By Cindi Hayden

A welcome scent of freshly rain-washed earth sweeps through the bedroom window.Birds are singing triumphantly,greeting the hazy morning sun as it creeps over the horizon.Twenty toenails are tapping on the floor as hair balls fly in the wake of a white-tipped Border collie tail.Good morning,Bet!

Bet followed me downstairs,shadowing in anticipation of what I did not know,but I was thankful for her good nature.

A quick glass of cold milk for me,a desiccated liver treat for her and we were off to the barn to gather dogs for a morning romp. Other chores would have to wait as I was looking forward to taking Bet to sheep right off.

Once satiated with fresh air and fun,for the time being,all of the farm dogs,except Callie and Bet,went back to their pens.

When it came to livestock, Callie was my right hand.Although she herself was a young Border collie in training,I couldn ʼt manage a job half as well without her. She was keen to please and instinctively knew when and where she was needed.

Callie swept through the wet grass in true Border collie style, methodically gathering the sheep and depositing them in the holding pen.

We shed off five dog-broke ewes and drove them to the round pen.I wouldn ʼt use a round pen if it weren ʼt necessary,pre- ferring to work in open spaces,but after seeing the way  Bet literally tore into the sheep yesterday it was important that I keep her close at hand.

As I entered,five large optimistic ewes stood in the middle of the round pen waiting to see if they could slip by the pretty little dog coming through the gate.Instantly,sensing her en- ergy as she stuck her head through the opening,they retreated to the far end and huddled tightly together.

With no concerns of her surroundings,Bet crept into the pen, eyes hard on the sheep.Trembling with ferocity,my voice only causing her more tension,she lunged at the sheep.

Held back by the cotton rope attached to her collar,bracing on her hind legs,she dug her toes into the ground,fighting to get away.Teeth,gums and tongue exposed,she gagged, barked and snarled,scratching in mid air.

As yesterday,it was clear Bet was reacting to more than the sheep alone.They were merely an excuse,an avenue to let loose all of her frustrations.She was on overload,lashing out from a life of confusion.

Yesterday ʼs experience had fueled her fire. Reprimands merely increased her fight.I had to break through her trance- like frenzy to get her full attention if I were going to help her find peace.

Foregoing any useless words,I let out a deep bellowing growl as I gave a quick tug on the rope and hit the ground in front of her with a crook.

Nearly surprised out of her skin,never having heard any- thing like that before,Bet immediately dashed to my side, nosing my hand for a pat.We were in the eye of the storm.

In those brief seconds we had learned a tremendous amount about one another.The whole energy pattern had been changed and both of us now held new roles.

There was but a brief time to re flect on the happenings be- fore the sheep began to move about nervously,inducing the next wave of chaos.

Once again,a deep bellowing growl broke through the feroc- ity,catching the attention of the little dog with the kind face holding her tail submissively close to her body.She began to think about her role in life.She began to enjoy the touch of a timely and thoughtful hand.

The storm weakened as the dog grew more con fident in our developing partnership.Her attempts to lunge were squelched by quieter corrections and soon became extinct. No longer cowering after a correction,she enjoyed responding to it positively.

Her face softened and her body became more fluid.She began to think before reacting, comfortable in looking towards me for direc- tion and enjoying the rewards of working. She became accountable for her own actions, learning which consequences made her feel good and which did not.

As she began to relax and enjoy our new rela- tionship,Bet began balancing the sheep to me with precision;changing direction instinctively and standing to hold at the right time.Within fifteen minutes the tide had turned for Bet.It was the first day of the rest of her life;a begin- ning of a foundation for a working relation- ship between sheepdog and shepherd.She was learning what it felt like to be a member of a working pack rather than a loner on the defense looking out for herself.She needed to belong.

The acknowledgement and comfort she gained from receiving direction gave her con fidence. She was no longer in a grey area trying to guess her role in life or taking charge because no one else had.She was a Border collie with a purpose.

Callie,Bet and I left the round pen behind and wandered down to enjoy the sun-filtered pond.Rich smells of warm pine needles,ferns and pond water thickened the air.The dogs dove and splashed clumsily after leaping frogs while I reveled in the sun on the sandy bank reflecting upon the morning.

I had presented a new way of life to Bet.She swiftly and willingly embraced it,letting her natural talents and goodness flow.There was indeed something special about this little dog. I wouldnʼt betray her trust.

I called the man with the big smile and told him Bet had found her home.

Note:The lessons and trust Bet learned while working sheep and cattle carried over to the rest of her life.Over time she became a great working dog and a well adjusted family companion.

(Cindi Hayden is a herding dog trainer in Contoocook,N.H. She can be contacted via her website: www.cindihayden.com )