Sheepdog trials

About sheepdog trials

Sheepdog trials test the partnership between a shepherd and a working dog on live sheep, over a course based on everyday farm work. They range from local society trials to ISDS trials at National and International level. Every three years there is also a World Trial. If you are looking for sheepdog trial puppies, this page explains what the dogs are tested on, how trial-bred collies are bred and registered, and what to ask a breeder.

What this work involves

A trial run follows the jobs a shepherd needs a dog for:

• Outrun. The dog runs out in a wide arc to get behind the sheep without disturbing them.
• Lift. The dog makes first contact and moves the sheep off calmly.
• Fetch. The dog brings the sheep in a straight line to the handler, through a gate.
• Drive. The dog pushes the sheep away from the handler and across the field through more gates.
• Shed. The dog separates a set number of sheep from the group. At higher levels this can include a single sheep.
• Pen. The dog and handler put the sheep into a small pen.

The handler directs with whistles, voice or both. Each element carries a maximum number of points, and points are lost for faults, so the best run is the one closest to the maximum. The outrun, lift and fetch show the dog’s natural ability, which is why breeders value trial results so highly.

Who trains and supplies these dogs in the UK

Sheepdog trials are run by handlers and societies. Farmers, shepherds and trial handlers breed, rear and train their own dogs, and trial-bred puppies are sold by those handlers and breeders.

The International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS) was founded in 1906 and is a registered charity (no. 209009). It keeps the Stud Book for working Border Collies and registers more than 6,000 pups a year. It runs the national sheepdog trials for England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, the International each September, and the World Trial every three years. The most recent World Trial was held on 16 to 20 September 2026 at Lauder in the Scottish Borders.

To register a litter with the ISDS, both parents must be ISDS registered (or on an approved register) and their owners must be ISDS members. The parents must meet the society’s eye requirements for collie eye anomaly (CEA), through DNA tests or clinical eye examinations. Depending on those results, the litter may also need to be eye screened before registration, which is done while the pups are under 12 weeks old. Every pup must be microchipped, and pups must be registered before they are a year old. After that, a dog can only be added through Registration on Merit, which is for dogs of good breeding and above-average working ability.

Breeders listed on this site sell puppies. Some handlers also sell started or trained adult dogs, but that is a separate arrangement.

Breeds and lines

Trial dogs are almost all working Border Collies registered with the ISDS as working sheepdogs. The ISDS registers dogs for their working ability, not their looks, so trial-bred collies vary a lot in coat, colour and size. Show-type Border Collies registered with the Royal Kennel Club are bred to a breed standard and are usually a different type.

For Border Collies, the Royal Kennel Club recommends eye testing (with gonioscopy) under the BVA/KC/ISDS Eye Scheme and hip and elbow scoring. Its best-practice list adds DNA tests for conditions including collie eye anomaly (CEA), ceroid lipofuscinosis (CL), trapped neutrophil syndrome (TNS) and Imerslund-Gräsbeck syndrome (IGS). It will not register puppies from merle-to-merle matings.

What to ask a breeder

1. Are both parents ISDS registered, and will this litter be registered with the ISDS?
2. Have the parents run in trials? At what level, and with what results? Do they work stock day to day?
3. Can I see the parents’ eye certificates or CEA DNA results, and does this litter need to be eye screened?
4. Which DNA tests have the parents had, for example CEA, CL, TNS and IGS, and do they have hip scores?
5. Can I see one or both parents working sheep?
6. Is this litter bred for work? Would a pup suit my situation, whether that is a farm, a hobby flock or a pet home with sheepdog lessons?

Frequently asked questions

What does “trial bred collie” mean in an advert?

It usually means the parents or recent ancestors have competed, ideally with success, in sheepdog trials. Ask for specific results and check the pedigree through the ISDS.

Can a pet Border Collie compete in sheepdog trials?

Yes, if it has the instinct and you have access to sheep and good tuition. Many people start with lessons from an experienced handler. ISDS trials run from nursery trials for young dogs through novice to open trials, where handlers gain points towards entry to the National.

How often is the World Sheepdog Trial held?

Every three years. The most recent was held in September 2026 at Lauder in the Scottish Borders. The ISDS announces future dates and venues, and competitors qualify in their own countries.

Do you breed or handle trial dogs, or do your collies work sheep? Add your listing to Canine Breeder so people looking for trial-bred puppies can find you.