There are many things to love about getting a puppy, but one of the most precious to me is watching them discover the world, consider it, learn how to live in it. Dogs are one of the most adaptable species on the earth, they read humans well and they have learned how to manipulate them with looks, emotions, affections, and the great tonic of unconditional love.

Fate is a bright dog, she studies the world intensely, she watches her humans closely, I often get the sense she is putting it together, learning how to live in an alien world with human, not animal rules. She has a strong will, but she is a good learner. She has enriched our lives. We like to think we know what dogs are thinking, but I rarely know what dogs are thinking.

My guess is she is trying to figure me out, train me in a positive but efficient ways. She gets good food, rawhide treats, hugs and walks, she gets to look at sheep and chickens, barn cats and trucks. She is becoming a woods dog, a fiber dog.  It is a blessed thing to be Maria’s dog.