In the fourth episode, we turn to the remarkable dogs at the heart of sheep herding. Through historical interviews, we hear how border collies and great pyrenees guide, protect and care for the bands – and perform feats that can astonish even the most experienced herders. Bred for this work, these dogs are more than helpers on the trail. They are essential partners whose instincts, intelligence and loyalty have made them an integral part of the sheep-ranching tradition.
Sheep Stories is a podcast from Boise State Public Radio made in partnership with the Trailing of the Sheep Festival and The Community Library's Jeanne Rodger Lane Center for Regional History in Ketchum. Evelyn Laila Holden is The Patricia Crandall Lane Trailing of the Sheep Festival Archives Summer Intern for 2026. "The Savvy Traveler" audio used in this episode is with permission of Minnesota Public Radio. All rights reserved. Additional recordings in this podcast were made by the Idaho Commission on the Arts. Music in this episode comes from Hal Canon and Leonard Coulson as part of the Deseret String Band.