Diva at the English National Sheepdog Trails 2023

Meet Diva, a sheepdog with attitude!

The latest Dogs with Jobs introduces Diva, a wonderfully named sheepdog who has won multiple sheepdog trials, and who was one of 150 dogs competing over three days at the English National Sheepdog Trials in August in Yorkshire a couple of weeks ago.

Border collie Diva faces the camera, looking slightly to one side. She has one blue eye and one brown — Border collie Diva has one brown eye and one grey

Shepherd Cathy Cassie talks about Diva and her seven other sheepdogs, who work a large Cumbrian flock of “heavy” sheep – an expression that, in the sheepdog world, is code for uncooperative and even aggressive…

View of dozens of sheep in a pen, awaiting transport to the top of the field in groups of five. — Scores of sheep are needed for the trails, with a fresh set of five delivered to the hilltop for each contestant.

Presenter Kate Fairweather dropped in on her way back from holiday. Recorded on location amid the wind whistling on a rather bleak hillside in Yorkshire, it’s fascinating to hear about the astonishing level of precision demanded of a dog, over distance using whistle commands, to compete at this level.

More infromation from the International Sheep Dog Society