As I stood there in the gradually warming sun saying my prayers for the start of my day, Brigs went about minding his business, and Kimi went about minding everyone elses. How loud her sharp little yips are when they break through that calm still morning silence!

Spotting the squirrels down on HER ground where they do NOT belong, she quickly went after them. Yipping her little Sheltie attitude at them for daring to approach her home without her permission, she gave them her "what- fors" and how-toos" all to well. Looking smart in her shiney sable coat that glistened and glowed against the sunlight, she trotted around her yard like a queen in search of a peasant or two to discipline. Tiny ears bouncing as she performed her morning bounce around the yard, Kimi kept a sharp eye out for anyone who dared to be out of place at such an early hour. Whenever she spotted a bird who none-to-wisely swooped low for an errant seed or two, Kimi would spring in to action and do her best to scare the feathers off of them. Charging at them ferociously, Kimi yips and growls and barks in ways previously unknown to her abilities. Seeing this tiny pint sized ball of terror coming straight at them, the birds would take to wing and rise high into the ever brightening sky while chirping and calling out their frustrations. Kimi would make a giant leap into the air and shout a demanding "YIP!" at them as they rose safely into the air away from those snapping little jaws of hers. Proud of herself in her accomplishments, for chasing away the offending fowl and for sounding so terribly big and brave, she would then trot off, her shiney pink tongue draped from one corner of her mouth, unable to contain it inside her huge grin.

As I finish with my prayers and issue my thanks to Our Mother Earth for all she has provided us with in the days past, Brigs comes to sit by my side. He watches Kimi with an indolent splendor, his brows lifting from time to time with her puppy-ish antics. Gracing her with a tolerance we could all do well to possess, he looks upon her much like a Grandfather would a young child. With an amused patience. As my big black friend sits quietly by my side, I rest one hand on top of his head. Where Kimi rushes into everything joyishly seeking fun in all of nature surrounding her, Brigs is content to wait next to me, knowing the routine. Knowing once I finish here, our practice sessions to his obedience will begin.

Enjoying one last quiet moment as I seek to touch all I can with nature through my inner eye, I turn and call to Brigs. Knowing this is "our" special time of the day to bond as a working team, he relishes our mornings together. Kimi however sees this only as one more chance to have fun while learning all she can from life.

Brigs lumbers along quietly beside me as I call for him to ''HEEL". Kimi takes this time to run along at HIS side, bouncing up and down as she goes issuing a constant and steady stream of "Yip!"s As I often do, I take an extra minute to see things beyond what they appear to be. I don't just see her as a puppy being irritating to Brigs as he goes through our routine. I see her as a life force, giving and living up to every second that she has been given here on Earth. At that very second, she was more than a young puppy, she was a Drill Sargent, demanding a peak performance from one of her soldiers!

As she bounced along shouting "YIP!" I began to understand what those bossy little yips meant. Watching the fiercness of her concentrated efforts I could hear her shouting to Brigs: "Look alive Boy!" "Pick up that pace" "Get in line where you belong!" "Move it... Move it... Move IT!" And like a soldier trained to show no fear, Brigs kept moving along right by my side without even once glancing her way!

After practicing our heeling work for a time, we moved on to other "manuvers". On to the "sit & stay". I gave to command to sit.....and waited patiently as Brigs moved his big old rump into place. Kimi however found no such patience in her blood and began dancing around his back feet nipping at them and yipping. I smiled as I watched her do her best to demand Brigs move faster, do it better, quicker, smarter. And I held my breath has his huge heiny came in close contact with her little head as he neared the ground in a sitting position! Kimi dear you better learn to look up to your soldiers lest you get sat on! Once he was in his sitting position and I told him to "stay", Kimi had to keep circling him like a private band of indians circling the wagons. I believe she was checking to make sure nothing fell out of place and that Brigs did NOT move a muscle. And all the while she nipped and yipped at anything she found to be in error. His front feet, his back toes, his tail.....HIS TAIL?????????

Oh boy! Her eyes really lit up when she spotted his tail sticking out from under one back leg! Her head lifted into the air, her almond eyes met mine and her grin formed. Gee...never thought I would see a Drill Sargent with such a devilish grin, but it definitely should warn one of something coming! Eyes sparkling she looked from me, to his tail and back to me again... then without any further warning, Kimi quickly raised both front feet off the ground and "pounced" that poor unsuspecting tail with a sharp "YIP!" Grabbing up a midget sized mouth full she began giving it a series of yanks and tugs that would have made anyone else stand to attention! Trying to further distract him, Kimi was growling as fiercly as she could with each pull, and tried to "YIP" around the fur with each tug. Nothing worked though...being the good little soldier he is, Brigs just kept right on ignoring the litte pest.

