You cannot write about one of the most famous detectives of all time, and not pick up a thing or two yourself. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle proved this throughout his lifetime. He was an extraordinarily observant man, this quality helped him to make sense of things even when a situation was emotionally charged. He also loved his Collie, Roy, and would not let his furry friend be taken from him under any circumstances.

One day, Sir Doyle’s life was disrupted when his beloved Collie was accused of worrying sheep and killing them. This was a serious accusation in his community since farmers rely on the animals for their income. Mr Arthur Hale, the prosecutor, went straight over to Doyle’s house to sort out the matter. They had a few words, but the accusation did not hold any weight with Doyle for several reasons. The meeting ended amicably enough, and it seemed that it was the end of the matter. The matter was not going to die down, however, because a local farm boy, John Hornby, swore that he recognized Roy.

Eventually, the whole saga was taken to court to get it sorted out. Mr Hale was not about to let the famous writer get off the hook without a fight. In true Holmes-like fashion, Sir Doyle approached the bench with a few unmistakable facts. Roy had a good character, and if he wanted to kill sheep, he could have gone to the farm that was right next to Doyle’s estate. John was not close enough to reasonably determine whether it was Roy or not. He also pointed out that Roy had many different children in the village nearby.

He then presented the piece of evidence that blew the prosecutor’s case out of the water. Roy had been born with a common defect in his jaw. He could only eat the softest of foods. He also pointed out that Roy regularly spent time in a meadow with plenty of sheep and had never shown a tendency toward violence. He defended his dog by praising his gentle qualities and pulled on the heart strings of the court by telling them that Roy was his children’s playmate. Of course, Sir Doyle won the case and he could keep his gentle Collie. We don’t think anyone ever accused that precious animal of worrying sheep, in case they had to face Sir Doyle in court!