This was the first real working experience for Fate, and for Fate and Red working together. It was pouring rain, we had trouble getting the donkeys into the stall where Ken Norman could examine them, the sheep kept trying to rush in to get the hay we put there to lure them in.

I called Red in and had him push the sheep into the corner, and closed off the stall where the donkeys were. I had Fate come in and lie down to his right to block off the sheep if they tried to make a run for the back of the barn, which they sometimes do if they know there is food there. Fate went into a lie down and held her position for more than a half an hour while Ken was working on Lulu.

That was the longest Fate had been asked to hold a working position, and she didn’t budge, just like Red. I also saw several of the sheep look towards her and start to move, then back down and stay where they were. When Ken was done, I looked out and Red and Fate were right where I had asked them to be.

That is a lot of concentration and focus for Fate, like the good working dogs, she grasped the nature of the work and went right into it. It was a good first test for her, we are going to have fun together and Red and Fate are a formidable team.