How to Cook a Sheepdog

Preparation Time: 1000's of hours.

Required Ingredients:

1 sheepdog

1 humble handler

 

3-5 sheep

Season to taste.

What the heck does that mean? What is SEASONING? I mean, sheepdogs are usually English (Scottish, Welsh, etc.), therefore they lack seasoning, er, flavor. [NOTE: I'm 1/2 English so I can get away with saying this]

Wait.

So, I can't just rely on a trusty box of ready-to-make hamburger-helper, or in this case, sheepdog-helper, and throw him in a pressure cooker so that in 15 minutes I have a seasoned, hearty, flavorful sheepdog treat?  I can't "set it and forget it?"

Darn.

Jude turns 3 on May 18. We've competed in a few pro-novice trials and nursery trials last summer and a couple over the winter. When I haven't been sick as a dog (having a toddler has not been good for my immune system) I have worked my dog in all kinds of situations. Prepping him for singles, settling him down (he's a bit of a hot head) and getting him comfortable in tight situations. Also, trying to work through his outrun challenges.

I allow him to rest and "raise" before I knead the heck out of his big white dough-head.

I came to the realization that "miles, miles, miles" and  "seasoning, seasoning, seasoning" takes time, like the braising of a very nice rib roast. If you rush the process, you may forget an important ingredient, or could could even burn and spoil your masterpiece.