Walk, Don't Run

Half an acre for a dozen sheep to graze isn't much. Sheep have a proclivity for finding that weak portion of the fence. In this case, the grass is greener on the other side. Consequently Emma, my Australian Kelpie, and I spent our first spring rounding up delinquent sheep and patching those weak spots.

The front yard, not being grazed, flourished. Late spring, thinking of saving wear and tear on the lawn mower while practicing "shepherding", I opened the pasture gate sending Emma to fetch the sheep.

I did have to be on the alert for sheep eating the young trees and bushes. Putting the sheep back in the pasture was easy enough. I'd walk a ways into the pasture and Emma would round them up bringing them to me. Then I'd have her hold them while I walked back through the mob to close the gate. Boy, this worked slicker than a whistle - the first couple of times.

Some interesting situations can arise when not working with fixed variables. First, the sheep became reluctant to stop grazing. Emma handled this with a bit of toothy persuasion. Our next uprising occurred when I ran over to thunk a ewe from eating my new lilac bush. A couple of sheep and Emma ran too! The race was on for the neighboring alfalfa field. Emma and I managed to head them off at the pass (garage). Opps, too much pressure.

They turned back stampeding up the driveway to the gravel road, which wasn't a problem, except the neighbor's garden is just on the other side! Whoopee, Emma got them started back, but they detoured into the other neighbor's landscaped backyard. Slowly and deliberately, Emma turned them back around the fence corner onto our property. Time for a breather. Everyone settled down. The moral to this incident is "Walk, don't run."

- sakonnet, "1988 beginners"