DTrain

Thanks, Pete will be so happy to hear that. I was saying to him earlier this evening that we should get out there with the AKC folks and do some practicing, he almost dropped his beer. I think he looks like a good solid cow dog but so many people around this part of the world at least have asked me if he is a show dog I was beginning to think he may have a shot at fame and fortune. If I must say so myself he is a great looking dog.

Thanks everyone, I hope I am doing the right thing, this is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I don't mind saying I may be dragging my feet a little, there is something about this dog that is special and I can't put my finger on it. There is something that makes me love this dog and drives me to find the answer. Dave may go back to the breeder and the farm. As you point out Dave has some problems and I will not let him go to just anyone. I will keep him and deal with all his troubles if I cannot find the perfect people and situation for him but I have promised I won't stop trying. Dave is extremely attached and I need a situation where he can be what he is, be understood for what he is and be loved for it. Here he is.

You don't really need to go far to find the heavy boned, wide head and hairy BC that the conformation folks like. There is plenty of breeding stock in southern Alberta where my best dog Pete is from to build yourself a show dog. Pete was bred from outstanding working lines by I assure you a breeder who is completely dedicated to working border collies. Poor Pete has no idea he is a fashion hit in the ring, he just wants his sheep and cows. On second thought perhaps I could hide his identity and get him a ribbon for looking so great. Perhaps if he wore sunglasses.

My wife and I may be forced to give up our youngest dog Dave. We are beginning to think that our lifestyle is not meant for Dave. Many of you who know me know that we moved from the west to the east a couple of years ago. We brought three dogs with us. Mac who is now seven and Dave's brother. Pete who is now five and Dave's father and Dave of course who was a small puppy when we moved. We moved from a country setting with a fishing lodge and small farm to city life in the part of the country who has no clue about dogs especially herding dogs. I have trained Dave to do goose work and stock work but I have very little access to farms. Dave is OK at goose work but has a very high drive for stock work and should be in a working setting every day. We are becoming convinced that Dave belongs on a farm or ranch in a working setting. Dave and his father come from exceptional working stock ( send me a PM and I will explain ). We certainly do not want to give up Dave but there is no chance we will be returning to rural life. There is no chance that we could put Dave into a working setting where we live now. We are going to look into sending Dave back out west but whatever we do we want Dave to go to a home, setting and the right ownership. Everybody wants Dave and we are frequently asked if we would be willing to sell Dave but there is no way we will allow Dave to go to a home that would keep him in his current situation. There is no way someone who knows nothing about border collies should be associated with Dave. We really don't know what to do or how to go about this. If we cannot find the right situation for Dave we will keep him and perhaps he will adjust as he gets older but our current life is the wrong situation for Dave. This may be proof that BC's that are bred from outstanding and proven working stock do not belong off the farm.

I must agree, give Norm a call. You are also not that far from many other great trainers and handlers including Scot Glen. It would be well worth a trip up to Lethbridge to visit Scot. Scot can give you an idea of what goes on in southern Alberta and British Columbia. You are just a few hours in almost every direction from some great help. Also in the Kootenay / Cranbrook area there is always something going on you can get into all summer long with some top people.

I am leaving the breeding to the experts and those who are truly dedicated to breeding top working border collies. There are many great breeders, trainers and handlers. I know many, some of you fall into this group. I feel perfectly safe in your hands. I don't want to own a farm or breed working border collies but I do and will take every chance I get to present to almost anyone who will listen what a working border collie is all about. I have three working dogs from great stock. My best dog is intact but I will not breed him. In a couple of weeks I will be going to a country fair in my area to do a demonstration and presentation with my best dog. I have no idea how many people will be sitting in the stands watching and listening to me but even if it is one person I will be proud to do my best presentation ever. I am not getting any younger but I decided some time ago that this is what I want to do. I take my dogs to seniors homes and talk about them and show them off. I can't take sheep with me but I can talk about the herding border collie. Some of the folks in the homes in my area are from farms and they remember how life was many years ago and they have fond memories of their dogs. It is common to see a few tears from the old folks and it is a great pleasure to have my dogs trigger such wonderful memories.

Certainly get her to the vet and it could not hurt to change food. I go through what you describe with my oldest dog every year about this time, it is like clockwork. The good news after years of trying everything is that we are convinced and so is our Vet that it is an allergic reaction to something. We have no idea what exactly and I am not going to put him through endless tests. It is most likely an environmental thing and we could spend years testing. During this time which will last a couple of months we use medications form our Vet every day. We always start the course of medications with a shot to get things under control quickly. It does not completely go away but it is much better during the medication period and by late fall he will be back to normal. Rule out everything you can but you may have moved somewhere she is exposed to something that is causing an allergy. Add this to the disruption of moving and you may have your answer.

