he's very good at it!

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Although the breed was not specifically bred to excel as a herding dog, it was set out with the firm aim of creating an all-round working dog, the Swiss Army knife of dog breeds. Max von Stephanitz, the father of the breed, used the herding dogs of central and southern Germany in his breeding, so in fact this behaviour is also coded into the German Shepherd's instincts. Which can be developed through training, but can also occur spontaneously. (And it's okay, of course, if you never show any talent for herding.)

In this video, for example, you can see how the dog is guided by the owner whistling, who then quickly and skilfully herds the cattle back over difficult terrain:

Discipline when herding cattle:

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And in this video you can see him working in contrast with a border collie: