If you’re just getting started with herding dogs, welcome.

This world is exciting, addicting, and deeply rewarding… but it can also be confusing, especially in the beginning.

I work with so many new handlers who tell me the same thing:

“My dog won’t listen.”

“He keeps running to the top and in circles.”

“She does the opposite of what I’m asking.”

And every time, my answer is the same:

Your dog probably isn’t being stubborn — they’re being a heading dog.

So I created the New to Herding video series to give beginners a solid, calm starting point. Let’s walk through the first two videos together, because they’ll give you clarity that saves you months of frustration.

Before we ever talk about commands or drills or working in bigger areas, I want you to understand something foundational:

The essential mindset shift every new handler needs before training begins

Your dog’s instincts are going to show up long before their obedience does and that’s a good thing.

In the START HERE video, I talk through the realities most beginners aren’t prepared for, like:

Your dog’s first job is to gather, not to follow your cues

Instinct isn’t neat or controlled in the beginning.

Your movement, your energy, and your pressure affect your dog far more than your voice.

Calm stock work comes from feel — not volume.

If you’ve ever walked off the field feeling discouraged, this video will help you breathe again. It’s your orientation to the herding world.

Now let’s talk about the behavior that confuses almost every new handler:

What balance really means and how it transforms your stock dog’s training.

If you don’t understand why, this moment feels like disobedience.

But when you do understand it… something clicks

And the frustration disappears.

Your dog runs to the top because they’re finding balance — the place where they can influence the sheep calmly and effectively.

It’s a combination of:

• position

• distance

• pressure

• and reading the sheep

Balance isn’t something you command.

It’s something your dog feels.

In the video: Why Your Herding Dog Runs to the Top — Balance Explained, I break down:

⭐What balance actually is

⭐Why it changes depending on where you move

⭐How to teach your dog to balance to you

⭐What “pressure” really means in stock work

⭐The beginner mistakes that accidentally confuse your dog

⭐When it’s time to move on to driving and off-balance work

My goal with this video is simple:

I want you to walk away finally understanding what your dog is doing.

Want More Clarity? Get My Free Guide: 5 Key Strategies for Starting a Herding Dog

If you’re the kind of person who likes having a roadmap (and most new handlers do), I put together a guide that covers the five strategies I use each time I train a dog.

These strategies pair perfectly with the New 2 Herding series— and they give you a calm, structured foundation for the rest of the series.

Click here or the picture below and I will email you the download.