My Blog
Sheep School!!!
Boy, today was fun! I took Mom to our first lesson at Uncle Wally’s
Sheep School! I don’t know if that’s the real name of it; all I know is
Mom kept saying we were going to Sheep School, and it turns out that my
Uncle Wally is the teacher! He was our teacher when I became a Good
Citizen, and he taught us in Clever Canines and Middle School, too. But
this was a whole lot better – instead of being in a big room and having
to share the class with other dogs, this was outside in a big field
with just me, Mom, Uncle Wally and the SHEEPSES!! Well, Max was there,
too…Max is Uncle Wally’s Borderline Collie. He’s so lucky – he has
his very own sheepses! But I got to herd them today, and he had to stay
outside the fence and watch. Haha, Max! Now it’s MY turn!
These sheepses were much better behaved than the ones at my Herding
Instinct Test. Uncle Wally calls them “puppy dog sheep” because they
follow humans. I think that helped Mom a lot; she’s getting much better
at getting them to obey. But I still had to keep them moving, and turn
them around and get them moving the other way, and hold them in the
corner of the pen when they needed a rest. Sometimes Mom told me to lie
down and take a rest, too, and I listened to her…well, most times.
But I never took my eyes off the sheepses – they’re sneaky, you know!
Look away for just a second, and they could be scattered all over the
place, and that’s not good. Even when I didn’t look away, there was one
sheep who kept trying to run off by himself. It was hard, sometimes,
getting them all back together. I didn’t know if I should herd the one
back to the others, or herd the others back to the one. So I usually
just went after whichever was moving fastest, cause that’s the most fun.
And you know what? My brain didn’t fall out my nose, not once! I even
left the sheep and came to Mom when she called…well, usually. I
didn’t want to, but I didn’t want her to think I love the sheep more
than her. And she’s learning – every time I came when she called, she
let me go back and herd some more. That was a lot better than the Test,
when she made me come to her and then it was all over.
The best part was the Grand Finale. Max and I took the sheepses I was
herding, and brought them out to the big field. I got to run and run
and run! We did pretty good together, Max and me…He’s not a bad sort,
for a Borderline Collie. Then Mom called me, and I came back to her
from way across the field – Wow, was she ever proud of me, then! I
didn’t tell her that part of the reason I listened to her, was that it
was so hot and my brain was so tired, that I was ready to take a
break….but I think she would have been proud of me, anyway. And I
could tell she was proud when Uncle Wally said “I like what I see!”
while I was herding the sheepses.
I heard Mom and Uncle Wally talking, and we’re going back for more
Sheep School on Sunday. That’s only 2 days away – I can’t wait! I wish
I could live at Uncle Wally’s Sheep School, but Mom says that would
make me a Boarder Collie. Then she laughed and said something about a
“bad pun” but I’m not sure I understand. I’m a Real Collie, how could I
ever be one of those Borderline Collies? Sometimes Mom just doesn’t
make sense…but I still love her. Even more than sheepses.
Sheepses!!!
Chance here -
Mom has been promising to take me to play with some sheepses since, gee, forever, I think. And today, she FINALLY did! We got up real early and had breakfast and went out to potty (well, us dogs did, anyway!) then Mom put all the other dogs inside and started putting all my stuff out in the truck…so I knew something good was going on. Then she put me in the truck and we drove and drove and drove. Seemed like forever – way farther than going to Dog School. I thought we’d never get there, wherever “there” was. But finally we got to the end of a bumpy road in the middle of some big fields that smelled delicious! I couldn’t wait to get out and check everything out, but Mom had to stop and talk to the humans there. (She talks too much!)
It was a neat place – all sorts of great smells, and lots of tasty stuff on the ground that Mom didn’t want me to eat. She said she was worried that there might be Ivermectin in it, but I think she just doesn’t appreciate good munchies. Still, she did give me liver treats instead, so I guess it wasn’t too bad. We met a lot of other dogs and their people. There was a big Rottweiler with a long tail – I’ve never seen a Rottie with a long tail before, but it looked good on him. And a couple of Australian Cattle Dogs, and a little mixed breed. And then some other collies came; they were the best, of course! Well, the best dogs, anyway…
The really best thing was the SHEEPSES! Mom and Carolyn, the lady who runs the place, took me up by a pen with 4 sheepses in it. Mom took off my leash and let me do my thing – and boy, did I ever show them how it’s done! I kept those sheepses moving real nice; Carolyn said I was “wearing”, whatever that means. I just know that I kept moving back and forth behind them to keep them moving where Mom seemed to want them to go. Mom went in the pen with them, but I was still outside. Those stupid sheepses weren’t listening to Mom at all, so, when she brought me into the pen, I really put them in their place! Got them galloping all around the pen! One of them jumped straight up in the air, and almost landed on top of me, but I kept right on herding them. Even when Mom told me to come, I kept right on herding them. She says my brain fell out of my nose at that point, but I didn’t forget what “come” means…I just knew that I was a whole lot better at getting those sheep to obey, than Mom was. So it was up to me to keep herding them, right?
