It is always a wonder to me to see the range of Red, an exquisitely sensitive therapy dog, a professional and highly skilled working dog. Jim McRae says Red is the only dog he permits to work in barns and sheds with him as he herds sheep, it’s usually too dangerous.

But Red helps out a great deal. Before Jim goes in to grab a sheep, Red holds them in the corner – the command is “hold them.” The sheep stay in the corner and Jim can get the one at a time, without Red the sheep panic and run back and forth in the barn and Jim has to chase after them and wrestle them to the board he uses.

I don’t usually let Fate into the Pole Barn, one dog is enough, and she is not as calm and reliable as Red.

Red is always appropriate, he puts just enough pressure on the sheep to freeze them in place, but never enough to panic them. I l love watching people like Jim work and I love watching Red work with them. He is a remarkable animal.