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Dog Breed: Border Collie

The first Border Collie that I met was Sunny, a black and white adult dog whose only desire in life was to play Frisbee or go fishing. She was my daughter's dog, a gift from her boyfriend.

Her seemingly limitless energy transformed her into a non-stop playmate and anyone who would toss a toy was her playmate of choice. Her typical Border Collie maneuverability and intelligence, combined with her mobile energy, made me wonder what her limits were. Truthfully, I found none.

It took about 15 minutes for Sunny to learn how to play soccer. She would assume the herding dog stance as she waited for me to throw the ball. Trying to fool her, I would frequently toss the ball in the opposite direction of what she expected. She would race to catch the ball and bounce it off her nose, barking in glee as though to say: "Ha-ha! You can't fool me."

Sunny was probably the only dog who ever owned a fishing pole. She loved to fish and would stand on the shore, expectantly watching the water for the first sign of a bite on her line. Frequently she would trot up and down the shore, checking her neighbors' lines for a sign of activity. When a fish broke the surface of the water, Sunny would plunge in, eager to grab her new toy. Watch those hooks!

As Christmas approached, I found an inexpensive remote controlled car. No matter how down in the dumps anyone was, the sight of this beautiful dog chasing a car through turns, under furniture and around doorways was enough to elicit laughter.

Sunny was as eager to work as she was to play. If my daughter told her to round up the mares and bring them to the barn, it was only about two minutes until we would hear the hoof beats of the herd heading into the barn. When the neighbor's bull escaped, Sunny let him know in no uncertain way that it was time he went home.

One summer day, my daughter's two year old managed to wander away. My almost hysterical daughter demanded of Sunny: "Where's Hunter?". Of course, Sunny took off at full speed, checking over her shoulder to be sure Cindy was following her. Sunny led her straight to the baby.

Sunny was not an unusual dog; she was a Border Collie. All that she did was typical of her breed. They are intelligent, resourceful, loyal, obedient, faithful, fun loving, eager to do their chores, and your best friend.

I have owned many breeds in my lifetime. I have bred, trained and showed dogs and have had many special ones, dogs that I considered a once in a lifetime dog. I always thought

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