An Iphone 5 Photo.
The true working dog does nothing with the same intensity that he or she moves sheep, guards a home, looks for ducks. Every morning, we feed the sheep and the donkeys by the feeder. At first, it was a brawl, the sheep and donkeys fighting over the hay. Red’s job was to keep the sheep away from the donkey feeder until we got hay into their feeder. He did a great job. Now, the sheep and donkeys automatically go to their own feeder, and his job is to sit between the feeders and watch. He sits there for about a half hour, never moving. Then I say “that’ll do” and call him off. Sometimes I forget he is there and go back out after breakfast – he is still there.
He and Simon have also worked out a professional accommodation with each other. Red just ignores Simon who likes to stand beside him and preen a bit. I enjoy Red’s focus – as intense when he is doing nothing as when he is working. And I guess he is always working.