Owner Not Prepared for What Causes Dog's 'Herding Instinct' To Kick In

On a farm in Oregon's Willamette Valley, one Australian shepherd dog is redefining what it means to be a working canine by herding the newest member of the farm crew: an automated lawn mower.

Four-year-old Australian shepherd Aussie was quick to assign herself a role when the Clery family introduced a robotic mower to their land. In a heartwarming viral video, she was captured when her "herding instincts" kicked in, following the mower like her life depended on it.

"We had just gotten the automower when we realized that Meadow had started to see it as maybe one of the other animals on the farm," her owners, who remained anonymous, told Newsweek.

"Actually, how the dogs would react to our new robot friend was a big question: would they chase it, bark at it? But it has this very friendly vibe, and everyone, including the cats, likes to watch it slowly and methodically do its thing," the owner said.

On Instagram, the video has been viewed more than 280,000 times as Meadow followed the machine. After hours of patiently shadowing the mower as it trimmed its route, Meadow even guided it back toward its charging station.

"The little head-flick, though, when Meadow seems to be trying to tell the mower, 'Go on, into your charging spot,' was particularly touching and hilarious," her owner said. "Animals are so smart."

Australian shepherds, often affectionately called "Aussies," were officially recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1991, and today, they are the 12th most popular breed in the U.S.

Contrary to their name, Australian shepherds were not developed in Australia. They were primarily refined in the American West in the 19th and early 20th centuries when ranchers and farmers needed intelligent, energetic dogs capable of herding livestock across rugged terrain and vast ranch lands.

Today, while many Australian shepherds still work on farms and ranches, many others have found roles in agility sports, obedience competitions, search-and-rescue missions, and even therapy work.

This isn't the first time Meadow has leaned into her instincts. When the farm first introduced goats, she quickly took on the role of evening wrangler, nudging them gently into their pen at night. And when the younger family dog—a spirited rescue named Maple—snatched a bird from its nest, Meadow swiftly intervened, taking the feathered animal and protecting it until her humans could safely return it.

"She's strong, fast, fearless and incredibly intuitive," her owner said. "But more than anything, Meadow just loves having a job to do, even if that job is babysitting the lawn mower."