I have a Collie. In his mind, all the kids in my backyard must stay together. When one wanders off he barks to herd them back together. He’s a herding dog by nature.

While my kids are used to Laddie, the neighbor kids don’t always appreciate being treated like wandering sheep.

Every year the kids beg to take Laddie to the Irish Fair of Minnesota to see if he can herd sheep as well as the professional dogs.

Every year I say, “No.” quickly followed by “Let’s go to the Irish Fair of Minnesota and watch the professional dogs.”

A Fair Favorite

We plan our visit to the Irish Fair of Minnesota to make sure we catch a bit of sheep herding. Luckily the sheep perform a few times during the fair because it’s a popular event for many families.

Escape Artists

Last year a few sheep escaped — it must have been a  new dog — but I couldn’t figure out how they got past the crowd of kids and families surrounding Croagh Park. Of course, if I had a wee sheep running toward me, I might move out of the way pretty quickly, too.  All six of the escape artists were quickly corralled with a little help from fairgoers.

 Sheep Herding is an Art

With only a few commands from a shepherd, a well-trained dog can easily manage a herd of sheep.