flrpwr52 Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 I have 2 BC's, Zoe 26 months and Ari 16 months. We go to the dog park daily and the girls have learned to take turns while we play ball. Zoe has started doing something I'm not sure how to explain but I'll do my best. Each dog waits out about 25 feet from me while the first dog brings me the ball and I throw it then the other dog brings the ball in and so on. Zoe has started to wait while I throw the ball for Ari several times before coming in but that's not the strange part. The areas we play in have low spots about 25 feet out and Zoe goes to those spots and waits. She will not just wait in any spot now she has to go to those low spots. Does anyone know if there is something to this? Does it have anything to do with watching a flock? We have never worked sheep but she did come from a working farm and saw her parents work. I didn't know if it was something in her or just a strange behavior. What are your thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 No sure idea why, but it might be that she likes to have the ball roll to her. These are smart dogs, but they do get some quirky ideas because of that. Fergie does the opposite; she likes to make the ball roll to me. Gets royally pissed if a stick gets in the way. She'll grab the stick and teach it quite a lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Our main water shut off is in the yard about 20ft from the house and there wasn't a cover on it so to keep the dogs from falling in it and breaking a leg we put a cinder block and an old chair over it. When Jackson waits for me to throw ball/frizbee he would lie down behind the chair. We now have a cover on it and the cinder block and chair are gone but he still lies in the exact same place! They have quirks, its best to not try to figure them out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J&D Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 I wonder if it could be a guarding the flock behavior--watching for predators without being seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flrpwr52 Posted December 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 J&D, that is what my thought was. Nancy, when she is waiting in the low spot she already has a ball with her waiting for her turn to bring it to me and have it thrown. Linda, I know they are smart and I will never be able to "not" try to figure them out. It was brought to my attention today at the dog park that people who see us often have been watching the girls develope and they are talked about a lot. People don't understand how I could "train" them to do what they do. I told the lady to let the others know that the girls have trained "me" and they have done a good job. I will always be grateful for the first Border we rescued, she changed my life forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordi44 Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 First of all, I've long since given up trying to figure out why a BC does what it does - goes for people, too. Could it be, she's going to the low spot so she doesn't see you throw it for Ari? Or just something she likes about that spot maybe? The answer is probably something so simple that none of us would ever think of it and has absolutely nothing to do with playing ball, life, or the universe in general. Just be thankful they take turns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth G Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 Our female Pepper always does the same circle around the car when we are playing ball, no idea why, she just does. I'm pretty sure that it's just because it's in her blood to circle things. Because she's a BC and they have to herd something. She also always goes to the same spot and crouches down for the ball. Half the time it's not even where I'm going to throw it...lol. Just some of their quirks. But I love her for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INU Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 Not low spots but my BC likes to hide as soon as she drops a ball for me. In the house, she'd bring a ball back, then run behind a furniture or a wall and wait for me to throw. Outside, if there is a tree, she'd do the same and hide behind a tree. If there is nothing to hide behind, she just waits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bailey44 Posted December 31, 2006 Report Share Posted December 31, 2006 Polly circles the stairway/center area of our house when we play inside--on the first floor and the basement too when she plays down there. In our backyard, when I open the back door she shoots out to the left, runs up the hill, runs along the ridge of the hill and peeks from behind a tree waiting to start our play. This behind the tree thing is repeated over and over while we play. She's the strangest little critter I've ever seen... I have long since given up on trying to explain to people why she acts the way she does while she plays. I just hand them the ball and tell them that she'll let them know what the rules are--since she's the one who makes them up as we go along...Charlene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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