Good border collies are hard to find up here in Wisconsin.
I like our English shepherds because they have so much control of their instincts. Our male can handily work 300 head of cattle in the pasture but turn off right away and hang out around the farm so that he can police the other things that need tended--like keeping the chickens out of the flower beds and the rabbits out of the garden.
This same dog that can head off 300 stampeding cattle can also gently nudge our roasters along when they get so fat they don't want to move. He helps us catch chicks that escape by putting his paw and mouth over them. They're pretty slimy but no worse for wear!
The other evening I heard a distressed "peep, peep, peep". I thought one of our turkey poults had escaped. I went to the barnyard to investigate. I found that one little chick--about a week old--had been left behind as his family went to roost. I did not know where his mom liked to roost. I tried to catch him, but he was too quick. I finally herded him back to where I thought his mom might be...but she wasn't there. He was peeping frantically. Shooter came along and saw me trying to keep up with this chick in my barefeet. Shooter got between the chick and me and started gently following along behind him. They were making better time than I was.
Shooter followed along behind that chick all the way to his mom. Shooter, first of all, knew who mom was--we have 5 or so hens with broods. He also knew where mom was and he knew how to herd the chick to her.
Someday I will quit being so amazed.
