Video: I like to think of it this way. Fate is not seeking ribbons or trial victories, she is finding herself, just as I am trying to do, just as Maria is trying to do and as most of the people reading this are seeking to do. It isn’t about form or procedure, it’s about figuring out who she is as a working dog.

She is learning to stand her ground, the essence of the working dog. At this delicate age, she could easily lose her confidence of the strong-willed ewes frighten her or continuously back her down. So we are working carefully to give her a chance to learn  her own power in a way that does not harm her or the sheep and we are turning a good corner in that.

The sheep come out to challenge her, she is just beginning to develop her eye and she is constantly strategizing. She has the space and is encouraged to back away, but she does not ever run off. If she did, we would stop and change directions. I am reinforcing her eye, giving her praise at the right moments, she is getting stronger almost every day.

One of my favorite parts of the process is to see Fate figure things out, to stand back and watch her make choices and decisions. Very few dogs in America get to make any decisions any longer, they are so confined and controlled. Fate gets to make decisions every day, and I see her grow smarter and more thoughtful.

I will be patient, give her time, there is no rush. When the sheep stop challenging her I will know she’s there. In the meantime, she knows no fear or hesitation and she is gradually learning how to control the stock. This is the essence of who and what she needs to be if she is to fulfill her own destiny, my goal with every dog I own. Come and see this ancient process unfold.