Off to the farm (Guest Blog)

From the desk of H.B. Moy, Esq. and Sheepdog Extraordinaire (in Training)

I'm so excited I can hardly keep my tail from helicoptering. You know how my people have sent Rafe to sheep camp twice and me to sheep camp exactly zero times? Well, my person is going to farm sit for this week and I get to go along. Only me. We're going to stay there together through the week-end. There are 10 acres with a flock of about 50 sheep (including cute lambs), a horse, two goats, a donkey, a bird and several felines.

There will be some other doggers there who live there, but they are old and can't work anymore, so my person is going to have to depend on me to help with the livestock chores. We went yesterday for a test run and I made the whole flock of sheep go into a little pen--even the day-old lamb (but my person told me that I had to be more careful with her because she can't run very fast yet. Whatever.). Then I made them come out again. There are even two rams, who can be mean, but were no challenge in the face of the sheep king.

I heard my people talking and they said that I would probably get to work a couple times every day--every day, dog bloggers. Can you believe it? The other person is going to bring the other dogs out a couple of times so they can practice too. But, it's me who's going to have to get the chores done, so they can play around all they want. I'm a workin' dog.

Sincerely,
H.B. Moy

p.s. Pippin got tummy tagged by Kingsley, but she doesn't ever lay on her back (really-she never does), so I have to step in to bat clean-up on that one. I'm good at showing my belly! I don't think I'll tag further right now, though--gotta go pack my stuff for the farm.



p.p.s. What a sad day we had when we learned that the hamsterrier FuFu had gone to the Bridge. We will miss him and know that his family must be very blue.

Even a diva works sometimes

Hi friends,

Somehow three guest blogs got by before I was able to post myself. Hrumpf. Actually I've been really enjoying the weather of late--it is PERFECT spring weather--cool, crisp, spring-y. My person has taken me on some nice long walkies and we have had good ball play. The nice weather just makes me feel like running and playing.

The flock is pleased to have Rafe back with us. (Well, Hamish is not so pleased, but we are ignoring him when he grumpfs because the rest of us--and especially the people--missed Mr. Rafe-a-roni.)

Here's some video of me working. I have to be honest and admit, it's not the best example of sheep herding--the sheep are worried about me and running fast. Rather than staying back, I'm cutting in on them, which is kinda bad. Plus, I'm overflanking (which means going too far to the left or right) which makes them serpendine around. At the end, I get it together better and get them through the panels, but boy, I need a little more practice, I think. I just couldn't help myself. Watch though, how they move their heads in response to my movements--that part is pretty neat.