Herding sheep instead of dogs

Last weekend, my foster mom took Kasey and I to a herding clinic. Evidently, Kasey knew what was up because he started pacing the closer we got to the farm. I just laid down in my crate and chewed my bone. Once the car stopped, I rested in my crate enjoying the breeze and watching all the dogs and people going by. Eventually, mom came back to the car and took Kasey. Wow... when he came back he was tired and so happy. Sheep.... hmmm... what kind of drug are these sheep? It makes Kasey crazy!

Mom then took me out of my crate and lead me down to the pasture. There they were: SHEEP! I got to spend the rest of the afternoon watching the best border collie tv I have ever seen. Sheep and dogs working in a pen. It looked pretty cool. My mom and the other people there were impressed because I was so calm in my watching of the sheep. I liked that everyone stop to pet me, plus I made some new dog friends.

Toward the end of the afternoon, the trainer Kathy (http://www.dancinghearts.org/ ) took me into the pen with the sheep. She kept trying to get me to come closer to the sheep, but I felt safer moving them into a corner and laying down and staring at them. I started to worry that maybe I would get in trouble, so I climbed under the gate to find my foster mom. She brought me back into the pen with Kathy and the sheep. Kathy's dog Russell came in too, and he was moving the sheep all over the place. I began to get the idea that I was suppose to hold the sheep to mom and the trainer, but I really felt safer working them from a distance and holding them in one place.

The trainer said this is what happens when people let their dogs work livestock through a fence or when chained up. She thinks I lack confidence due to probably being corrected for what is my natural instinct.

When we went back on Wednesday for Kasey's weekly lesson, I got a turn too. This time it was just mom and I. Every time I tried to lie down, mom made me get up and start moving. By the time we were done, both mom and I were tired. I heard mom making plans with Kathy to bring me back. Cool.

What a week & it isn't over!

I am been so busy this week, which is very cool. I love to go for walks with my foster mom, and I even walk nicely next to the stroller, so Meredith comes with us. Today we walked to the park, and while Meredith was swinging in the swing, I sat next to Mom. I love being with mom, sometimes she says it is too much. While I don't shove the baby aside, I do try to push my foster brother out of the way. Mom says that it is rude, but hey, I love to love... how can you not like that?

As you can see from my video, I have finally meet my foster brother, Kasey. He is crazy just like me...but he is 3 years old! We run around and play in the backyard together. I hope my forever home has a boy dog that I can play with. I like playing with other dogs better than toys. I am still learning about toys. Thursday morning, Mom, Meredith, and I went to the pet store. Another cool place, I sniffed practically EVERY bag of dog food that I could get my snout on. Yummy. I was in heaven. We bought a squirrel toy for me... which no offense... I don't get it. It doesn't move like the real thing, so what is the point? We also bought a little pink heart charm with my name on it. Mom said that if something happens and I get lost, people will be able to call her to come get me. Lost? I am not leaving this place... let me tell you. At the pet store, people gave me little treats and pet me. I was warming up to people quickly. Mom said I did a good job.

Well, I am going to take off. I have had a hard day of walking, playing, and training. Tomorrow we are going to a sheep herding clinic. Hmmm... I wonder if I am going to like this.

Later,
Sue

Ready for a nap

That whole vet thing was exhausting. We woke up early today and went on a walk. When we got home, my foster mom put me in the car. I love to sit in the front seat, although the past couple of days she made me sit in the backseat. This morning she put me behind a gate in the far back of the Jeep. I was like... "What the heck? How am I suppose to see?" So as soon as mom went in the house, I pushed the bars apart and climbed up to the front and took my seat... shotgun. All of a sudden, she looks out the window at me. I was happy to see her, but she didn't seem as happy. She came outside and moved me to the far back again. Before she even got back in the house, I climbed up to the front again. When she brought Meredith out, she made me get in the far back again. What's up with these cheap seats? How is a girl suppose to see? I decided while we were driving to climb up front to visit. Mom gave me a stern "ah-ah" sound. Ooops! I don't like that sound, so I climbed back. Fine, I'll look out the back... although it seems pointless to look at where I have been instead of where I am going. People are weird sometimes.

