I haven't really been situated so that it made sense to keep a dog, for the dog's sake, since back when, growing up on the farm. The dog I grew up with, probably a german shepherd mix, about a year younger than me, was a born livestock dog. Tell him to bring the cows in from pasture, and it was done. He was a "freebie", like most of the dogs we ever had. We eventually actually paid money for a pup sold as an English shepherd, a guaranteed stock dog. By the time we found out he would never pay any particular attention to cattle, he was a member of the family, with us for life. Never have been able to match him to any pictures of "English shepherd" or "English sheep dog"; a mid-size dog, with heavy straight mid-length coat, black with white nose, throat, and boots.