Rupert and I Get "Herded"

There are various routes I take with Rupert on our walks in the campground, depending on the weather, where the mud puddles are, and if it’s warm enough for him to swim or not.

It has rained a lot and been cold, so we’ve been keeping to the fields at the top of the hill, away from the muddy roads around the lake. In the middle of one field of grass early one morning last week a black and tan collie dog came bounding out of the woods. Its speed and grace surprised both of us. Rupert immediately sat by my side and we watched as the collie circled us.

I was initially concerned as there are coyotes and wild dogs about, but I could hear the jangle of dog tags as this beautiful animal raced around us. Rupert’s head whipped back and forth as he watched it, only once glancing up at me as if to say, “Pretty cool, Mom, huh?”.

The circles the collie made were getting smaller and smaller as it kept us where it wanted us. I began to wonder what was going to happen when there were two shrill whistles from somewhere off in the woods and the collie hightailed it back where it came from. Rupert and I stayed put for a minute, puzzled by what had just happened, then continued on with our walk.

Yesterday we walked through that field again. No sign of the collie, but half way through the field Rupert stopped and pointed….something he rarely does. It made me laugh out loud. He remembered our being “herded”. I think he was trying to tell me that he was going to be prepared this time. For what, I don’t know. We didn’t have time really to react to the collie, it all happened so quickly. It was actually kind of cool. I wish I knew who owned the dog. I’d love to tell him how much fun it was to get “herded”.