as Drover and I walked out in the yard to find the sheep..so we could stall them for the night…A Whippoorwill was singing in the edge of the woods behind the house! It was beautiful! So clear and near and melodious! The pond was still as glass and there were a few ripples from fish hitting the top of the water after bugs. The sun had set an hour before and the sky still held some light, the clouds were a beautiful blue and reflecting in the still water along with some pink . Other birds were singing as well. What a peaceful beautiful evening. A great time to be alive and with my good dog !
We headed down the driveway with the Whippoorwills singing for our background music to Gather our Sheep by! Awesome does not begin to describe how I felt at this moment! As we turned the curve in the driveway I could see the sheep down the hill below the basement…I sent Drove “Away”…He went wide but he was still to close because of the draw the sheep pens had off to my right. (I should have sent him AWAY!) Drover kept the sheep together and brought them to me using over half of the big field in front of the house… (I was still in the same spot) We all walked quietly up to the barn.
Then the fun began! I decided earlier to use a new stall and I had it all ready for the sheep, hay and clean water. Sheep are creatures of habit. Change things and it can get interesting.
Drover understands his job and it makes no difference to him …He knows that no matter what… he is to bring the stock to me. I was standing in the barn alley at the end stall and he brought the sheep to me. They all went in but 4 ! I shut the door and Drover went after the 4. He brought them back to me and I opened the door too soon …and 4 more ran out ! Now 8 of my 21 are out and going round the barn! “B aah, B aah Where is everybody”? “B aah, B aah!” Drover brings me all 8 I open the gate and ALL my sheep run out! (at least I was on the right side of the door! I sent Drover and I stood at the stall door and told him “Bring me the sheep!”
Quickly he left and came right back…I said “Bring me my sheep” ! He was like” oh okay just making sure!” Then off round the end of the Barn next to my house he went and came back with a very “WILLING” flock of sheep to go into their stall!
Well done Drover! GOOD DOG!
This could not have happened without training! It just lets me have a glimpse of what a fine dog I will have one day! I just need to keep up our training sessions!
