A Farmer and His Dog

Book excerpt: There is nothing quite like the relationship between a farmer and his dog. ‘For me, the bond I have with Peg, my border collie sheepdog is priceless. I know how very lucky I, and thousands of other shepherds and farmers, are to have these extraordinarily bright, enthusiastic dogs at our side.’ In A Farmer and His Dog, Adam Henson explores the unique relationship between a farmer and his most loyal friend. Sheepdogs come in a variety of shapes and sizes from border collies to Australian kelpies (rumoured to be a distant relative of the dingo). Not only are they essential to the running of a farm, but they are also fiercely intelligent and exceptionally devoted companions, having evolved over millennia to make the make the work of a shepherd possible. But it is not just the farmer working the land who benefits from the extraordinary relationship between man and dog. Beginning by introducing us to the dogs who have been faithful companions to the Henson family over the years, Adam goes on to explore the impact made by the UK’s hardest working breeds. From traditional herding dogs and gundogs – such as the Labrador’s he grew up with and the Hungarian wire-haired Vizslas like Boo and Olive who live with him now – to the assistance dogs, sniffer dogs and even search and rescue dogs, whose stories have reinforced Adam’s belief that we humans owe an enormous debt to our wet-nosed, four-legged friends.