Random Chronicle: Field Trip

Yes, Finally the sun has come out and that means for us lucky enough to have friends with sheep, that is it Dog working Time. Sounds great right? It usually is, my friend Louanne has graciously lent me a few sheep to work with. Also Great right? Unfortunately, it would seem, I lack some necessary shepherding skills. I would more accurately state I lack fencing skills.

That of course means that the sheep that currently reside here the sheep that should be happy in the corral I have provided for them, who should be happy !!! are a little . . . . "wandery". Now I know that I was told that the barb wire in the coral would probably not hold them and that they would get out. I understand all that. However, I was not prepared for the determination that they would show for escaping. I am not running a concentration camp, they are not POW's. Nevertheless, escape they did. So ! decided some fence mending was in order, good fences, good neighbors and all. I tried, more barbwire, - FAIL I tried a piece of plywood - FAIL I tried to tighten the barbwire that was already there - FAIL. Like I said not so good with the fencing !!.

The Sheep seemed relentlessly unconcerned with my attempts to contain and constrain their activities Now I don't want to sound like a spurned parent, as indeed I am not. But I have provided for them pretty nicely and yet - Whoosh away they go. Back to the fencing, after numerous escapes, I decided that direct action was necessary, I monitored them for a while, covertly observing their bold machinations in the face of my attempt to imprison them. Sure enough given enough time the sauntered over to the recently repaired and re-enforced fence and simply slipped under the whole works. That's right all or my work had been for naught. Back to the drawing board I figured, so I strung the electro-net along the offending and inadequate fence line. To do so in frozen ground is neither easy not particularly enjoyable. Additionally I figured I would push the sheep out into one of the pasture fields so they wouldn't be in the way. Smart -Right? They will just settle and relax out there until I am finished - Right?
NOT EXACTLY. As I stated earlier they are a little "Wandery" ( I think I love this word) Once I had completed stringing the electro-net it was time to get the sheep, No problem, except they were not exactly where Jed and I had left them

That's right Jed that IS where they were. I imagine that at this point three things were going through his mind, 1.) His dad's a moron for leaving sheep here for two hours. 2.) Man am I going to be tired when we are done and 3) Maybe when i get out there I'll chew on them a bit. Unfortunately for me Jed was not immediately able to spot the sheep, frankly neither was I submit the following photo a a kind of post game review.

Now, I am not exactly sure how far it is to where the sheep did finally settle but it is easily a half mile. I realize there all sort of people right now thinking- you cant send you dog that far - I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT. I am grossly overweight and I was NOT going to walk out there and get them. Send I did. and Aside from a few redirection commands to find the sheep he did pretty well - I say pretty well because keen observers of the above photo will notice "Problem Opening" - Jed was returning the sheep fine until the sheep got stuck along the fence line and unfortunately for me I had to walk some of the way out there to get him to flank to their right and find the opening.

Doesn't look like much but it was a source of frustration for he and I - unlike at a trial if you miss the gates you just lose points. here missing the gate means ----- your walking.