Having a border collie is a full time job. Fact. They're the best dog in the world but if you don't have the time, don't get a border collie.
In return for having the smartest, most loyal companion you could possibly have, you have to keep them entertained and working. A working dog that's not working is unfair on both the owner and the pet.
Our everyday ritual is treat training her to keep her brain active and occupied. Every evening I take a part of her food and train her to do various tricks. So far I've managed to get her to:
- Sit
- Laydown
- Shake both paws independently
- Speak
- Ring the bell to go outside (we have a bike bell hanging from the back door)
- Roll over
- Turn around (only one direction so far, she resists the other)
- Be shy
- Jump up on my back
- Put things right in my hand
- Pretty (she stands up on her hind legs, as you can see by the picture above)
- Hide (she'll bury her head in the pillows)
- Find (she'll find each toy individually by name)
- Stay for really long periods of time. I can pretty much leave her on a rock and walk to the otherside of the park, and she'll stay perched there until I tell her to come.
- Leave it/Take it. (we could put a full steak in front of her and she won't take it until told to)
- Kiss (she bumps my nose with her nose)
I'm still working on more. For example, playing dead is a hard one for her and she gets frustrated.
And of course as with any animal image I have to provide the 