Fate is seven months old now, she is spayed and fully recovered. She is more confident than ever around the sheep, her eye is getting stronger, she is maturing a bit and calming down a little. Today, I could see something different, we went out to the rear pasture and she lay down with the sheep and stayed with them while she grazed.

I loved the image, there is plenty of puppy left in her but also, and every day, something else, a more centered being. Sitting in this pasture, it seemed to me that she is finding herself, as working dogs do when given the chance to work. Here, six or seven feet from where she lay, the sheep paying Fate a great compliment, their heads are down, they are grazing (they would be in a panic if the dog didn’t know what she was doing) . They feel safe around here, they trust here.