Next week will mark THREE YEARS since I’ve been here ramrodding this northern Rockies ranch and the people that go with it.
It is hard to believe how fast time goes; I’ve gone from an impudent pup to a wise, sometimes stiff older dog.
In honor of this milestone, I am going to revisit here one of my first entries, when I was working hard to live up to the long trail of great cowdogs I followed,
and to herd the family into shape. 
They had been without Heeler guidance for several months after all!
So here is one of my first stories:
I’ve been here just over a year now. This former desert dog is going into her second summer as a northern Rockies ranch dog!
We were reading through my early impressions of my new life, and thought there was good reason to revisit this one again.
After all, people need regular reminders of how to adapt to the cowdog in charge.
And yes, we will all get there and excel in our role.
It is Dingo rising!
And here is the process:
I’ve been here at my new and permanent home for exactly two months now. The way I figure it, I’ve become the one in charge. My people call this Dingo rising.
I’m ready for insurgence. I have learned a lot in the past few weeks here – I have explored and sniffed out most of the ranch – I have kept a record of it all.
I am a lean, mean ranch management machine! All my past training has prepared me for this; I will take over now.
I know change is hard for people, and I’ve given mine a couple of months to decompress and adjust to the new Heeler in the house. And they’re doing pretty good learning the routine, so I am confident they will continue to adapt to my plan.
I bark at and chase the horses when they need it.
I am great at recall, but sometimes I’ll decide how fast and just go on about my business instead.
I will steal the couch, 
sneak cat food, herd those pesky cats, beg intensely, and generally ride herd on the whole show.
I argue and explain loudly when my people have a hard time following directions.
I have perfected the “I’m right behind you” move, although my people need to practice this a little more – they’re a bit slow figuring this out at times.
The other night I got in trouble when in fact everyone should have just followed my direction. During the night, those cats found a mouse. This doesn’t happen often here, and they made a big deal out of playing and chasing. It was dark and I wasn’t in there with them, but I knew what was going on. I started barking, dancing, yipping like a coyote – trying to get to them and take over the situation.
Clearly it was a crisis in need of a Heeler. I would’ve just gone in , grabbed the critter and dispatched it quickly, so we could all get back to sleep. But NOOOOO – the cats had to toy with it, lose it, wait, chase… but I was the one in trouble for setting up such a ruckus!
Can you believe that? I admit, the Dingo rising sort of spiked right then with soaring cowdog powers, but who can blame me, when cats are involved, in the middle of the night?
Dingo rising means the inner Heeler is evolving, surging, perfecting cowdog superpowers!
It means I will choose the path, and it will be right.
The principals of Dingo Rising are:
Hope – The thing that keeps us believing in the possible, the future, and knowing there will be good coming.
Faith – The absolute certainty that God has a plan and it includes us. I believe He has appointed this dingo to handle things locally. Live by faith, not by fear.
Peace – A little hard to come by, but this cowdog likes to sleep in peace at night. 
Strength – I try to exercise spirit, soul and body. Keep going, keep trying, never give up or give in. 
Grit – That tough inner resolve, hard to name but present in all us cowdogs, that works all these traits together for good. The essence of Dingo Rising.
I will also be stubborn, clever, rugged, loyal, opinionated and vocal.
Now is the time for us all to unite, dog and man, in a massive Dingo uprising!
Observe the Heeler, pick up his skills, and practice those talents: faith , strength, grit, stubbornness, a voice – standing up for all that is right. Let us transform our world back to what it should be.
I suggest a uniform for the people who are part of a Dingo Rising, to help remember who is really in charge. Try one of these on for size:
Come, join Dingo Rising, and take back the world!
And I’ll keep honing my Dingo skills.
