Break a leg, Hamish

Hi everydog,

I hope that all you pups out there will be crossing your paws for Hamish and our person this week-end. He's going to be competing in his first sheep-herding trial. He's feeling pretty chuffed with himself, but our person is a little nervous. Hamish spent the week at sheep school and worked very well for the trainer. He doesn't work as well for our person because she really doesn't know so much about what she's doing and he doesn't respect her quite as much. That's what the trainer said anyway.

But, they both try to do their best and that's what we care most about.

Hamish will go once on Saturday and once on Sunday. Each run is about four minutes and consists of the outrun (leaving the handler to run toward the sheep); the lift (when the dog moves behind the sheep and the sheep start to move away from the dog); the fetch (when the dog moves the sheep to the handler); the wear (when the handler walks toward two panels and the dog keeps the sheep between him and the handler); and finally, the pen (where the dog and the handler move the sheep into a pen.

While it's all fine and good to be focused on Hamish, you might wonder what the rest of us will be doing. Rafe and Kyzer will be going to the trial, too. That means they'll hang out in the rolling living room and get to go on short walkies every few hours 'til dinnertime. Renzo, Tansy and I will be holding down the homefront. My most favorite human in the entire universe will be hanging out with us, playing ball and doing that laugh I love most of all. It should be a great week-end.

Hamish will no doubt report on his work next week. Right now, he's resting to shore up his strength.