# Ember The Border Collie Puppy



## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

New puppy needs a picture thread! I don't know how often I will get to updating it as I'm a bit on the busy side for obvious reasons. 












Leaves?


LEAVES.


Sister love. <3


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I am here to stalk the gorgeous adorable awesome.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

She is SO fluffy! I love watching BCs grow, it's always a guessing game!


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

Sooooo pretty!


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## Remaru (Mar 16, 2014)

She is soooooo FLUFFY!!! Again I will just say that I love red dogs. Going to follow along to watch this pretty little girl grow.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

Beautiful girl!!! wonder what her adult colour will be?


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

She's darling!


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## Finkie_Mom (Mar 2, 2010)

OMG the CUTE!!! Congrats on the new puppy


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

She's beautiful!


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## notgaga (Oct 25, 2014)

One of the border collies I grew up with was a red. I love them!


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

Congrats! Ember is adorable 

How does Kairi like her/him?


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Such floof!


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## kadylady (Sep 23, 2010)

She is so cute!


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## missc89 (Jan 20, 2015)

OOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooo the cute is strong with this one!!! I love red BC's SO much!


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## kcomstoc (Mar 9, 2013)

She is so cute and she reminds me of a red border collie mix named Guiness  here's a picture of him












Ember is going to be stunning when she gets bigger


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## BooLette (Jul 11, 2009)

Congratulations! She's a cutie pie.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks everyone! She is a little booger and full of spunk. I can't wait until she is older already because she is much more work than Kairi was as a puppy. Thankfully she is very motivated for chicken so basic training can begin. I'll try to get more pictures up this weekend. 

taquitos - Kairi LOVES her. She is just beside herself excited to have a playmate. I've never seen this dog so happy. She always has this big dopey smile on her face around her. Ember is playing a lot with her now too, so it's going to be great when she gets a bit older.


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

So. Dang. Adorable.


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## JordanWalker (Jan 30, 2015)

Ember is such an adorable little one. I'm going to follow her picture thread. I really like her picture while she is playing with the leaves.


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## d_ray (Nov 5, 2013)

Congrats. She's precious. Can't wait to watch her grow. In what ways is she harder than your other dog.


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## Prozax (Aug 26, 2014)

Awesome girl you got there! I love red border collies the most, beautiful color. Is she from show lines? I ask because she looks so fluffy!


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

She is harder than Kairi mostly because she is a crate screamer. We are doing crate games and she is getting better every day. Kairi came to me loving the crate.. which was really lucky. This puppy is also quite a bit more energy than Kairi was as well and bites a little harder. On the upside, she can hold her pee longer than Kairi could. 

Prozax - Her parents are ranch BCs used to herd stock. Her father is a bit on the fluffy side but both are ABCA working Borders.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Crate screaming is the worst. Mia was HORRIBLE about it. Omg. I do not envy that.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Molly was a massive screamer, too. I think it took about a month to get over it. 

Not going to lie, though, while she'll tolerate her crate quietly now, she still doesn't love it. Like the other dogs will hang out in their crates with the doors open sometimes, or go into them when they see we have some special yummy treat they want. Molly mostly just runs and sits on the couch, in spite of knowing she's going to be asked to go into the crate to get her food/the treat/it's night-time. I think she voluntarily walked into it once.

But mostly I stopped caring when she finally shut up about it.

So, sympathy and no envy but it will get better.


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## LoMD13 (Aug 4, 2010)

SO cute!! Love her name too.


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## Jacksons Mom (Mar 12, 2010)

OMG. Adorable.


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

So pretty!!! Love the reds especially and they are rather uncommon here! Can't wait to see how she grows!!!

Lincoln was not only a crate screamer, he was a crate BARKER, and I mean like full on digging at the door tantrums LOL. Crate games helped to a point, but he is just one of those that will never like the crate, I think. He now accepts it as kind of a necessary evil LOL, but he wont ever LIKE it. Now he is old enough to be out when we are home, he only goes in if we leave, now.


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## JazzyTheSiberian (Feb 4, 2013)

Congratulations on your new puppy!

So much fluff, and cuteness. It's overwhelming.

Can't wait to see her grow! Border Collies are such a fun to watch grow up. She's aboustely stunning, and I'm surely turn out to be really beautiful BC.


