If you’ve visited our site before, you know that we love dogs and constantly marvel at what they can do.
While Tom really wanted to check out the different single malt whiskeys, Patty wanted to be sure to see the Sheep Dog Demonstration at Leault Farm. In America, we call them Border Collies. In Scotland, they are simply referred to as Sheep Dogs. When we arrived well be for the demonstration we were treated to puppies.
Shepherd, Neil Ross, brought out seven of his eighteen dogs, including 9-year-old Moss, who is still working. In addition to verbal commands, Neil used a different whistle for each command for each dog. So when he wanted Meg to go left, only she went left. Of course, dogs will be dogs, and sometimes have different ideas about what should be done—or go selectively deaf. In that case, Neil would say (and think this in a very strong Scottish brogue), “…I’m warnin’ ye, Ben!”
One of the pups (we dubbed him “rock puppy” because in the puppy pile he used a rock as pillow), decided to try his paws a herding. He was cute but ineffective, but his enthusiasm was a good sign. Neil just took his crook and scooped up the puppy who spent the remaining time observing the proceedings from Neil’s arms.
