Waiting Patiently

Posted by Ellie
 

Border collies are working dogs and are happiest when they have a job. That job can be something as fun as playing Frisbee or ball, or as serious as sheep herding or search and rescue. Joni wears this pack often when we go for a walk, partly because it helps to focus her, but also because the weight it carries gives her additional exercise and builds stamina and muscle. When she sees me holding the pack, she walks up and puts her nose into the harness. As soon as it is buckled on her character changes to being calm and serious. She becomes a working dog in fact as well as name.

She is learning to wait patiently for me while I stop to chat with someone or to take a photograph as I was here. She has also learned to drop to a 'down' position wherever she is, when I raise my arms and call her name (this was how the sheep herder told me to train her). She will also come straight back to me and sit by my left side when I call her name and tap my leg. She needs to work a bit more on it as, like a child, at times she becomes distracted and needs a reminder that life is not all about play. But she is getting there. She will soon be 2 years old.

#woofwednesday +Woof Wednesday by +Sandra Nesbit and +Debbie Drummond
#Animalia (+Animalia) curated by +Adelphe BACHELET
#hqspanimals +HQSP Animals curated by +Andy Smith +Nicol Eh and +Shannon Adelson

#noapologies #bordercollie #puppy #dog #JonisDiary #AdayinthelifeofJoni #fansofJoni

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40 Responses

  20. Don't laugh, +Beena R but only yesterday when I was walking with a friend and she was in the shadows in the woods, I almost couldn't see her, she blended in with the leaves so well! Thanks, Beena.

    Mine, too, +Alberto Manzano – they are so intelligent!

    +Michael Mason – they are such great dogs, too! We watched hours and hours of "The Dog Whisperer" on Youtube, to learn best how to work with such a bright but strong willed dog. We really found the videos very helpful and still employ the practices he advocates, such as having her sit quietly before she walks out the door, etc. Enjoy your puppy! When I first walked her, it was like walking a really heavy flea! I persevered, but it took patience, eventually a gentle leader halter, but most of all determination on my part.

    +John F Hinson be careful what you wish for! 😉

    Her brain is always busy, and her body almost always, Karen. It's so good that we are almost always home, or with her and that she has such a good size property to roam freely (protected by the Invisible Fence). I never need to worry about her and she doesn't get bored. +Karen Cooper Our throwing arms get a workout all day in between everything else.

    +Carol Ayala – I love your Shadow pictures. Aren't they naughty sometimes? Joni doesn't care much for treats, except her nighttime one. But a ball is a whole other …. ball game LOL!

    +HQSP Animals and +Shannon Adelson thank you for the support in the lovely comment and the reshare. I always appreciate it.

    Reply

  21. +Luciano Grignaffini Gracias!

    Thanks so much +Sumit Sen

    You are so right, on both counts, +Richard Ball – though I have to say it was hard work for quite a while. And took patience, kindness, love and a lot of discipline.

    She is such a happy thing, +Christina Lihani – though a terrible tease at times. She really thinks that we want her ball (or frisbee or whatever) so much that she will drive us crazy by seeming to offer it to us and then, just as we reach for it, lifting it just out of with a sideways flash of her laughing eyes as she does so.

    Thanks a lot +Leonardo Hervacio Arenas – we always love our animal companions, they give us so much, unconditionally.

    😀 +Jan Sweeney yes, indeed!

    Thanks a lot +Debbie Drummond and thanks for the reshare on +Woof Wednesday too!

    Thank you +Eve Aebi :-))

    +Nicholas Spitler - I highly recommend it. I have to say that we tried a few different makes before we found one that was well made and didn't shift around on her body. The others couldn't have been comfortable, but she is happy with this one.

    Oh yes, she would love us to have some sheep of our own, +CindyLouise Bartholomew and she is lots of fun. Our days of keeping sheep are over now, though, I think, so she has to be content with herding cats and maybe she will get another chance at the sheep she herded last year.

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  23. Great pic of Joni and her "work" pose lol. I taught Shadow the 'down' position also. He will always do it if he sees a treat in my hand. If I don't have one, it will depend on his mood whether he obeys me or not… geez, lol

    Reply

  33. Yes Ellie I can say from personal experience that she has come a long way . She will even obey many of the commands for me. She has great patience in waiting for me to through the ball for her. It is fun to fool her some time, but she soon catches on to what I am doing. Wonderful picture captures her well.

    Reply

    1. And you know now that I was photographing you photographing fungi when she was waiting patiently for us. Then I turned around and caught her. 😀

      Reply

  36. I love that you understand the nature of this dog. She is happy and well-adjusted as a result. We have some very neurotic dogs in my neighborhood because some dog owners just don't understand the complexity of dog natures.

    Reply

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