November 2004

Last week, Kim and I were invited by a Border Collie owner to try a little sheep-herding with Kim! He owns about 20 sheep, just a few kilometers out on the countryside. It was a wonderful sunny November afternoon when I found Janne and his three Border Collies in the grass by the roadside, with the flock of sheep peacefully chewing grass nearby. The BCs never lost eye contact with the sheep, but it did not seem to bather them at all. They actually looked comfortable with the arrangement.

Janne showed us some movements like getting the flock, driving it, getting it out from the fence in the corners and so on. Then we took Kim out of the car. Just to be safe, we put him on a 20 meter long line. None of us had any idea how he would react to the sheep. I must say I felt lucky to have gloves on my hands, because when Kim spotted the sheep, he ran right at them at high speed, so the line burned through my gloves!

The sheep weren't as peaceful anymore, they fled all over the field and vanished behind a wall of rocks. I never imagined that they could go through there, but they did. Janne had to get one of the BCs to go fetch the sheep again...

Janne with his three Border Collies after the herding session.

A new try, and I held Kim a little tighter, so that we could move around the herd and start driving it a little. It worked fine, but he pulled the line in extasy! Several times he leaped up at me with burning eyes: "Let me go, let me go, I wanna chase them!" I have never seen Kim this excited ;-)

Janne wanted to test Kim, if he had enough guts to stand up to the sheep. He sent one of the BCs behind the flock and started driving them straight towards us. Kim backed a few steps when the ball of fur came closer - heck, even I hesitated! But then it looked as if he took a deep breath, and he started barking at the sheep. They had more respect for the BC behind, so after a second of hesitation, they continued in the chosen direction. Kim and I were totally surrounded by fur and Kim was in his best element! Running with the herd, barking and nipping at their feet!

I can tell you, it was quite an experience... Janne told me that Kim shows a lot of interest, no questions asked. But if he will herd is another story. Something that we will hopefully be able to try soon!

An excited Kim after chasing some sheep!