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## Damon'sMom (Aug 2, 2011)

How did I miss this thread? I adore her! Too cute!

Mason was a horrible crate screamer too. He streamed for 7 hours straight for almost 3 months, plus side is he does love his create now! I do not envy you having to go through that! lol


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

I didn't get very many Ember pics lately, but here's a few Kairi and Ember pics. 











Ember is doing much better with the crate screaming. She pretty much has stopped completely, maybe a few whines here or there. Life has gotten just a little bit easier!


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## ormommy (Mar 30, 2015)

I love the adorable fluffiness!


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

A few more..









Getting bigger!


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## Wet Beards (Jan 25, 2015)

What a sweet munchkin. She looks so soft.
And those eyes....beautiful.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Ember is 11.5 weeks old!


It's getting hot outside..


Happy girl.


Mmm nomnomnom grass.


This is from awhile back and not the best picture quality.. but it was just so darn cute.


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## missc89 (Jan 20, 2015)

That is sooo adorable! I'm so happy your girls are getting along


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

She is ADORABLE and So. Freaking. Fluffy!


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

missc89 said:


> That is sooo adorable! I'm so happy your girls are getting along


They get along awesome. I never expected Kairi to need another dog in her life this badly. She is just in love. 



CptJack said:


> She is ADORABLE and So. Freaking. Fluffy!


Thanks! She is SO fluffy. I do wonder how fluffy she is going to be when she's grown. I also hope her ears go crazy like Molly's because normal ears on a BC is boring.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Based on those pictures she is going to be a fluff MONSTER. 

I hope her ears go nuts too. Ears are FUN, darn it. ...Still occasionally wish Molly's would setlte,e ver, but she's a year old in a few weeks; I've given up.


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## TheDarkestMinds (Feb 28, 2015)

The CUTE! It's killing me!


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

She reminds me soooooo much of my friend's BC when she was a puppy! She's in the bottom left corner of the banner:

http://www.allbordercollierescue.com/

http://www.allbordercollierescue.com/#!2011-alumni/c101w

Roux about 2/3rds down

Something about the grin.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Laurelin said:


> She reminds me soooooo much of my friend's BC when she was a puppy! She's in the bottom left corner of the banner:
> 
> http://www.allbordercollierescue.com/
> 
> ...


Oh my goodness it looks just like her! Cute. <3


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## JazzyTheSiberian (Feb 4, 2013)

I just want to squish him. The adorableness is overwhelming.


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## Ilovedogs56 (Apr 12, 2015)

Booooooorderrrrrrr Cooooooooollllieee puuuuuuppppy! So squishy!


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

She is soooo gorgeous! I love that they're cuddling!!!!


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

That last picture is just too adorable for words.


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

How are you handling the new pup, ForTheLoveOfDogs? Kairi seems to be loving her! Awr. <3

Ember is fluffier than Gypsy was as a pup. I wonder how much coat she'll have as an adult. So cute.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

GoGoGypsy said:


> How are you handling the new pup, ForTheLoveOfDogs? Kairi seems to be loving her! Awr. <3
> 
> Ember is fluffier than Gypsy was as a pup. I wonder how much coat she'll have as an adult. So cute.


It has been a ride so far. At first I had a really hard time bonding to her. She was going through really weird fear things and also she was.. evil. I may have secretly wanted to send her back to the breeder (wouldn't have been an option for real, of course) . Now that I've gotten into the swing of things and she has figured out life a little better.. things are great! She is a smart little booger and I really enjoy watching her learn. She is very enthusiastic and energetic. I'm blown away by how quickly she has picked up housebreaking. She hasn't had an accident in about 2 weeks and consistently asks to go outside. 

She fits in great and makes a fun addition to our little family. I like her more everyday. Of course, Kairi loves her too.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I am convinced they housebreak and learn fast to make up for the fact that they're spooky, strange, dogs. Okay, not really, the connection is more like they notice more and make connections and notice things other dogs seem oblivious to, but ergh. I feel you on those early weeks but gosh she's cute and I'm glad everyone's settling.


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## Shep (May 16, 2013)

Boy, is she cute!


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## missc89 (Jan 20, 2015)

Your avatar makes me so happy - I love seeing pictures of your dogs and whenever there aren't any new ones in this thread, at least I've got your avatar to look at!!


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Shep said:


> Boy, is she cute!


