Not to sound like I was raised by protestants, but I think those kids who argue that it’s animal abuse to put working dog breeds to work doing the tasks they were bred and born for have simply genuinely never encountered the concept that they, too, could be genuinely happier if they could do work they found wortwhile and enjoyable. Like engaging in useful and constructive activities might genuinely make life better than a life of doing absolutely nothing because nobody’s making you do anything.
Blue Heelers are herding dogs. When I had one, he decided his job was to herd our flock of cockatiels. I didn’t ask him to, and in fact tried to dissuade him at first, but it worked out pretty well and kept him from getting bored. Not sure how well things would have worked out if we hadn’t had something for him to herd and protect.
If you don’t give your working dog a job, they will assign themselves one. Unfortunately, that job may sometimes be eating the couch.
The difference between a well-trained herding dog and an untrained herding dog is that a well-trained one won’t start herding before you tell them to, and stops herding when told to do so. Herders will herd because herders must herd. I was there the first time my sister’s dog (a shepherd breed) saw sheep for the first time. I swear I saw him blink like he suddenly remembered something, and instantly knew what to do. Genetic memory just clicking into place.
Everyone deserves to experience that at some point in their life. Blinking like a sheep dog seeing sheep for the first time. “Oh, right, so this was what I was supposed to be doing.”