Jake Suffers a Spinal Stroke

 

In the first Trial of the season, Jake left my feet to gather at a tremendous pace. Thirty yards or so, into his gather he screamed and both his legs were instantly paralysed. This apparently is quite common. He did not require surgery and most dogs make a 95% recovery but are unlikely to work. After an hour or so he regained the use of one leg and was standing. Three days into his recovery he ran out of his kennels and since then I have trusted him to regulate himself. A week later he was back to the sheep, just driving and following with minor flanks. His gate is already much better and there is a flicker of hope. Sadly Jake will not run in the nationals.