Training livestock guardian dogs is all about teaching them how to handle the unexpected. I had carefully created early sheep interactions with the pups to be slow and steady events. With this session, I added known unpredictability, in that I invited the sheep out their gate and into the yard. The pups have only been on harnesses a few times, and have never seen the sheep moving. I had no idea how tractable the sheep would be or how much of a handful the pups would be. Oh, what a dream they all were. Setting an assumed ceiling on training expectations can mean a trainer never really knows what animals are capable of. Thank you, coaches at Natural Encounters, Inc.! I am listening! They told me dog trainers are the absolute worst at doing this. I am always cautious and careful, which is a strength, but so is taking a chance or two. I had the pups on long lines. If they had trouble with my plan, I would have gone somewhere else with them and caught my gentle sheep later. This session was fun!