One of Fate’s striking characteristics is the merle eye, which occurs in different breeds of dogs, it is a gene that affects color and which I’ve seen in some border collies and Australian Shepherds. I call it the mystical gaze, she already is intrigued by the camera – good sign – and gives me a healthy stare. Fate has an intense gaze that I have not often seen in dogs. She actually does have the ability to concentrate intensely, in Pennsylvania we sat out on the lawn of the house where we were staying and watched the headlights of the cars by go. Fate’s gaze was like a laser beam.