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| dogtree - 3:32 PM on Jul. 15, 2009 |
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I’ve owned a Blue Heeler then a Red Heeler for my last two dogs. Although they were intelligent and loyal dogs, they were a little aggressive towards other dogs and very timid around children who they didn’t know. We did our homework and despite looking at a website concerning Border Collie horror stories, we were undeterred and went ahead with searching for one. My wife was always a cat lover and was reasonably non-committal to getting a new puppy. We found an ad in the Trading Post and drove out to Officer to look at the pups. There was only a near all-black female and a sleepy little male with nice markings left but the male seemed to have no go in him. For some reason we decided on him without seeing any of the parents.
He was mega-cute but how we wished we took notice of the horror stories website. He chewed up everything he could get his teeth into. Lounge suites, dining tables, outdoor furniture, a whole row of books in a bookcase including one from the 1800s and many other objects too numerous to mention. Clothes use to be dragged from the clothes line and turned into rags. We couldn’t wait for his puppyhood to finish and it did at about the 18 month age.
He showed a prowess for tennis balls early and picked up most of his tricks in 15 minutes or less. Puppy school saw him bowled over many times by bigger, rougher lab puppies but he got on great with all of them regardless.
I took him to obedience at about 12 months but it only lasted for about 4 weeks. Walking off one day we spotted the Flyball team training so we gave it a go and he took to it like a duck to water. He now trains every Saturday (twice a week in Summer) and competes from October to April every year. He never barks at home like the Heelers use to. The only times he barks is at Flyball when he’s waiting for his turn and he picked that up from the other dogs.
Some of the things we love about him.
• He will pick up a tennis ball and if you bounce another ball at him, he noses it back to you on the full. He’s very accurate and can nose it back 3 metres or more. If it doesn’t go back to you then he dribbles it back with both feet straight to you.
• He jumps through a hula hoop, plays dead, turns in a circle, does a commando crawl, talks to you on command, alternates shaking hands with either paw and places a large rubber ring toy on Mums foot when she throws it away. He noses Mum on the nose when she asks for a kiss.
• When I go to the park with the ball chucker, I point left or right before releasing the ball and he sprints off in that direction. Never taught him that one, just instinct from his breed I guess. If I start to walk back towards the car or mention “home” then throw the ball he doesn’t chase it. “Going home then are we, get it yourself then.” He’s smarter than me sometimes…
• He will suck on his puppyhood teddy for ages even falling asleep doing it.
• At the mere mention of “park”, “beach” or “bush” he tilts his head and runs around excitedly. I’m sure he even knows when we spell the words out.
His only real fault if you can call it that is that when meeting other dogs when we’re playing ball he’s not very sociable. His job is to get the ball back to me as quick as possible and the other dogs don’t exist to him. He is after all a working dog and totally committed to the job at hand.
Through Bowie we have met some lovely people at Flyball, walking the streets and now on Dogtree for organised walks. He loves cuddles and Mum is now completely cured of her cat-loving ailment.
He has paid back his puppy damage 1000 times over. Would I get another Border Collie, absolutely!!
James and Luana |
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