I love Robbie, but he is a very poor sheep dog. Instead of herding the sheep from behind, he runs them and then runs ahead of them and hold them from the other direction, just moving them back and forth. He has the skills to move the sheep and understand my commands, though they are not the correct sheep dog sayings. It seems that I will never break him from heading the sheep off and forcing them back from where I want them.
Robbie will go in the bush, find the sheep, chase them out and then run ahead of them and not let them out of the bush. I am not sure what goes on in his head. He thinks he is working. Sometimes I get so frustrated and mad at him though.
One thing for sure, is he loves to herd the sheep. He practically lives to go and fetch them from the pasture every evening. I tell him, "let's go get the sheep" and he completely lights up and is off like a flash. He can move cows too and is quite aggressive having come from cow herding dog stock.
But Robbie has so many other good qualities that it almost makes up for his frustrating herding. He is very loving and will put his head on my lap and stare into my eyes to show me he loves me. He is not allowed in my room, though if he was, he would sleep right beside my bed, I am quite sure. He loves to fetch a stick or a ball and knows quite a few commands very well. Although he is already 5, he also loves to learn and please me by doing what I ask (except with the sheep, drat).
Robbie is the 11th border collie I have owned and he is a pleasure to have. Going for car rides are one of his favourite things, though I have no idea why really, since he has to sit and wait for me, sometimes for several hours. But when he hears the keys, he is off like a flash and I would be hard pressed to leave him behind. When I am not home and have to tie him up, I have to use a harness, because he has learned to slip his collar if he really wants to go somewhere. I am quite sure Robbie will be my last border collie. Josie, his predecessor, lived until 14, so I should have him another nine or ten years and then I may be just too old for the high energy of a border collie. I guess we will have to see when that time comes. In the meantime, Robbie is my dog!
Robbie will go in the bush, find the sheep, chase them out and then run ahead of them and not let them out of the bush. I am not sure what goes on in his head. He thinks he is working. Sometimes I get so frustrated and mad at him though.
One thing for sure, is he loves to herd the sheep. He practically lives to go and fetch them from the pasture every evening. I tell him, "let's go get the sheep" and he completely lights up and is off like a flash. He can move cows too and is quite aggressive having come from cow herding dog stock.
But Robbie has so many other good qualities that it almost makes up for his frustrating herding. He is very loving and will put his head on my lap and stare into my eyes to show me he loves me. He is not allowed in my room, though if he was, he would sleep right beside my bed, I am quite sure. He loves to fetch a stick or a ball and knows quite a few commands very well. Although he is already 5, he also loves to learn and please me by doing what I ask (except with the sheep, drat).
Robbie is the 11th border collie I have owned and he is a pleasure to have. Going for car rides are one of his favourite things, though I have no idea why really, since he has to sit and wait for me, sometimes for several hours. But when he hears the keys, he is off like a flash and I would be hard pressed to leave him behind. When I am not home and have to tie him up, I have to use a harness, because he has learned to slip his collar if he really wants to go somewhere. I am quite sure Robbie will be my last border collie. Josie, his predecessor, lived until 14, so I should have him another nine or ten years and then I may be just too old for the high energy of a border collie. I guess we will have to see when that time comes. In the meantime, Robbie is my dog!
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