200 years in the making

Instinct for me is enigmatic, arcane, profound and it showed up in Star yesterday with bounding abundance. He valued sheep for the first time as something more than just other creatures. He saw them as something within his ability as well as his responsibility to influence and he was clearly powerless over the desire. Star is just about 10 weeks old, but what was manifested yesterday is something close to 200 years of selective breeding that weights every move he makes and thought he has from now on.

Some pups awaken to their possibilities earlier than others and, personally, I don't think that timing relates to talent or ability. It was just intriguing to see Star's latent impulses become vividly alive straight out of thin air. It was is if I flipped a switch.

From outside the pen he was sufficiently engaging to get a reaction from the sheep. Then, after showing them his nerve, he turned stiffly and ambled away to grab a fallen acorn and pounce on one of the big dogs.