McNab dog facts for kids
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| Other names | McNab Stock Dog McNab Collie McNab Sheepdog McNab Herding Dog |
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| Origin | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Breed status | Not recognized as a standardized breed by any major kennel club. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The McNab Dog, also known as the McNab Shepherd or McNab Collie, is a special type of herding dog. It first came from Hopland, in Mendocino County, Northern California.
These dogs were bred to handle the tough conditions in California. This includes hot weather, prickly plants like burrs, and spiky seeds called foxtails. They also do well on rough land. For a long time, not many people outside California knew about McNabs. But in the last 30 years, they have become much more popular and are now found in many more places.
Contents
What Does a McNab Shepherd Look Like?
McNab Shepherds can look quite different from each other. They are medium-sized dogs. Female McNabs usually stand 16–21 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 30–50 pounds. Males are a bit bigger, standing 18–25 inches tall and weighing 35–65 pounds.
Their ears can be different too. Some have ears that stand straight up, while others have floppy ears. Their tails can be short (either naturally or made short by people) or long. McNabs come in many colors, like black, red, blonde, blue, lilac, and sable. They can be solid colors, have white markings, or be "tri-colored" with white and tan spots.
Their eyes are set wide apart and are shaped like almonds. They can be brown, hazel, or copper in color. The McNab's coat is close to their body, thick, and can handle different weather. They might have a smooth, short single coat, a short double coat, or a medium-length single coat. Their fur is never long. One cool thing about McNabs is their "cat-like" feet. These feet help them move quickly and easily.
Is the McNab Shepherd a "Recognized" Breed?
Right now, the McNab is not officially recognized as a standard breed by big dog organizations like the American Kennel Club (AKC). This means they don't have a strict set of rules for how they should look or act. However, this might change in the future.
In 2014, some McNab Shepherd breeders and fans created the McNab Shepherd Registry (MSR). Their goal is to help the McNab Shepherd breed get better and be cared for. The MSR is a "founding registry." This means they use DNA tests to make sure a dog is truly a McNab Shepherd before registering it.
Starting in 2014, the MSR worked with Mars Veterinary on a study. They wanted to find a special genetic "fingerprint" for the McNab Shepherd. They collected DNA samples from McNabs all over the United States. The study showed that McNabs do have a unique genetic signature. This supports the idea that they are a distinct breed. The study also checked the dogs for certain physical traits and over 100 possible diseases. This helps them understand the health of the McNab population.
What is a McNab Shepherd's Personality Like?
McNab Shepherds need a lot of daily exercise and things to make them think. A McNab that works on a farm often runs for miles each day, using its herding skills to move animals. If they don't get enough activity or attention, they can become restless.
Unlike some other herding dogs, McNabs are not usually hyperactive. If a McNab gets plenty of exercise, it will be happy to nap by its owner's side. They are always watchful and protective.
McNabs often form strong bonds with their family members, including other pets in the house. They have a strong sense of their home territory and usually don't wander far away. They are also more likely to protect their home and family than some other herding breeds.
McNabs can be strong-willed and demanding. They do best with owners who are firm and consistent. It's important to use positive training methods that don't make the McNab want to resist. These dogs are very smart and learn quickly. They need to use their brains as much as their bodies. Families thinking about getting a McNab as a pet should be ready to spend a lot of time with their dog.
What Activities Do McNab Shepherds Enjoy?
McNabs have a "loose-eyed" herding style. This means they tend to work more on their own than many other herding breeds. They are good at both "heading" and "heeling" livestock. Heading means they can turn animals from the front, and heeling means they can get behind animals and move them forward.
These dogs were first bred to herd sheep. But ranchers soon found that McNabs were brave and great at herding cattle too. McNabs are also used to herd geese, goats, and llamas. They can even help gather horses from pastures. They are known for their amazing endurance. Some McNabs have been known to travel over a hundred miles in a day while moving their herds!
McNabs are becoming very popular in dog sports. Their excellent athletic ability, agility, and high intelligence make them great competitors. McNabs now do well in many sports, including agility trials, dock diving, disc dog competitions, herding, and lure coursing. They also compete in dog sledding, skijoring (being pulled by a dog on skis), and flyball. They are also excellent at barn hunt and nose work. Many ranchers even compete with McNabs in a newer sport called Ranch Dog Herding. In this sport, the dog and handler (on horseback) work together to herd three cattle through obstacles and into a trailer.
The McNab is known as a tireless "all-weather" dog. This is opening up new jobs for them, like Search and Rescue. McNabs are now working as dogs that search for evidence, find human remains, help with archaeology, and search for missing people. While many other dog breeds get tired and have to stop searching, the McNab's only limit is the energy of its handler!
Besides these activities, McNabs are also becoming more common as service dogs. They show great care and understanding for people's medical and emotional needs.
How Did the McNab Shepherd Breed Start?
The story of the McNab Shepherd began in the late 1800s. A man named Alexander McNab left his home in Scotland. He settled on a huge 10,000-acre sheep ranch in California, in an area that later became Hopland.
Alexander McNab wanted to create a herding dog that could handle the tough conditions on his ranch. So, he bred the Scottish Collies he brought with him. He crossed them with the strong dogs of the Basque sheepherders he met near his ranch. Alexander McNab cleverly named his new dogs "McNab Shepherds."
In the early 1900s, Alexander McNab passed the ranch down to his youngest son, John McNab. John was a lawyer and a stockman. He continued his father's breeding work. The McNab Shepherd breed kept getting better. More dogs were brought from Scotland to help with breeding and ranch work.
Over time, McNab dogs proved to be amazing herding dogs. Ranchers in California came to rely on them completely. Now, the breed is spreading across the United States and Canada. Some McNabs are even working as stock dogs in Germany, and some sporting McNabs are as far away as Japan!