I keep a curved medium hemostat in my dogs medical kit. It comes in handy for this situation and many others. I consider them a must in my kit.

Perhaps other dogs are a little nervous that he may be able to hear them better, another myth. I have been exposed to a lot of myths in the past few weeks and this is a good one and funny.

Good post Solo. I don't but into the wraps or pills or anything else. I don't have a problem with comforting my dogs during thunderstorms because they come to me anyway. I think you are correct that warps or whatever you use tends to heighten the dogs awareness that there is a problem. I don't but doing anything about the problem. I worked to get my dogs to come to me and if that works for them, if they feel safe that is fine. If they need to hide in a closet that is fine. My dogs know long before I do that a storm is coming and sometimes if I am in a position to watch them carefully they will tip me off to what is coming. I come from southern Alberta where storms can role in quickly and send border collies in all directions but out in the middle of nowhere with miles of pasture the dogs need to work it out. If coming to me is their solution that sure beats running after them all over the place. I don't have time to carry wraps with me and put them on the dogs when they have a problem.

Is it not wonderful Sue to be able to grow with your dog. I visited the ranch where my Pete was born raised and trained and saw him work. The rancher took Pete out to the field where the sheep were. Pete headed for the sheep and the rancher headed for the barn. In a few minutes Pete showed up with the sheep and the rancher had not said a word. Pete knew his work.

I have a long list of " best advise " that I have put together over the years that I try to refer to when I can and need to. I have had the great pleasure of working with some top handlers and when I first started I got some advise from a man who has proven to be tops and I have never forgotten it, I frequently take his advise. I was working with my new dog Pete who was fully trained and working beside me to help me along was a good friend " Handler One ". He watched and listened while I worked Pete for some time and then stopped me. I put Pete down and anticipating some words of wisdom I turned to him and said, yes ? Shut up and let Pete work, he said. He knows what he is doing and he is doing just fine, help him but don't direct him. We talked about this for some time after the session. The next morning I wanted to move our sheep from a pasture across a road to another pasture and then split the flock and move several of them into a large pen. The sheep were some distance from me so I send Pete on an out-run and I headed for the first gate. Without me saying a word Pete brought the sheep to the gate. I opened the second gate and went back to the first and opened it. I had not said a word to Pete. When I opened the first gate Pete took them through across the road and through the second gate. Only then did I realize that I had not said a word and Pete did exactly without a single error what I wanted him to do OR, what he knew he needed to do. Now this sounds simple but to somebody new this was a revelation. This was a different situation. I was new and you are an old hand. It is refreshing to read your post. Unless I am practicing for my benefit, something I enjoy and it seems Pete does to I find most of the time Pete does exactly what needs to be done without much input from me. This gives me plenty of time to talk to Pete about other things like sports, nature, fishing, cows, horses and sheep along with a little gossip. Thanks for the reminder.

I have heard this no comforting advise as well but I have come to the conclusion that I don't buy it. I have three dogs all from the same line. They would be an interesting study. My oldest dog is afraid of loud noises. He will run to me, he will hide in a closet but I never fail to give him attention when he is fearful, it seems to help. My middle dog is afraid sometimes but he will continue working through thunder and loud noises. My youngest dog does not seem to be afraid of loud noises but he will respond in a similar fashion to the other dogs. They will come to me when they are afraid. I will comfort them. The reason I don't buy the no comforting thing is that when they do come to me they are expecting attention from me, perhaps they feel safer with me and this is their choice. It seems the only behavior that has been reinforced here is their desire to be close when they are fearful and I don't think that is a bad thing nor has it made the slightest contribution to advancing their fear.

I am so sorry for you. In many ways for many of us, including me this is the hardest thing we will ever deal with. When this time comes for me I will give my dogs peace, I will help them depart. I remember every wonderful moment with my dogs and I always will. I can honestly say that they have brought me greater joy than anything in my life. All three of my dogs are with me at this moment in my office and because of your post I have a tear in my eye but being surrounded by my dogs is the most wonderful thing in the world for me. I will do anything for them, your post has inspired me to be reminded of this. I will give them everything they need and be thankful. When it is there time to go each one of them. I will hold them close, I will feel them slip away into peace, I will cry and feel terrible pain but after some time I will remember all that is good. I may again have a tear my eye when I recall but I will be thankful. Good luck, I will be thinking of you.

I know how you feel. I have three dogs aged 7, 5 and two so I have spent the better part of the past decade watching out for, What Will They Chew Next, could be a reality show.