I did take pity on Brigs though and gave him the release signal so he was free to stand up and shake this little flea from his tail. Doing so, Kimi tried her best to hang on for dear life, but it just wasn't to be. Raised off the ground so that only her tippy-toed back feet were making contact with the "terra firma", she snapped her jaws, trying to firm her grip on his bushy tail. Only thing is, it looked a bit hard to do when being done around a wide grin! Kimi's eyes widened and rolled to the side when her grip began to slip and down she went...slowly.......slowly....sliding toward her destiny. And the sidewalk! Kerthunking onto her furry little backside as her teeth slid their way thru the last strand of hair at the tip of his tail, Kimi sat back and laughed. Brigs finally gave in to temptation and turned to meet his ankle- high-pain-in-the- ......tail.....

As his huge nose came in close to her delicate little one, my grin exploded when our daring little she-devil gave him a quick nip on the end of his! Brigs jerked his head back in total surprise and Kimi threw her own head back over her left shoulder and shouted out more laughter. I couldn't quite contain my own laughter as Brigs turned his huge dark sad shaped eyes on me and I saw they were wide with shock. Nervey little cheek isn't she Brigs??

Our Drill Sargent quickly regained control over her own mirth and as she stood up, Brigs looked down on her once more. Tipping her head back to peer into his eyes, Kimi issued a sharp "YIP!" right into his face. Brigs quickly sat down. Strutting back and forth in front of him, occasionally gifting him with a fierce glare, Brigs did his best to maintain his look of "Attention!" Sitting as straight as he could muster, looking forward, eyes never drifting, he presented himself as any proud military man would do.

Continuing with our practice session, I gave Brigs the command of "Down" and waited for him to slowly lay himself down in a comfortable position. Kimi decided there was room for only one commander in her little army of one and she turned on me with a vengence. Yipping loudly, she let me know in no uncertain terms that SHE was in charge and not me! Even Brigs had to snort with laughter over that mistaken notion of hers, and the hair of top of Kimi's head ruffled from the blast of hot air that came form him when he snorted. Allowing for no insubordination in her ranks, Kimi quickly whirled around and yipped in a most commanding tone to Brigs.

Okay, tell me I am not fair, but I had to see just how far our little Sargent was going to take this game of hers. I reached out my left hand, palm up and gave Brigs the hand signal to stand. Lifting his head, he stood to his feet slowly. Kimi's head rose sharply, and I could see her eyes begin to squint. She took one step up to Brigs and stood there staring at him intently. I moved my hand again and motioned for Brigs to "step up". Brigs moved one lumbering step forward, and I quickly held my hand up in the "stay" postion. He stopped. To Kimi it appeared Brigs was commiting the ultimate act of mutiny! My glee grew, as did my disbelief when I watched Kimi sit down and then raise herself up to full height on her back legs. I swear that girl even puffed out her chest as she did her best to look Brigs right square in the eyes! The top of Brigs forhead wrinkled as his brows raised and he gave her a look as if to say "Oh PLEASE!"

Kimi tipped her head up as far as she dared and let out a resounding "YIP!", commanding Brigs to do something. I am afraid the whole effect was lost when she did this however, for she lost her balance and fell over backwards, landing in the grass and rolling over. When she had righted herself, there was a single leaf perched on top of her head, right between her ears! I shouted with laughter, and even Brigs head to toss his head back over his shoulder to hide his own amused face.

Kimi laid there for a second trying to see this object on her head, her pink tongue hanging, curled, from the right corner of her grin. She tossed her head once...twice...trying to loose this thing clinging to her before she decided on one quick solution to the whole morning.

And with this decision made, she rolled over in the grass, back and forth several times, making certain she was covered completely in leaves, grass clippings and even the occasional puff of Newfy hair. Standing, she walked over to Brigs, stood before him, and waited for him to look at her. Finally giving in, Brigs glanced her way, and Kimi proceeded to shake herself and all her 'additions' all over him! Laughing quickly at him as he blinked like a toad in a hail storm and tried to duck the debrie, Kimi ran off in search of other hidden fun.

Her decision? Simple: Be it laughter or leaves, sharing can be fun!

walk in beauty Kristi & Kimi

This story was given to our friends designing the *Garland of Shelties* book in hopes that one day all Shelties can be given a warm and loving home to spend their days discovering life and love in. This too is a lesson in sharing.