peapod
Well-Known Member
About six months ago I lost my collie X, Sophie. When we went on holiday we were approached by a farmer, asking if we wanted a Border Collie who was useless as a sheep dog as she was too scared of sheep. We said yes (obviously!) and took home this very very timid, very scared, thin little dog - this is her the first day we had her:
We've had her four months now, and she's doing really well - I think we sort of jumped in at the deep end; it took a while for her, and us, to adjust - Evie can get very "manic" still - she gets extremely excited and bounces around the kitchen! However if you just sit with her for a minute she does calm down. She's EXTREMELY intelligent - we've yet to take her out training yet (she was getting spayed and having her injections, and was basically too timid) but when I've been home from Uni I've been working with her a bit at home; she knows to sit and lay down, to fetch (although bringing back is sometimes a bit tricky!) to get into her cage, and to go to her bed - over Christmas I hope to start doing some agility training with her, just at home still - but she does need something to focus her brain!!
She is THE most affectionate dog; so so friendly - and she's really adapted well to being an "indoors" dog - she had been kept in a barn her whole life, so she had to do a LOT of adjusting! Like I said she does go a bit "on one" at times; especially at times of great excitement (ie going for a walk) - and she has been known to nip (NOT in an aggressive way; more of a "Go go go, we need to go NOW" sort of way!) - she is improving though, I'm happy that she does listen and she is learning not to do it.
I thought I'd share our experiences anyway - I'm just so pleased with her - it was always going to be a bit of a risk bringing what should have been a working dog into the house, but she's SO happy these days, she's just a delight!!
As an aside - any one got any training tips? I'm trying to teach her "Stay" at the moment; for our other dogs I hold my hand up palm out (like a "STOP" sign) - however this scares Evie; so I'm having to think of something else - any suggestions!?
This is Evie about a month ago - she's filled out a little more since then!
We've had her four months now, and she's doing really well - I think we sort of jumped in at the deep end; it took a while for her, and us, to adjust - Evie can get very "manic" still - she gets extremely excited and bounces around the kitchen! However if you just sit with her for a minute she does calm down. She's EXTREMELY intelligent - we've yet to take her out training yet (she was getting spayed and having her injections, and was basically too timid) but when I've been home from Uni I've been working with her a bit at home; she knows to sit and lay down, to fetch (although bringing back is sometimes a bit tricky!) to get into her cage, and to go to her bed - over Christmas I hope to start doing some agility training with her, just at home still - but she does need something to focus her brain!!
She is THE most affectionate dog; so so friendly - and she's really adapted well to being an "indoors" dog - she had been kept in a barn her whole life, so she had to do a LOT of adjusting! Like I said she does go a bit "on one" at times; especially at times of great excitement (ie going for a walk) - and she has been known to nip (NOT in an aggressive way; more of a "Go go go, we need to go NOW" sort of way!) - she is improving though, I'm happy that she does listen and she is learning not to do it.
I thought I'd share our experiences anyway - I'm just so pleased with her - it was always going to be a bit of a risk bringing what should have been a working dog into the house, but she's SO happy these days, she's just a delight!!
As an aside - any one got any training tips? I'm trying to teach her "Stay" at the moment; for our other dogs I hold my hand up palm out (like a "STOP" sign) - however this scares Evie; so I'm having to think of something else - any suggestions!?
This is Evie about a month ago - she's filled out a little more since then!
