I’ve never had a border collie like Fate. She is different in every way. She has ever herding trait and instinct a border collie could have. She moves along with the sheep, keeps an eye on them, moves in relation to me, is instantly responsive to my commands, does wonderful outruns, lies down quickly. She has all the focus, agility and drive.

She just doesn’t have the eye and determination to move the sheep. She works in wonderful tandem with Red, but if the day comes when Red can’t work, I’ll have to get a border collie who can move the sheep, we need that on the farm. In the meantime, Fate is having a blast.

People ask me if I think Fate’s eye will strengthen and develop, I don’t think so. I think Fate is the dog she was meant to be, and she is a great dog. You can’t ask for more than that. The odd thing about her is that she has ever skill and instinct but one – the eye-stalk. It happens, and the good thing is that she loves working with the sheep, being with them, working with me.

I was watching the new ewe Izzy, to see if she had any fear of Fate at all, she doesn’t. She also ignored her from the first. But Fate loves to be around her.