My cell phone rang about 1:00 PM and it was my uncle Richard. He owns the property next to me. The one with the green grass and onions! Oh and the recently removed fence and gate.
I put my sheep up in the barn at night because of coyotes. Good thing too, because my nephew Jay killed a big one Saturday morning! Near the now missing gate!
My sheep free range my 30 acres. The last 4 mornings when I turn them out I noticed they had “somewhere to be !” I knew it would not take the sheep too long to find the “new range”!
On the phone my uncle said “Get my sheep up and he meant NOW! IF I WAS ABLE!” I had to laugh because Uncle Richard’s cows roam where they please within 1 mile radius of his farm! But anyway!(LOL)
I dressed for the cold. Put all my dogs up , and took Drover with me.
I thought this is a great time to teach Drover to Look for the sheep! So I did! I was kinda surprised he knew what I meant! We have been doing this but the sheep have been where he could see them usually. So I was not sure he knew to really look for the sheep. Drover looked here and there and I encouraged him to look further!
We walked across the dam and down to the bottoms. I was thinking about my upcoming trial and worrying about being ready. Also about building this new fence that is now needed.
I saw the sheep and they looked relieved to see me! They started to trot my way! I put Drover in a down stay off to one side. The sheep caught up with me and as the flock and I passed Drover I released him he walked behind the flock for about a half mile back to the front field, nice quiet, and under control balancing to me all the time. I never gave him any commands once I released him.
Off in the distance I could hear my uncle calling his cows up with a bucket of feed….I thought “He sure could use a good English Shepherd!….Latter my uncle rode over to make sure I was “able” to remove the sheep from his field…
I said it was not a problem at all!
Long about dark Drover and I put the sheep in the barn for the night!
Course without Drover it would not be possible!
