Cows almost always move in groups. They’re herd animals. Even in the wild, some animals—like elephants, bison, and zebras—prefer to travel together. (Did you know a herd of zebras is called a “dazzle”? Must be because of all those stripes.)

Animals stick together for protection. As the saying goes, there’s safety in numbers. A predator can easily pick off one wandering wildebeest. It’s harder to attack a whole confusion of them. (Yes, a group of wildebeests is called a “confusion.”) Some animals, like zebras, even get extra camouflage from traveling together. Again, props to the stripes!

Shepherds and farmers use this instinct to their advantage. Across history, humans have domesticated some dogs to be herders. This includes border collies, Australian shepherds, German shepherds, and more. Today, these dogs are born with herding know-how. But that is due to generations of human training and careful breeding.

How do these pups herd big groups of bigger animals? Herd animals such as cows naturally fear predators, like dogs. When a dog approaches, herd members that sense the dog’s presence move away. The rest of the group follows. Herding dogs use that fear to steer the steer. Shepherds shout commands. They tell the dogs which way to move the group.

Sometimes humans “follow the herd” too. It’s usually not to avoid getting gobbled by a predator. But people often fear feeling like outsiders. So they follow each other. They dress in the same styles. They talk like each other. Sometimes, they “follow the herd” into unsafe or unhealthy decisions.

We don’t need to follow out of fear. God provides a family where we always belong. We can be ourselves in Him!