The Kiwi sheep dogs working in Japan

If all had gone according to plan Chief the huntaway would have become one of the most photographed dogs in Japan.

Chief was destined to be a star in one of three New Zealand farm shows in Japan that are run by former shearer Ross MacDonald.

The dog, who has a big bark, was trained in New Zealand to respond to Japanese commands – the equivalent of 'get-in-behind' and 'speak-up'.

But Chief didn't make the grade.

He's too scared of people, which deems him unsuitable for a job where he'd have to round up sheep in front of thousands of visitors each day.

So Chief now has the King Country hills as his workplace.

Ross, however, commutes 6 times a year from Te Kuiti to Japan to oversee the farm shows and touch base with the Kiwi shepherds who work in them.

Ross set up the shows more than 20 years ago and lived in Japan for seven years while the shows were becoming established.

For 20 years, Ross MacDonald and his teams of NZ shepherds and working dogs have entertained millions of people at farm shows in Japan.

Now, over 1.5 million people come to see NZ shepherds and working dogs at the farm shows each year.