Dr. Suzanne Fariello, our very competent vet, has told me not to exercise Red for at least four or five days so that any wound or slight fracture in his spine can have the chance to heal.

He is getting his first acupuncture treatment tomorrow. I don’t know if Red will be able to herd sheep or not, that’s not a decision we have to make right now, but I do believe he needs to do some work and will always be able to some work.

For border collies, work is not entertainment, it’s life itself. Red’s health and focus depend on him having a sense of utility and engagement. So what we do every morning is walk to the gate – he is walking normally and confidently – and I ask  him to lie down, which he does.

While we do the chores,  he watches the sheep, as usual. Red doesn’t grasp that the gate is outside of the work, as long as he can see the sheep, he’s working.

When we are done with the chores, which takes about 20 minutes, I come out of the gate and take Red back into the house. His morale seems quite high, his tail is going, his eyes are wide and bright, he is eating normally.

I think he values his connection with the sheep, his sense of doing something useful. I think it’s an important part of healing.

I also believe he will work again in a week or so, there are all kinds of ways to make work for him that he can do and that is safe and  healthy. Healing isn’t just about the body, not with people, not with dogs.

This work involves no running or turning, gives him a chance to move, and also to be a part of the farm.