This is my favourite thread of 2010.

Many years ago, I stood alone in a field, but for a dog called Mirk and a few hundred sheep, birdsong, some trees and a light fog and hazy sunshine.

I said one word, in a deep voice, mimicking the male Northerly accent he was familiar with.......

"Away", and Mirk, heightened by my intent, responsive to his training, alive to his natural instinct, yet relaxed in the way of some working dogs, left my right hand side to run the edge of the field, along the woodside, a quarter of a mile and come up quietly behind the large flock. I whistled and he lay down, in an instant. It was like a magic moment in time. Suspended for ever, in my mind. Sheep grazed on oblivious to his predatory presence. I felt tense, yet relaxed in the splendour of control, purpose and love. Mirk, lay in control, but ready, awaiting my next request.

Had I not uttered that word, he would not have been remotely interested in the sheep, (he is not an obsessive dog). but I did and he responded and I felt, I am humbled and sickened yet joyfull to report, all powerfull..........yet peacefull and far more in tune with life than ever ever before. Though I was just lucky, to have at my feet, such a tremendous dog of drive, great breeding, great energy and responsiveness...... Mirk.

A dream come true.....Another followed shortly at my first trial with Mirk ..... but that is another story.....

He did as I requested and I marvelled at his power and his skill and his reponsiveness. I can not claim fame for his response - that was down to a trainer far better than me, but I can claim fame for the joy I felt because of it. And the commitment I made to him that day.

Mirk has not made life easy. I seem unable to leave him for more than a few hours at a time. Its totally messed up my Christmas. I cant take him to my friends houses, in case he wee's and he still smells sooooo bad. I leave him for short times, but I worry that he might panic, I feel compelled to do all I can for his house training needs. I know not, whether he will wee, poo, panic, cry, bark or anything else - I can not imagine. He has messed up my Christmas in sooooo many ways. I wrestle with thoughts of the future, I wrestle with concerns for the feelings of the youngsters, I wrestle with thoughts of how I might cope with his continued ageing and passing. At times I have really wished that I did not have this responsibility. At times I have really wished that I had never met him.

But I have. And I did. And I will. So all I can do is do all that I can, to see this boys days out.

Mirk is up and down with his house training. Every time I leave him to walk the others, go get food, every day stuff, I wonder what I will return to. Sometimes it is just Mirk, sometimes it is other stuff.

But I can honestly tell you this.

When he rolls and sighs in his dog bed. When he tucks into beef and rice, when he wags his tail as I touch him, when he looks at me with a glimmer of acceptance when I leave him (which he surely did the last few days), I feel so so so so so so so so so , pleased with every single hardship he presents. And whn he lies down at night, in hiw bed at my side, with the biggest and loudest sigh I have ever heard from any dog, I know that I have done the best thing for Mirk. As he did the best thign for me, all those years ago!

This is my time to learn and to grow and to pay back the joy that has been bestowed upon me, in this lifetime. Not just by him, but by life. Of which he is now a massive part.

Rescuing a dog is one of the greatest joys that can ever be bestowed upon any human.

May the universe bring Mirk, more rolls, more sniffs, more wee's (though hopefully mostly outside) for if a soul deserved a happy end, then it is surely that of a loving, compliant, amazing dog, like Mirk.

And there are plenty more like him out there. One thing I have learned from life is,.......if something commits to you, then commit back. If it brings hardship then suffer it in joy, the joy that life is hard, that loving is hard, that doing the best one can, is all one can. And in its hardship, comes the splendour of growth. And pride. not stuck up prode. But "I have purpose" pride.

Thank you Mirk, for all you bought me, all those years ago. And thank you Mirk, for all you still bring me, right now in your life with me.

And thank you most of all, to my others best friends, Cloud and Connor, for allowing this to happen at all. Despite your own best interest.

All of our unhappiness comes from the things we need to GET. All of our happiness comes from that which we can GIVE. Thank you to everything and everyone, which places upon me demands to give, that I might learn and grow. And feel love.

Thank you for clearing that up .

I believe David Kennard has/had a dog called Merc after Mercedes..... If irecall correclt because he ws sleek as a......merc... ? David Kennard for those that do not know, created "A sheepdog called Mist" Series - amongst many other pretty famous sheepdog video entertainment things. Respect to him for buying his farm from the proceedes that he may save his own and that of his families and dogs, livelihood.

That made me cry

Please give Mirk an extra big hug from me. I'm so glad you found him when you did to make his last time on this earth a happy and peaceful one, however long that may be.

John. Bless you.Masses

You are an absolute star of all stars. You have your own amazing tales of dog reuce to tell. Please, tell them again, that we may be inspired...!

Love to you and yours for ever, not just 2010 and 11. Dxxx

Oh Denise.......

You've done it again.......

My best and most sincere love and hope to you for a brilliant 2011. I hope it is spent with Mirk at your side.

x0x

Sorry for making you cry folks . Was meant to cheer you up. Will change the style of writing .

Mirk is smiling - well actually he is snoring - you should be smiling.

I can hardly see the screen for the tears of sadness and joy. You write so beautifully. Have a wonderful 2011 and I look to your forthcoming book!!!!

I've seen David Kennard and Mist at their farm. After having his books and reading them it felt wonderful to be sat on hay bales watching his dogs work. They showed him up by doing things like pooing right in front of the audience but isnt that what dogs are good at?!

You could be the next Jon Katz Denise, writing about his border collies and how they bring joy and pain to his life.

true.
And the pleasure you get from it outweighs everything else.