I brought Fate into the new Memory Care Unit at the Mansion today, we visited Lois. Her face lit up when she saw Fate and I guided the dog carefully onto the couch, concerned about her being too enthusiastic.

I needn’t have worried.

She seemed to sense Lois’s frailty and approached her gently and she was still and leaned into Lois. I’ve noticed that many of the Mansion residents – especially those with memory issues or dementia – are in great need of touching and being touched.

They have all told me at one time or another that the thing they most miss is being touched.

Some go a long time without being held or hugged. I’m not a hugger, but I am always being hugged there. I see that human contact is important. So did Fate.

Even more than Red, Fate is comfortable being hugged, even squeezed tightly.

Border collies are remarkable animals, bright and intense and independent. Rose hated to be touched by strangers, she growled when people talked baby talk to her. Fate loves people and loves to be touched by them.

Fate has always been a challenge to me, she is intense and has enormous energy, she requires patience and focus and clarity in her training. I haven’t always risen to that challenge with her.

But we are working beautifully together now, perhaps this is the work we were always meant to do together, Red’s death opened the door to that. I use my eyes, body and hand gestures to encourage her to go to the people – this is the work, Fate, I tell her, the people are the work.

Once again, she did wonderful work today. Dogs sense when people behave in ways that are strange to them, some back-off or retreat, some come forward. Fate is one of those.

I think she is hearing the message that people are work.

She hopped up easily on the sofa and approached Lois gingerly. It was a great joy to see the vacant look leave Joy’s face to be replaced by a  bright and wide smile. Lois was so happy to see Fate, so eager to hold her and hug her.

Fate held the pose above for more than five minutes, a long time for any dog to submit to being held in that way.

And Fate absolutely got that, I’m sure she also sensed my approval and enthusiasm, Fate is the smartest dog I have ever had, including Rose.

Her enthusiasm triggers enthusiasm in response, the people in the Mansion and Memory Care get emotional around Fate, they give back the love she is giving. She is more demonstrative than Red, if not as  patient.

I think I might have been correct to halt Fate’s sheepherding training,  I think I wasn’t up to handling her and would have made her crazy. But I also see now that this dog very much needs and loves to work. Having failed to get her to be a herding dog, and because Red was so effective, I didn’t really find another avenue for her.

I’m getting a Lab puppy, as you know, to train as a therapy dog, but Fate will be right in there alongside me, she is too good at this not to be doing therapy work.

I’m excited about working with her. I didn’t have her on a leash once this trip out. We’re at that critical point where I’m really starting to trust her, and that is a crucial point in any kind of training.

This is the thing I most love about having a dog, they give me the chance to really help people who need to be touched. Fate and I will continue this work together.