...or the south end of a northbound dog. At our sheepherding session this weekend, our instructor, Wink Mason, suggested we go out into "the big field" and see how Airlie reacted to a larger group of sheep (~130 vs the 3-5 we normally worked with). He had a silly grin on his face and said, you might be suprised. We went into the field, which had sheep spread over an area twice the size of a (American) football field (about 200 x 200 yards); they were everywhere. I just said "Come by", which sent her off to the left. I didn't say another word. She circled around from the left, and within two minutes, she had gathered all the sheep into one humoungous herd. She then coursed back and forth behind them and drove them back to me. What a trip! These dogs have to be the most natural and smart animal herding creatures going. She was having such a good time that if I hadn't called her off, she would have run herself to death. Talk about perfect therapy. :)

More pics in my Dogs & Sheep gallery.