Red’s acclimation period more or less ended today. He had a big and full and varied day and I decided to chronicle it in words and photos. I’ll put an album up on  Facebook shortly, 14 photos that captured a working dog’s new life. The day began at dawn with me and Red herding sheep out in the big meadow across from the farmhouse. We showed Maria our progress and worked together quietly and successfully. Then I took Red with me to see Mary Muncil, my spiritual counselor.

He had trouble getting up the stairs – he bounds up three or four at a time – but greeted Mary, then sat quietly with me, and at my feet. He hopped up in my chair for a photo. After that, we went to Stannard’s Farms to get strawberries and snap peas and blueberries. He greeted his friend Tracy in the shop then waited by the flowers for me.

We drove up to the New Bedlam Farm where I had some chores to do and I brought him out to the pasture to meet Rocky. Rocky leaned over and sniffed him, and then the two ignored one another. Red was alert, but not anxious. He has obviously been around equines. Then to Sheldon’s Farm for bread, asparagus and some lunch food. In the summer, we do not go to groceries for food around here, and I love shopping eating and cooking.Red already has some girlfriends there and he runs back behind the counter quickly, this time to see Becky.

Then back home and some rest. One of Maria’s ewes appeared to be limping so we took Red up to corral the sheep and get them into the training pen. They are not yet dog broke but Red did a great job moving them to the pen and chasing them around it until we could put pressure on them and get them into the pen so we could take a look at their feet.

That was enough for three dogs. Red went all of these places off-lede, never moving more than a few feet from my side, staying with me wherever I was. He is adaptable, responsive, obedient and appropriate. It was a great day for both of us just one week after his coming here, and I am happy to put up a photo album of all of these stops a bit later this evening. Come and see.