ALASTAIR AND WALLACE meet the beastie.

“Now, now everyone remain calm.” hooted Magnus. “There have been other new creatures that have come to Hoy.” “At that moment Wallace and Alastair, two very hardworking border collies who tended Shamus McCallon’s sheep, came dashing into the field. “What’s all the commotion?” asked Wallace.

Alastair and Wallace were always dashing around this way and that looking after sheep. Fiona and Fenella whose agitation had reached a peak, began in spurts of screeching, squabbling screams to describe the horrible beastie creature that had arrived on the Houton ferry that day and had been seen leaving the ferry dock in a car driving toward the glen in Rackwick. (Page 18) While the rest of the crowd behind Groat’s store is in frenzy Alastair and Wallace are the essence of the calm and reason of their breed. With their natural intuitive insight they have already sized Andy up and guide the others accordingly.

Alastair and Wallace are just two members of the beautiful and intuitive breed of dogs called Border Collies that excel at herding sheep in Scotland and around the world. When you watch these dogs you are watching real masters of their craft. They are genuinely workaholics as they truly enjoy and need the challenge of their work. From just a few weeks old their training begins often with subjects smaller than sheep and if it is possible more unruly than sheep.

As adults their work is never done and their desire to be in motion never stems.