The Streak

I promised Buddy a walk today, so we took a walk through the woods.  Buddy was the one who actually went through the woods; I stayed on the gravel road.  Within two seconds, Buddy was out of sight.  I could hear leaves rustling, and a few barks, but I could not actually see Buddy. 

Becky trained Buddy to check in during her many jogging hours.  Buddy would always accompany, in a loose link of way, Becky on her jogs through the woods.  He would take off into the deep woods, but he knew he had to return to her to check-in from time to time.  Check -in means that Buddy would come directly back to Becky, touch his nose to her palm, and run off again. If only she would teach him to sit for longer than one second.

In any case, Buddy and I started our walk, and like I mentioned, he was gone.  Suddenly, I saw a white tail zoom left and a white tail zoom right, and then a doe charge in my direction.  Buddy was herding deer.  The deer left the area and Buddy was back at my side checking in.  His tongue was hanging longer than I had ever seen it.  Buddy was doing some major herding.

As we turned to make our way back, I saw a huge, fox squirrel run down a tree, across the forest floor, up into another tree.  Buddy was a distance behind me, but he saw that squirrel, too.  I only saw a black and white blur as Buddy passed me.  Buddy was now herding squirrels.

Buddy is a border collie, and border collies are bred to herd.  It does not really matter what the object of the herding is:  sheep, cattle, birds, deer, little kids, squirrels, UPS delivery men…Buddy likes to herd.  I have read stories of border collies herding automobiles.  We do not live on or near a public roadway - thank goodness.  But, I do keep thinking about that Mama bear living in our woods.

I really do not want Buddy to herd any bears!