Overview
The Smithfield takes its name from London's Smithfield meat market, where rough-coated droving dogs once moved cattle through the streets. The type died out in Britain but survived in Tasmania, where farmers kept using it on cattle and sheep. Today it is a working landrace rather than a show breed: large, shaggy, often with a short tail and a bearded face.
Nobody in the UK is likely to meet many, but a Smithfield walks like what it is, a tough, intelligent herding dog with an eye for movement and a willingness to work. Expect a friendly, energetic companion that needs purpose and tolerates weather better than most.
Exercise and walking needs
Ninety minutes a day for an adult, including time off lead or on a long line where it can move freely. Herding dogs want to cover ground and think at the same time.
Training, fetch and problem-solving games take the edge off between proper hikes. A Smithfield left to its own devices will herd whatever it can find.
On the walk
- Recall: Typically good, as the breed works closely with a handler. Moving livestock, bikes and joggers may trigger the herding instinct, so stay alert.
- Pulling: Moderate. Eager at the start of a walk, then settles into a working rhythm once moving.
- Other dogs: Mostly sociable and tolerant, with some tendency to herd smaller dogs in a group.
- Coat: Thick and shaggy, excellent against weather but a trap for mud and burrs. Towel and brush after wet walks.
Tips for professional walkers
- Keep well clear of livestock on footpaths and shorten the lead early; herding instinct is quick to fire.
- Build a game or a training task into every walk to keep the mind busy.
- Check the coat around the ears and tail for matting and seed heads in summer.
What to ask the owner
- Does the dog have a stop or recall whistle, and how does it behave around sheep and cattle?
- How does the dog react to cyclists and runners, and does it try to herd them?
- Is the coat clipped or left natural, and how does the owner like it handled after mud?