Thanks!



missc89 said:


> Your avatar makes me so happy - I love seeing pictures of your dogs and whenever there aren't any new ones in this thread, at least I've got your avatar to look at!!


Thankyou. They are such cuties but I really look forward to your Aussie pup picture thread!



CptJack said:


> I am convinced they housebreak and learn fast to make up for the fact that they're spooky, strange, dogs. Okay, not really, the connection is more like they notice more and make connections and notice things other dogs seem oblivious to, but ergh. I feel you on those early weeks but gosh she's cute and I'm glad everyone's settling.


Yeah.. Kairi was just so darn solid so I was spoiled. Her fear stage consisted of being afraid of a plastic bottle for a day. This puppy is just a little more weird with her fear stage stuff. I don't expect her to be a fearful dog grown up. She is actually a confident little turd most of the time.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Ember is almost 15 weeks old! Here is a few pics of 13-14 weeks. She has gotten so leggy lately!




Thinking of biting me..


"I'm cute and I know it!"




Cool breezes. 


Crazy eyes..


She loves playing frisbee! I'm so excited. 

She is such a fun little fireball!


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

She is way too cute! Will her eyes stay that color or will they darken?


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## Sandakat (Mar 7, 2015)

Cuteness! I was wondering the same thing about her coat and eye colors.


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## missc89 (Jan 20, 2015)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh she's so cute holy crap this is not fair lol ForTheLoveOfDogs I wish you lived close to me!!!


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## taquitos (Oct 18, 2012)

Squeeeeee she's so cute <3


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Uhm honestly I'm not really sure what color her eyes will be. I'm pretty sure her fur color will darken. I know her eyes will change but I'm still trying to figure out genetics. 

missc89 - I wish I was closer too! We could have Aussie playdates with Sterling and Kairi.


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

She is looking more and more like my friend's dog! It's crazy.

Her eyes will be amber since she's liver.


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## kolnidur (May 28, 2015)

Oh my God she's so fluffy and adorable!!! Such a cutie!


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Laurelin said:


> She is looking more and more like my friend's dog! It's crazy.
> 
> Her eyes will be amber since she's liver.


Ah! Cool, thanks!


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## JazzyTheSiberian (Feb 4, 2013)

She's goreous! Liver is one of my favorite colors in BC's.

I cant to see her full grown, I'm sure she'll be stunning


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## OwnedbyACDs (Jun 22, 2013)

Oh boy, she is CUTE!!! I bet she is super soft and squishy!


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## lauren17 (Apr 14, 2009)

She is so cute! I love red dogs


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks for all the lovely comments on Ember. She is doing some weird change things right now. She is officially 16 weeks old. Her coat is changing texture and color underneath. Her tail especially is a bit wonky. Her ears have yet to go any higher, but one of them sometimes randomly almost stands for a second. I was hoping for one up and one down, but oh well!

16 weeks:








Aaaayyyy. 


Happiest girl. 


Not amused. 


Puttin' on the cute. 

anndddd...

Learning to stalk her sister.


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

Getting leggy! Love that little scraggle tail lol! She's stunning.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Ah, yes, the coyote stage. 

She's adorable and going to be stunning. Also her ears - who knows. Molly's are still not 'set' and she's a year old. They didn't even get close to where they are now until 8-9 months. Apparently that's not at all atypical for BC.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

jade5280 said:


> Getting leggy! Love that little scraggle tail lol! She's stunning.


That tail gets me. It is so ugly looking and slowly getting more scraggly everyday. I really don't understand it.. haha. She really has gotten super leggy lately. Her rear end is officially higher than her front. She is already almost as tall as Kairi. 



CptJack said:


> Ah, yes, the coyote stage.
> 
> She's adorable and going to be stunning. Also her ears - who knows. Molly's are still not 'set' and she's a year old. They didn't even get close to where they are now until 8-9 months. Apparently that's not at all atypical for BC.


Coyote pretty much sums it up. Her fur is doing all kinds of weird things. I do still have some hope for her ears. I mean.. it's not that important but I love BC ears that almost stand. Just like I wanted my Aussies ears to stay down.. and nope. Oh well. It gives them character!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I wanted Kylie's ears to stay mismatched, Thud's to go down and Molly's to go full prick. 

I NEVER GET THE EARS I WANT.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Ember is getting bigger. She is looking and acting more like a Border Collie. She is also more skinny and gangly. 


