The Studio Barn was as important to Frieda’s life as it was to Maria’s. Frieda spent a year in this barn, swathed in blankets, close by a roaring wood stove. She was too wild to come near the other dogs or be in the farmhouse. It was here that I launched the beef jerky campaign and an intensive year – for both of us – of training and connecting. Maria so hated to think of Frieda being alone in the Studio, and we spent a part of every night ferrying food, water and firewood so she could be comfortable, even in the nastiest blizzards.

I came to know Frieda and love her great spirit in this barn. It was  nearly a year before she let me touch her or put a leash on her. But together, we were able to get her into the farmhouse as a Christmas present for Maria. Frieda and Maria both came of age in the Studio Barn, the spiritual heart of Bedlam Farm, and I came to love both of them there.