English shepherd, "a border collie with an OFF switch"
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LVSteve
Member
Call me when they invent an off-switch for children.
OP
... of any age
I have an Australian Shepherd that has the most patience of any working dog I've seen.
I do keep him exercised. He needs to run, full throttle, for at least 30 minutes each morning. At two-miles, he's only getting warmed-up.
If we're home and don't exercise, he will bring you each of his 25 toys, one at a time, and demand you play fetch with them until your arm falls off!
But after he's properly exercised, he's a peach. Loyal and obedient.
I do keep him exercised. He needs to run, full throttle, for at least 30 minutes each morning. At two-miles, he's only getting warmed-up.
If we're home and don't exercise, he will bring you each of his 25 toys, one at a time, and demand you play fetch with them until your arm falls off!
But after he's properly exercised, he's a peach. Loyal and obedient.
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OP
They are lovely dogs. My neighbours up the street have two and my next-door neighbour has a blue healer cross.I have an Australian Shepherd that has the most patience of any working dog I've seen.
I do keep him exercised. He needs to run, full throttle, for at least 30 minutes each morning. At two-miles, he's only getting warmed-up.
If we're home and don't exercise, he will bring you each of his 25 toys, one at a time, and demand you play fetch with them until your arm falls off!
But after he's properly exercised, he's a peach. Loyal and obedient.
Love to watch a dog work. The sheer joy they get when doing what they were made to do is infectious. Whether it's a Lab making a retrieve, a pointer, well pointing, or a herding dog corralling it's charges. Makes me smile every time.
Puller
Member
Leave it to the British to develop a breed of lazy border collie. 
Hair Trigger
US Veteran
Our smooth-coat (short hair) Border Collie runs at 120% when he's "on", but when he's 'off' he is dead to the world. He'll chase a ball as long as you have the energy to throw it, and is the smartest dog I've ever had. He's actually my daughter's dog, but we keep him often when she's off on work trips. If she and I are talking on the phone and she says "Dad" to me, he'll go to the door of her apartment and sit, waiting for me to walk in.
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Faulkner
Member
SAFireman
Member
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
I'll take one for the wife....
Waiting for the Sun
Here's Cinco waiting for the sun to come over the mountain this morning at 18°. Of course, he sleeps inside, but when it begins to get light, he wants out. This is after he circled the perimeter looking for intruders of the most devious sort - squirrels, foxes, bears, moose, mountain lions, etc. Nothing he can't handle. Believe me, he may look off-duty, but he is very much "on."
Here's Cinco waiting for the sun to come over the mountain this morning at 18°. Of course, he sleeps inside, but when it begins to get light, he wants out. This is after he circled the perimeter looking for intruders of the most devious sort - squirrels, foxes, bears, moose, mountain lions, etc. Nothing he can't handle. Believe me, he may look off-duty, but he is very much "on."
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OP
Looks familiar. This is Frankie, my next-door neighbour's Aussie/Blue healer cross. Totally nuts, but lovable
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If Suzy has on "off" switch, I sure haven't found it yet. I got my first Border Collie when I was eleven years old and have been sold on 'em ever since.
They all have their own unique personalities. Suzy, for example, herds completely different from any of the other dogs I've had. She started it as a puppy. When I'd send her out to round up the mules, she would occasionally encounter a recalcitrant mule that wasn't interested in leaving the pasture. It was funny to watch. She'd start by trying to get them to move by barking at the back feet. Then she'd run barking to the front. Both tactics failed to move this one particular mule. Finally, Suzy ran around back, jumped up and grabbed him by the tail and began swinging back and forth. The mule immediately started moving at a good clip towards the main corral.
She's seven years old now and still uses that tactic. The mules have tried to kick out at her but, miraculously, she's managed to avoid any kicks. Another time, I had a mule that wouldn't get in the trailer. I just said, "Suzy, get 'er in!" She grabbed the mule by the tail and started swinging. The mule jumped right in the trailer. You gotta love it. That's what you call being resourceful.
They all have their own unique personalities. Suzy, for example, herds completely different from any of the other dogs I've had. She started it as a puppy. When I'd send her out to round up the mules, she would occasionally encounter a recalcitrant mule that wasn't interested in leaving the pasture. It was funny to watch. She'd start by trying to get them to move by barking at the back feet. Then she'd run barking to the front. Both tactics failed to move this one particular mule. Finally, Suzy ran around back, jumped up and grabbed him by the tail and began swinging back and forth. The mule immediately started moving at a good clip towards the main corral.
She's seven years old now and still uses that tactic. The mules have tried to kick out at her but, miraculously, she's managed to avoid any kicks. Another time, I had a mule that wouldn't get in the trailer. I just said, "Suzy, get 'er in!" She grabbed the mule by the tail and started swinging. The mule jumped right in the trailer. You gotta love it. That's what you call being resourceful.
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