Every dog comes into my life for a purpose, I believe we get the dog we need. Fate came to be Maria’s dog and to share her enthusiasm, love of life, work ethic and sense of partnership. She came to reinvigorate my love of dogs and training and work with them. There is nothing more natural than for domesticated animals and people to live and work together, and their removal from the world in the name of being humane is a travesty.

Every day she grows stronger and more responsive, she is getting around the flock and turning them, essential to sheep herding, rather than rushing into them and scattering them, which many dogs do. It is not a chase, it is a ballet, a dance. I told her to “come bye” and she went around in a clockwise motion and turned the sheep. I want her to be out farther than this, she is already beginning to get back more, I have to get between her and the sheep more and get her to stay out.

That’s next on the list, I will have to get these legs moving. But this was great, she got around them, turned them and stayed out a good distance. What I want is for her to be running out veering to the left, more widely around the flock. She will be a farm dog, not a trial dog, so we don’t have to be spit spot. I love where we are going.