what happens if you get a herding dog in a house full of cats?

My uncle always had herders.

And barn cats.

Those were some frustrated, exhausted dogs if you didn't intervene.

What's the herding dog that will walk on cows' backs to get around while herding them? I've always wanted to see that.

We had dogs off and on when I was a kid. I hated chasing cows into the barn, and was disappointed that none of our dogs were interested in herding (although occasionally they'd just chase cows around in various directions).

what happens if you get a herding dog in a house full of cats?

Permanent entertainment for everybody.

Huh, this is just like Jim Jones: Home Depot Founder: Retailers Who Don't Support GOP "Should Be Shot"

At least he has nothing to do with the current management.

My dog's mostly barks when strangers come into my yard or the neighbors'. When their yard people come, Mr. Peabody gets a little hysterical and keeps jumping higher than the four-foot fence. If he ever figures out forward momentum, we're in trouble. I certainly don't expect a pet to be maintenance free, although I do wish he didn't want to be with me every single minute. This results in his spending a lot of time begging me to come outside.

Permanent entertainment for everybody

The cats may disagree.

We monitored the Biscuit closely when we were at camp, and he definitely had a numbers threshold. Moderate sized group of kids around him and he was all, "they love me, they really really love me." But once he hit his number he definitely switched over into, "Okay, you, over here" and wanted to herd them into a more manageable group. So we'd take him in then.

But it was amazing watching him handle the differences in their ages. He'd stand so still for the little ones to gingerly approach him and awkwardly pet him. And he'd romp with the teenagers. But he never once mixed them up or was anything but gentle with the little do's.

Lori, I am so amazed by how much Kuma and Chile resemble each other. We should totally get them together sometime so that they can be aloof towards each other together. Or something like that.

Living Bookends!

It amazes me to see dogs (or cats--Zorro will let kids maul him and carry him in ways he will not accept from adults) with kids. How do they KNOW?

Old people, too! It's kinda awesome.

How do they KNOW?

No idea. Our chocolate lab, Jake, was the most patient creature on the planet when the kids were babies-- they both learned how to walk hanging onto his back while he took very small, careful steps. The bigger they got, the more exuberant he got with them.