But Mom made me stop, and we went out of the pen so Mom and Carolyn could talk. I dunno why they couldn’t let me keep herding while they were talking, but Mom can be a real spoilsport sometimes! I kept watching the sheep, but I heard some of what they were talking about – and they were talking about ME, of course! Carolyn said I passed the test, and then she said a bunch of stuff about “keeping the stock grouped” and “readily adjusts” and “has sufficient power for stock” and “shows ready adjustment to fetching and driving” and “very natural wearing in fetching balance”. I’m not sure what all that means, but it must be good, because Mom was very happy. She says now I’ll get my Herding Instinct Certificate from the Collie Club, and I’ll have more letters after my name…Alphabet Soup, that’s what she calls my letters.
The only bad thing was, I didn’t get to herd nearly long enough! The other dogs that went before me got to herd for 20 minutes or so, but I only got 7 minutes. That’s not fair, is it? They weren’t nearly as interested as I was, or as good, so how come they got so much more time? I wanna go back and get my other 13 minutes! But Mom says that’s all we needed to do for the test, and now we have to take lessons. I think Mom’s the one who needs the lessons, not me, but I’ll be happy to take her to Sheep School any time! I love sheepses…
Are we going to a PARADE???
“Mom…? What’s going on? Yesterday you took a bunch of flags and went to the cemetery. And now you’re listening to that song again. Does that mean we’re going to the Memory All Day parade soon?”
That’s right, Chance. Tomorrow is Memorial Day, and we’re going to the parade. And then we’re going to the memorial service afterwards.
“OhBoyOhBoyOhBoy! I love the parade! There are lots of people, and all the little kids will pet me, and there are even doggies in the parade! And Bagpipers!! I LOVE Bagpipers! They’re from Scotland, like Collies! Can I follow them home this year, pleeeeaase???”
Silly boy! No, you can’t follow the bagpipers home. Besides, these bagpipers aren’t really from Scotland. They’re from New Jersey, like us.
“Well, they still sound like they’re from Scotland. It’s the Call of the Highlands, and all my collie ancestors tell me they’re part of my heritage.”
My, Chance, you are growing up! Such big words you’ve learned!
“I’m smart, right Mom? But one thing I don’t understand. The parade is so much fun, but you always cry at the Memory All service after it. If it makes you sad, why do we have to stay?”
Sweet, sweet Chance…I’m so glad you’ve never seen a war. There have been too many wars in our history, and so many men and women – and even dogs – went away to fight for our freedom. A lot of them never made it home, or if they did, they were never the same. Some were horribly injured; some of them lost arms or legs, and some of them were emotionally traumatized, even though they looked alright on the outside.
“Like Grandpa L?”
Yes, like Grandpa L. He was a prisoner of war, and he was tortured for a long time. You’d never know it to look at him, but he still has a lot of pain from what they did to him.
“Is that why you showed Aunt Karen that song on the computer, and told her to play it for him?”
That’s right. Grandpa L was a World War II veteran. He’s getting old now, like all the veterans from that war. They’re dying off pretty quickly, now, and we need to let them know, while we still can, that we appreciate their sacrifices so that we could be free. And the veterans of the other wars, too. Even if we didn’t agree the war was just, the men and women who served deserve our support.
“Oh, now I think I’m starting to understand something. At that part in the Memory All service, where they read all the names of the Legion members who didn’t answer when the roll was callled…I thought the reason you get upset and cry was because they weren’t as good as me – I always answer when you call! But you mean they didn’t answer because they couldn’t, because they had gone to the Rainbow Bridge?”
Yes, Chance, they’ve gone to the Rainbow Bridge. They’ve met their long-lost furkids, if they had any, and they’ve crossed the Bridge into Heaven. And even though there’s no more suffering in Heaven, we miss them because they’re not here anymore. And every year, there are more and more of them who have left us. I just hope they knew how much we appreciate the freedoms they left us.
“Gee, Mom, you’re right – we’d better tell them now, before it’s too late! Do you think our MDS friends will show that song to the veterans they know, to tell them Thank You?”
I hope so, Chance. It’s at http://www.managedmusic.com/php/BYGIndex.php?page=playBYG , and it’s very poignant. There’s also a new version this year, for Vietnam vets. They’re getting older, too. I wish every one of them could hear the song. It only came out a few years ago, so I never got a chance to play it for Grandma and Grandpa…I wish they could have heard it, and I hope they know how much I appreciate all they did for our country.
“Mom, don’t you know? They come back sometimes – remember when Grandpa came back and taught Rags how to shake hands? They’re still looking out for you…and they know, Mom. They know.”
Thanks, Chance. I wish people were as sensitive to these things as you dogs are. I miss them so much – I wish I could see them, just one more time, and tell them how much I love them and how much I admire them for risking their lives during the War. And THAT’s the real reason we go to the parade, and the memorial service: to thank all the veterans, and remember those who aren’t here anymore. Like they say, “All gave some, some gave all.”
