I've just realised that our 4 aussies are all demonstrating one aspect of herding/pastoral work that isn't often refered to these days - guarding thresholds!

Loki is strategically placed in the doorway through to the kitchen; Thor is placed in the archway between the kitch/breakfast room (just beside the oven, in case anything should drop); Vinnie is across the door to the utility room, and Beau is guarding the backdoor! They're all flat out, perfectly relaxed, in fact Thor is snoring!!

We're in the living room, with Purdey (lab) on 1 settee, & gypsy (lab) on Purdey's bed by the TV!

Margot

Tara is lying with her head on her gorilla soft toy peacefully sucking it (nowhere near a door) - maybe she doesn't know that she is an Aussie :D

Having said that she does like to lie near the door to the garden or next to the dog gate between the hall and kitchen :)

Bramble who is definitely not herding or pastoral (vaguely GSD !) is lying at my feet :)

Daisy

Margot and Daisy,
Well I have Scarlett chasing Gabby around the kitchen and Bubba, (their dad), trying desperately to head Scarlett off away from Gabby..... the ''herding instinct'' is still there in the old boy....... I always thought, he was the one aussie I owned that had no guarding or herding instinct in him, he was just a lovely mellow dog, who just watched life pass by, but there is life in the old boy yet, he keeps the girls in check, and is very protective towards me........
Who could live without an aussie?? Not me....... :-) (or my GSD come to think of it)....
Gabrielle x

Funny you should mention that, my Golden always lies by the kitchen door, obviously banking on knowing at all times if anyone enters the 'food zone' :)
FCR lies across my feet instead, poss because she can't get to the kitchen door to sleep :D

liberty and the greedy girls :)