Frisbee?


Throw it?


Come on, I'm waiting..


oomgggg


This is mine.


Happy face, of course. 


Srs.




Stalky. Check out that weird fur. 


Chill.


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## missc89 (Jan 20, 2015)

Oh my she's so adorable!!!!! Ahhhhh I love it!!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

She is going to be an *incredibly* stunning dog and I love the stalky picture!


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

She is sooo pretty!


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

Well it has been awhile and I'm doing a terrible job of getting more pictures.. but Ember has changed so much this past month. Almost all of her puppy fuzz is gone, she's all dark now, and her ears are up! I don't have pictures but...





(sorry for the quality, cell phone video)

Who wants a Border Collie?!


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

ME ME ME!

Also she's gorgeous and funny.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

CptJack said:


> ME ME ME!
> 
> Also she's gorgeous and funny.


Well you're first in line then! 

Thanks! She really is turning into a ball of fun and she is getting cuter everyday. She went through a seriously ugly phase. I love the look she has going on right now but I think she will get fluffier.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I'm pretty sure she'll fluff out, too - probably for a couple of years, even. Molly's as short coated as can be and she's still fluffing.


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

Hehe what a freak. She's so leggy!


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## Crantastic (Feb 3, 2010)

I'd take her! Look at her, entertaining herself! Both of mine won't really play with toys on their own; they want me to throw them or tug them.

She's such a nice-looking pup.


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## Kingfisher (Jan 2, 2015)

Oh what a cutie!

She and Keeper have VERY similar "puppy uglies" traits. They could be littermates. But mine grew out of it and blossomed into a full blown border collie by 10 or 11 months.  She looks like she's getting to the end of the awkward phase! Mine also was that lightly coated at that age, and has definitely fluffed out. He's still a light rough coat, but with plenty of fringe. And he's only 16 months, they're supposed to keep putting on coat for several years! 

But....can I have her? She looks like a fun addition! Has she converted you do the dark side? How was she to raise compared to Kairi?


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

jade5280 said:


> Hehe what a freak. She's so leggy!


She is nothing but legs! Super skinny too like I never feed the poor thing..



Crantastic said:


> I'd take her! Look at her, entertaining herself! Both of mine won't really play with toys on their own; they want me to throw them or tug them.
> 
> She's such a nice-looking pup.


It's really funny to watch! However.. she spent 10 minutes before this video zooming on the couch playing with Kairi. That was after a training session, a walk and some frisbee. Thankfully she has yet to be destructive to my house. 



Kingfisher said:


> Oh what a cutie!
> 
> She and Keeper have VERY similar "puppy uglies" traits. They could be littermates. But mine grew out of it and blossomed into a full blown border collie by 10 or 11 months.  She looks like she's getting to the end of the awkward phase! Mine also was that lightly coated at that age, and has definitely fluffed out. He's still a light rough coat, but with plenty of fringe. And he's only 16 months, they're supposed to keep putting on coat for several years!
> 
> But....can I have her? She looks like a fun addition! Has she converted you do the dark side? How was she to raise compared to Kairi?


Good to know. Border Collies and their weird stages.

Kairi was a breeze and always fairly stable. Ember went through so many weird fear periods and snappy phases. She hates dogs in her face and Kairi loves dogs in her face. Kairi has drive and Ember has OBSESSION, and oh my goodness the quirks. She will literally DIG (with one paw, repeatedly) at the side of my bath tub for an hour if I let her. They are just soo different. Kairi is definitely -my- dog and will always be my something special. But Ember has finally began to wedge her way into my heart. Especially because I knew what I was getting and she is exactly what a Border Collie is. There are days she completely blows me away with how fun, serious and smart she is. Will I get another..? Ask me again in a year. I will be very careful what kind of lines I go with next time.. or even just go with an adult rescue so I know exactly what I'm getting but. Yeah. I think someday I will get another Border. I'll be honest that as of right now Aussies are still my "heart breed". I love her though. She has definitely won me over in some weird twisted way.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I think for me, and just speaking for myself and admittedly as someone who didn't have any real mismatch on the personality front.... (I'm not sure I'll own another dog of any other BREED for myself - maybe a sheltie, but mostly I think I've found where I want to stay breed wise). 

