Each guardian dog grows into a signature habit, a routine move they can be recognized by. Some like to melt into the flock, some always show up to lead on a move, one always stays on the fringe. This fellow, at one year of age, is showing his preference for finding lookout points and watching horizons.
In the pack no one interferes with another individuals way of working. The society of dogs is a marvel, not because it is always calm and kind – it is far from that at times, but because it is so fluid. Fluid meaning the pack is not stagnant, it will change when it needs to as often as it needs to. Fluid meaning also the smoothness of a pack when it is in working order.
This winter the dogs have sorted themselves into pairs with the senior dog being the odd man out. The female AkbashX and the male Maremma are the top pair. Then there is the black pup and the female Maremma who have become fast friends. The third pair is the two Anatolian males who are sticking together and are often with the rams.
I have no say in the matter. Let me rephrase that – I understand there is no need for me to have any say, that it is better for them if I am just the observer. There is no reason to think I know better than they do about who to hang with and when. By summer time when the grazing shifts and the flock shifts the dogs will shift working order as well.
Experience has taught me that these periods of grace within a pack of dogs are cherished times. I find myself wishing for nothing to rock their boat so that this period of peace can last and last and last. I also notice the sting of realization that the guardian dog pack has some stark contrasts to the pack of Kelpies who reside with me. By virtue of living in a pack with me the Kelpie pack of dogs is less fluid. I meddle when I shouldn’t, I dismiss all the understanding gleaned from watching a pack of guardian dogs and hence the Kelpies get far too wrapped up in human living.
When we were experiencing our first few guardian dogs I felt sorry for them because they did not live with me in my comfy home. Now the tides have changed significantly and I feel more sorry for the Kelpies who have all the comforts of a home BUT must endure human whims which the guardian dogs are free of. This is not to say the Kelpies have it bad, they certainly don’t, but I must acknowledge they don’t quite have the same freedom to be dog. And now that I have lived with different types of working dogs for as long as I have I understand the importance of that freedom.
Some of this learning from the guardian dogs has trickled into the working relationship with the Kelpies. I no longer desire to control or micromanage their work as we commonly get taught to do with stock dogs. Instead I want to balance having a useful work dog with them having freedom to think for themselves and make choices. The difference is delicate and feels good. It feels like it’s a next step.