Today I worked Pat in Dianne's field.  We worked on lines; non-hurriedly moving stock in straight lines.  Pat and I worked on slowing him down and keeping him slow. It's a struggle with Pat, because he really is excited to work stock and do what you want, and it seems like this translates to speed.  I'm working on knowing a straight line when I see it.  Our work was good.  Pat is good.  As always, he just wants to be right.  After the first time across the field he was markedly backed off.  The more I do this, the more I'm able to take in the details. 

Next Dianne let me work another dog – Toss. Toss belongs to Amy Raymond. He's a young dog, a Peg X Riggs. Dianne told me to just go out and work on driving with him.  I've worked on driving with a few dogs of varying degrees of expertise and training.  I am always happy for the opportunity to work a dog – ANY dog. 

This dog….I can't say how easy it was.   To hear me say it, it would seem unlikely.  Like an exaggeration.  It was like Toss understood everything being asked of him, all the while fully aware of himself and his influence on the stock.  He checked in with me, when I gently corrected him for getting too close to the stock he checked back in and layed down or stopped.  He is sensitive without being insecure.  He had no reservations about working for me. 

"You need one of these," Dianne told me.

Yeah.  Someday.  Hopefully sooner rather than later.  (I love that expression, because its….meaningless in its vagueness)  In the meantime…I love working Pat. And I'm committed to figuring out as much as I can with Scout.

I'm sorry that I won't be around much in the next month to work.