The Collie or Sheep Dog. 131 



the latter bringing his charge back to his owner, 

 irrespective of course to be followed, or anything 

 else. All he knows is that his duty is to fetch the 

 sheep, and this he does. 



" Another difficulty comes when one of the three 

 sheep cannot move as fast as the others, and, being 

 hard pushed, ultimately gives up entirely and lies 

 down ; in which case the best dog in the world 

 cannot make it rise again until thoroughly rested 

 and so inclined. One batch of sheep may almost 

 of themselves go the course, and require little 

 driving by the dog, whilst au contraire, another lot 

 may be just as stupid and wayward, willing to be 

 taken in any direction but the right one. Sometimes 

 the collie is unable to make a start at all through his 

 perverse flock separating and trotting away in 

 different directions immediately they are loosed 

 from the liberation pen. Again the competitor may 

 perform his driving task admirably, but is quite 

 unable to consummate his work of making the sheep 

 enter the pen at the end of the trial. Repeatedly 

 at this penning the best work is shown, and the 

 patience of the dog must be well supported by that 

 of the shepherd. 



" To be successful at these trials the dog must 

 be sagacious, well trained, quick of hearing, and 

 sharp in his sight, patient, and have a peculiar 



K 2 