Bonding with her is a process. I have. I did. I adored her from go, but bonding with her's been different. She never really needed me, was never interested in snuggling up, never wanted babied in any way. She isn't physically affectionate. She doesn't like physical affection. She likes *doing*, and learning and playing. She will break herself in half to do the job she's given (fetch, disc, agility, stupid tricks, laundry, whatever). She loves me, wants to be near me and to do things with me, and she desperately wants to please me, but I'm second fiddle to the 'job' itself, if that makes any sense at all. 

That was pretty strange for me for a while. That's STILL pretty strange for me, and the practical result (which is a dog who is actively interacting with me in some sort of 'activity' or is asleep somewhere else and may as well not exist in the house for all the impact she has) has sometimes made me feel like she isn't particularly bonded to ME. That's strange, since I'm clearly her favorite person on the planet. It is still taking some adjusting.

Also, the weird in general is so hard for me to articulate. She's less dog and more living with an alien in a dog suit, and I still can't even explain what I mean but it's not really related to quirky behaviors or reactivity (for me). She's just... a really different dog.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

CptJack said:


> I think for me, and just speaking for myself and admittedly as someone who didn't have any real mismatch on the personality front.... (I'm not sure I'll own another dog of any other BREED for myself - maybe a sheltie, but mostly I think I've found where I want to stay breed wise).
> 
> Bonding with her is a process. I have. I did. I adored her from go, but bonding with her's been different. She never really needed me, was never interested in snuggling up, never wanted babied in any way. She isn't physically affectionate. She doesn't like physical affection. She likes *doing*, and learning and playing. She will break herself in half to do the job she's given (fetch, disc, agility, stupid tricks, laundry, whatever). She loves me, wants to be near me and to do things with me, and she desperately wants to please me, but I'm second fiddle to the 'job' itself, if that makes any sense at all.
> 
> ...


She really is just different. I mean.. she is still a dog and not as extreme as some Border Collies I've met but definitely a strange one. I've had such a hard time reading her which is really odd since I work with dogs all the time and understand body language pretty well. Molly sounds a little bit more handler/job focused than Ember (minus frisbee) but she also has some serious puppy brain at times right now. 

Ember is a little bit affectionate when she wants to be, and definitely is when she first meets a new person. Then she does that "don't touch me" crap all the time too. Kairi likes to lay ON me, against me, sneak attack kiss me and tolerates all my snuggle huggy crap. Ember tolerates nothing she doesn't like. I'm not really sure what our personality clashes are. Too soft.. too intolerant.. too.. all over the place? The bonding has been really difficult, especially because I don't train her a ton. She was just that dog I own who doesn't understand how to dog. Most of it was probably more of me not understanding her. I do better now. I think I get extra anxious with her because she's just so "fragile". She is a lot more emotional and I feel like she is so much easier to ruin. 

Frisbee is the most important thing in her life. So far we are getting away with no reactive issues in a classroom type setting. I am really happy about that. She has been an experience and I'm glad to have it. She is going to be a good dog someday and I can't wait to take her herding so that she can really show off what she was bred to do.


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

ForTheLoveOfDogs said:


> She really is just different. I mean.. she is still a dog and not as extreme as some Border Collies I've met but definitely a strange one. I've had such a hard time reading her which is really odd since I work with dogs all the time and understand body language pretty well. Molly sounds a little bit more handler/job focused than Ember (minus frisbee) but she also has some serious puppy brain at times right now.
> 
> Ember is a little bit affectionate when she wants to be, and definitely is when she first meets a new person. Then she does that "don't touch me" crap all the time too. Kairi likes to lay ON me, against me, sneak attack kiss me and tolerates all my snuggle huggy crap. Ember tolerates nothing she doesn't like. I'm not really sure what our personality clashes are. Too soft.. too intolerant.. too.. all over the place? The bonding has been really difficult, especially because I don't train her a ton. She was just that dog I own who doesn't understand how to dog. Most of it was probably more of me not understanding her. I do better now. I think I get extra anxious with her because she's just so "fragile". She is a lot more emotional and I feel like she is so much easier to ruin.
> 
> Frisbee is the most important thing in her life. So far we are getting away with no reactive issues in a classroom type setting. I am really happy about that. She has been an experience and I'm glad to have it. She is going to be a good dog someday and I can't wait to take her herding so that she can really show off what she was bred to do.


