I knew it was just a matter of time before my husband started dropping hints about getting another dog. Cassie, our yellow lab, died a year and a half ago and I knew Dan was missing his girl (if for no other reason than to keep all the neighborhood cats out of our yard).
He says he has his heart set on another Labrador Retreiver, but I would like to try another breed -- preferably something smaller and more athletic that I can run with.
To be honest, I'm not a dog person. They're pushy, noisy, smelly, hairy, they poop all over the yard and they like to roll roadkill.
But, the reality is that my husband loves dogs and there will surely be another canine taking up residence in Casa Cass in the near future.
I will say that dogs have redeeming qualities -- they are loyal (to a fault), they love you unconditionally, they are full of energy and fun, they are ALWAYS happy to see you and they offer some security and piece of mind when my husband is away.
So I figure, if the dog were a running partner it would endear itself to me more and I would be more apt to tolerate the mess, the hair, the noise, the torn-up flower beds and the chewed up stuff that comes along with it. Maybe I'd even come to love it. (gasp! A cat lover...switching to the other team?)
My neighbors lost their 8-year-old Border Collie, Casey, in the fall when she was hit by a car. (Yep...Cassie & Casey lived next door to each other, but...no...they didn't play...Casey would've loved it, but Cassie was a bitch, in every sense of the word).
Turns out the breeder they bought Casey from is expecting a litter of pups in two weeks and my neighbors are planning to get one. She's been trying to talk me into one, too. She even dropped off her border collie guidebooks the other night.
That night, I sat there, on the couch -- which has been blissfully hair and slobber free for...oh...18 months now -- and leafed through the books. The more I looked, the more I thought...this is the breed for me! Medium-size, compact, extremely intelligent and extremely high energy. Bred to be a herding dog, border collies can run miles upon miles without even coming close to exhaustion (finally...a reliable and always-willing 6 a.m. Saturday morning long-run partner?)
And, they're so cute....but, hairy. The neighbor swears the hair is not a problem and they barely shed. "Not like a Lab sheds...Casey hardly shed at all" she said. But, I'm pretty certain she's lying through her teeth.
I've spent a lunch hour googling for information the border collies. Seems many people don't think they have any business being pets as they are bred to be working herd dogs, but something tells me that between me & my husband, we could give one a run for their money (two runs a day, in fact).
I worry that I'm romanticizing the whole thing. That, perhaps, I'm focusing on what I want (a running partner) and not weighing the cost of that.
It would be ideal if I could just run with their border collie -- I get a running partner, neighbor gets to deal with all the hair, poop and chewed up stuff.
But, that won't satisfy my husband who won't be satisfied until he has another girl following him around like...well, like a dog.
Anyone have experience with border collies? Speak.
Comments (3)
No experience at all... not with any dogs for that matter... I too am a cat person! What if you got the dog and then just for laughs named it LASSIE *chuckles uncontrollably* Not original at all, I know! Good luck with the search... You'll find your doggie fit, and you'll know when you've found it.
Posted by Michelle [is really random] | January 18, 2008 10:00 PM
Posted on January 18, 2008 22:00
Heather, boxers are an awesome pet. Honestly don't shed much, love children and also need that "run".
Posted by Debbie Shea | January 21, 2008 2:15 PM
Posted on January 21, 2008 14:15
Border collies are very loving, good with children and very protective. They need lots of exercise, which you will give. If you keep them brushed, the hair won't be a problem.
Posted by marnie | January 25, 2008 1:58 PM
Posted on January 25, 2008 13:58