Whoomp there He Goes!

Ms H joined me today for Arlo's lunchtime walk down The Road To Nowhere. Arlo likes to have a job to do on walks and for a year or so we've been playing a game where we send him out left or right and he circles back round to us for a game of tug. It is kind of similar to what collies might be asked to do when herding, so obviously we say come-bye and away, as a joke, but we have to say something right? 

Arlo is great at this, and will choose his own route, sometimes getting quite some distance away, sometimes out of sight behind trees, but since he often got confused which direction, we would point left or right so he knows which way to head off. 

Today as we were standing in the river I thought I would try not pointing, and instead of running forward left or right, he ran diagonally behind me in that direction, up the path alongside the river, over the river, then back down the other side so he stopped in front of us (across the river). At first when he began to run off, I thought he was going the wrong way so called him back, but when I sent him off again, he repeated so we watched where he went. I repeated it several times, each way, and always went the right way and initially diagonally left or right away behind me.

It was quite fascinating to watch and I was taken aback at how quickly he'd planned his route each time realising that he had actually learned the directions without me being aware. Sometimes I wonder what he'd be like working sheep (which he probably would be doing if he wasn't with us) and with all the focus and concentration he has and his love of being told what to do, I think he'd be pretty good.

But we'll never find out because herding is not what we want a pet collie to do, Play the pretend games yes, but keep the sheep out of it, more trouble than it's worth!