Whelp Herder
Positive Herding: My Six Top Tips
No Basilisk Needed to Herd Whelps. Basilisks are just as unpredictable as whelps. If you don't fit their blinders securely, they're liable to kill your entire flock with a glance.
Herd Whelps Quietly. This may seem obvious, but if you don't have control of the flock, they are likely to run amok. Quiet is calm, and calm makes for an easier life.
Remove Obstacles from Whelps' Path. “But they can fly over them,” I hear you cry. Well, like other young flying creatures, whelps are curious. If they fly into the sky, it increases their field of view. Before you know it, they'll be off, chasing something they shouldn't be.
Keep Whelps Separated. Whelps have an insatiable appetite. Combine that with their curiosity, and you have a recipe for disaster if you decide to corral them anywhere near another creature. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Whelps Like a Well-lit Entryway. As with any young creature, whelps have an innate fear of the dark. So, if you don't want them flying away or spluttering fire at the whelp pens to light them up, invest in some adequate lighting around the entryway to help guide them home.
Work with Whelps When It's Warm. The best time to work with whelps is when it's hot. I mean, smoking hot. If you try to move them when it's cold, all you'll get is gnashing teeth and prickly temperaments. Stressed whelps are difficult whelps.
–Extract from Whelpherds of Draykh-Nahka by Zoskrag Collie The first whelp pens were built on the Sands over a century ago—tall, fenced domes that were sturdy enough to hold a dozen of the creatures. Without exercise, however, the young dragons became unruly and sometimes violent. The Gloridax traders employed Whelp Herders, nomadic dragonborn well-practiced in dealing with young dragons, many of whom had collected their eggs from Dragon's Roost. A skilled Whelp Herder could ensure the young whelps got the exercise they needed while keeping them safe from predators and preventing escape.
Whelp Herders carry long crooks imbued with magic that subdues the whelps, making them easier to control. If a whelp wanders too high, the crook can snare it from the sky. And when predators threaten the herd, the crooks can be a formidable weapon.