I have two wonderful dogs, both border collies, but they could hardly be more different than they are. Both came from the most wonderful breeder of dogs I can imagine, Karen Thompson of Thompson’s Border Collies.

Both come from the British Isles, have powerful instincts around sheep. Both use their instincts very differently. Red is the picture of calm and measured authority, he sits up on the rise and keeps a close eye on the sheep, if they stay still and grave, he will not move or disturb him.

The sheep have enormous respect for Red, the do not challenge him and they respond to his direction the moment he stands up. Red will sit there all day (and night) until told otherwise.

Fate, on the other hand, is also brimming  with instinct, but the similarity ends there. She is explosive, she loves to run and lives to run. While Red sits majestically watching over  his flock, Fate is tearing around them in ever widening-circles. She will run forever, I wait until she has some long tongue an make her lie down.

I think her new favorite thing is to be on the far side of the pasture. When I release her with a hand signal, she begins her circling of the sheep, who pay absolutely no attention to her. She could not move the sheep any more than I could fly over them. Yet she has the most fun of any dog I have known.

Dogs teach us to listen, to be patient. And to accept.