“Mom, you’re starting to cry again. Can I climb up on your lap and give you some Collie Kisses? You always feel better when you’re hugging me…do you need a hug, now?”
I think that’s EXACTLY what I need. C’mon up, you overgrown lapdog, you. Oh, Chance, I love you so…
Green Collie
“Rrrrrrr….?”
Yes, Chance?
“Mom, why is our MDS page turning all different shades of grey?”
Well, Chance, it’s not really grey. It just looks that way to you because dogs are color-blind. It’s really green…At least, some of it is. Some areas don’t seem to want to cooperate!
“But why are you making it turn green?”
Our new pal, Tanyia, has a very good idea. We’ll make our page green to show that we’re committed to living green.
“Huh? Does that mean we’ve turned Irish? I’m not Irish, I’m Scottish! And so are you…at least, a little bit. And English and German and a bunch of other stuff. I know you’re a mutt, but I didn’t think you were Irish, too!”
Silly Chance! Green isn’t just for the Irish. Living green means that we take good care of our environment.
“Oh, I understand…I think. But why do you call it ‘green’?”
Poor Chance – I wish you could see colors! Green is the color of the leaves on trees, bushes and flowers…and the grass in the fie-
“Grass! Sheepses eat grass! And Collies herd sheepses! Does this mean we’ll grow some grass in the yard, and get our own sheepses? OhBoyOhBoyOBoy!!!!”
Sigh…I wish we could, Chance. But with all you dogs running around, I don’t know if we’ll EVER be able to get much grass to grow! And, even if we did, we don’t have a big enough yard to have our own sheep. But, if we take good care of the environment, and minimize our use of natural resources, there’ll be more land left for sheep, and all the other animals. And the grass they eat will be healthier for them, because it won’t be poisoned with chemicals from industrial plants.
“Mom, what’s an industrial plant? I thought plants were green, and green is good, but you make it sound like industrial plants aren’t good. This is CONFUSING!”
I know, Chance. Industry certainly has its place, and a lot of industries are trying to go green, too. But some of them cause a lot of pollution, and that gets into the grass and the water and the air, and makes the Earth sick. And when the Earth is sick, it’s not good for all the living beings that live here.
“Like sheepses?”
Yes, Chance, like sheepses…I mean, sheep. :-) And dogs and cats and squirrels and birds. And humans, too, of course. We have to think about the next generation of people, as well as the animals. It’s not right to leave a polluted world to the children. They deserve a clean environment to grow up in.
“But Mom, we don’t have any children here. Just you and me and the other dogs. And those pesky squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks and birds in the yard.”
I know, Chance. But we still have a responsibility to them, just like Grandpa had a responsibility to us. After all, we don’t have sheep, either, but you want them to have clean, healthy grass to eat, don’t you?
“Sheepses!! Woof! I LOVE sheepses! I want to herd sheepses! You’re right, Mom, let’s make everything green so there are lots and lots of sheepses for us Collies to herd! Can we go find some now, Mom, can we can we can we??? OhBoyOhBoyOBoy – Sheepses! I think I like being green!”
Chance, you’re a goof. But I think you’re catching on…
Aunt Susy is at the Bridge
Chance here…Mom came home from work this morning, and she was crying. She says Aunt Susy went to the Rainbow Bridge during the night. I thought the Rainbow Bridge is a good place, so I looked at Mom with my head tilted to the side, which she knows is my way of telling her I don’t understand something. She hugged me and said that, even though the Rainbow Bridge is more beautiful than any place on earth – even Sunnybank! – and Aunt Susy is with Uncle Ross, and her human daughter, and their furkids that went on ahead, Mom and Aunt Toni and Aunt Brenda and Momma Marla and Cali and all Aunt Susy’s other friends and family, miss her very much. So I wanted to let you all know, and thank everybuddy for praying for Aunt Susy, and ask you if now you could say a prayer for everybuddy who’s missing her…especially her family, and her CollieGirl Cali, and Aunt Toni, who’s been bestest friends with Aunt Susy since Forever.
Thanks…I’ve gotta go now. Mom’s crying, and she needs me.
Chance
A request from Chance
Chance here! I have a very special request for anyone reading this. My Aunt Susy, who I met at the Gathering at Sunnybank 2 years ago, is very sick. Mom says she has real bad asthma (Mom told me how to spell that!) and she’s in the hospital, in the I See You unit. (Mom says that should be ICU, but I think my spelling is better, cause Mom says they watch the patients in I See You real close, cause they have to be real sick to be there.) Anyway, Aunt Susy is on a ventilator, cause she’s having so much trouble breathing by herself. I know God listens to dogs when we pray; after all, doG is God spelled backwards, so we must be special to Him! So, would all you dogs say a prayer for my Aunt Susy? I want her to get well so she can come to the Gathering this year, and bring Cali, her collie girl, to see me again. Cali was just a puppy 2 years ago, but I’ve seen her pictures, and she grew up to be really beautiful – I think I’m in love! And Cali loves her Mom, and I love my Aunt Susy, too…so please pray for her?
Thanks!
Chance
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