We dropped off Meredith at the babysitter's and then ended up at this vet place. I'll be honest; I've liked other places more. They were nice, or at least trying to be, petting me and talking to me in nice voices, but I wasn't enjoying this. My eyes were big and I kept trying to hide behind mom. The vet said I was in beautiful shape: clear eyes, clean ears, great white teeth. He couldn't find a scar from a spay (What the heck is that?), and he says there is no sign that I have ever had a heat cycle (Again... what are these people talking about?). He and mom discussed me coming back. Are they serious? I guess we are waiting on a heartworm test and a fecal exam. Really? More tests? I am tired. When we got home, I went straight to my crate for a nap.

Gotta go,
Sue

What a weekend!

Wow. I was busy this weekend. Saturday some of my foster mom's friends from the dog training facility that she works at came over. Plus, my Aunt Amy and Uncle Kelly came over too. I had a test to take. I was kind of nervous, but mom said I would do fine. The test was called a temperament test. I guess it is given to a lot of dogs that come to rescues or shelters. Bonnie, the nice lady that administered the test, pet me, talk to me, and gave me some really yummy canned food. She had this weird fake hand that I was kind of scared off, but she said I did good! Whew, I was nervous. It was nice to have all those people over to pet and visit me.

Sunday was another busy day. My foster mom walks me twice a day, plus we have three training sessions a day. I have not been able to meet her dogs Holly and Kasey yet, so there are gates everywhere. Each of us has time in our crates to nap and time out to hang out with the family. There is a little baby here named Meredith that I have been able to meet through the baby gates. She held up her hand, and I gave it lots of kisses. I think I like kids. I don't even care when she screams in a really high pitch scream... although mom doesn't seem to like it. Anyway, in the afternoon, we went over the Uncle Kelly and Aunt Amy's house. They have 3 border collies. All boys. I meet their dog Bryce. We walked around the neighborhood together, and I was kind of scared of him at first. When he leaned out to sniff me, I ran behind mom and poked my head between her legs to peek out. I will tell you this... Bryce loves these things called balls (I don't really get it. As a matter of a fact, I don't understand toys at all!). Anytime he would move suddenly for the ball, I would lunge out and nip him. You just can't have dogs moving all over the place like that. Mom and Uncle Kelly were not happy about this, but I am not sure they understand that I am just trying to keep things orderly. Can you blame a girl? I heard them formulating a plan to teach me not to do this. Hmmm... I wonder if treats will be involved. I also heard mom say that my forever home should not have cats because my nipping would hurt them. Forever home? What is this place she speaks of? Do you know? It sounds pretty cool, and I can't wait to get there.

The best part of the day was my Aunt Amy brought me a very delicious cookie from Two Bostons. I loved it. It is the most excited I have ever gotten about a treat! :)

Well, we are off to the vet. I'll report back later.

Love ya,
Sue

So this is Illinois!

Hello! My name is Sue. Well, that is my name as of Friday, April 11th. That is when my foster mom, Rebecca, and my foster uncle, Kelly came and picked me up. Originally, I am from an Amish farm in Kentucky. I used to be chained to a barn and not feed a lot of food. Then a family saw me one day, and took me to their home in Illinois. They had such good intentions, but... hey... I am a border collie! And a young one at that, probably about 10 months. I found their cats so interesting, and I just had to chase them. I didn't mean to torment their Chinchilla, but she was right there in that little cage running around! I didn't realize that when their lab was playing fetch that I wasn't suppose to herd her! What can I say... I am a border collie. I have had very little training and very little socialization, so I am scared of most things at first. But once I get to know things, watch out, I am all snuggles, hugs, and jumps! My foster mom is going to take care of me and train me, so that I can find my forever home. It sounds pretty cool because I have been moved around a lot.

Talk to you later,
Sue