One of the things I said and deleted was basically that it's like if every other dog I've owned spoke English in various dialects, with the odd bit of Spanish or French, Molly speaks Ancient Greek. I just - like you- am not dog inexperienced but sometimes I really just don't *get her*. Training her has helped a ton, though, re: figuring each other out, so I'm grateful for that. 

Everything else just... she's contradictory and inconsistent. She will leap all over new people and give them kisses, but then, like Ember, she just goes 'DONE NOW' and that's that. She absolutely won't leave the room I'm in to hang out with other people, but she's more likely to be physical with those other people than me. Me? She wants to be in the room and, in the absence of active engagement, is about as interactive with me as a stuffed animal and is bugged by attempts to 'hang out' in a more casual way. She is very, very emotionally sensitive in daily interactions (grinning, sneezing, head down, tail tucked, whole nine yards), but in a training/'working' scenario she can handle ANY amount of correction or pressure (well, any amount she's ever getting from me) without batting an eyelash . She will react like CUJO to a dog coming into a class late or 100 yards away, but an off leash dog running directly into her face and she doesn't care. Someone looking at her too long, and you get hugging the ground and growling and barking, but if a bike comes tearing out of nowhere and flies by 2 feet from her nose and she doesn't bat an eyelash.

I am just rapidly coming to the conclusion that she is not wired to be a pet, and that's actually okay with me because I am kind of falling in love with her more as I realize what she seems to be wired for, which is actively partnering up with a person to do a job - any job. 

Like you said - she's a dog, and she's not difficult to live with at all. It's just different. Like really, really, radically, different. Not hard/soft, different, or reactive different, or having drive, or energy level, or whatever. She's just got a different brain and our relationship is like NOTHING I've had with a dog before as a result. And sometimes it makes me feel guilty because I'm either training this dog, working with her in some way (and I count frisbee and ball and agility and 'fun' stuff) or she's out.

And um, sorry for the hijack. My relationship with her has been at the forefront of my mind lately, because of the reactivity stuff and just having had her a year. I was going to do a post on 'life with a BC, 1 year in' but I can't because I don't have a way to get my thoughts in order and can't even accurately describe this stuff.


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## Kingfisher (Jan 2, 2015)

We should totally make a public "life with a border collie" thread. I have some jumbled thoughts, and it'd be fun to bounce things around. And I don't want to clog this thread. I, like you guys, have been reflecting on my relationship with Keeper. It is DRASTICALLY changing. I mean by the week. Keeper is almost 17 months, and I seem to have a new dog every month. Luckily that dog keeps getting better and better!

I will say that Keeper was very similar at that age. I think he's always been a little goofier and mushier (male vs. female?), but he is a weird combination of super needy and lovey and really standoffish. With every passing month he's getting clingier, but from the time he was little he never wanted to sit close to me, or jump up and luck me, or anything. This is definitely changing, but for a long time when he was a puppy I always felt like we had an extremely *functional* relationship, not a deeply emotional one. He also is a weirdly soft/hard dog. He absolutely melts if another dog gets corrected or he gets mildly yelled at, but "LEAVE THE ******* DONKEY ALONE, RIGHT NOW" is met with a cocked head and subtle middle finger. But I can elaborate more if we make another thread! 

Trust me, it gets better. I think at her age she's still stuck in middle school, not sure of what mask she wants to wear for the day. Our bond really came at about a year old, when he got a couple brain cells to rub together.


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## ForTheLoveOfDogs (Jun 3, 2007)

I'm not offended by the hijacking!  We should definitely have a "Life with Border Collie" thread.

Ember gets all sad if I'm mad at Kairi too.


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

I just want to say that I LOVE Ember, who's growing up to be so pretty, and I love the border collie talk. I'm just reading and nodding in agreement, "That's Gypsy, that's Gypsy..."


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## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

> He absolutely melts if another dog gets corrected or he gets mildly yelled at, but "LEAVE THE ******* DONKEY ALONE, RIGHT NOW" is met with a cocked head and subtle middle finger


EXACTLY! 

Also, yes, she has gotten a lot more friendly/affectionate/emotional after she passed a year. Mostly that looks like she's happier and more focused, but you know, I'll take it. A lot.

...someone else go make the thread darn it! I still don't even know how to start that thing. "My dog is weird?"


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