You Don't Own a Border Collie They Own You

     Several years ago when I met Emma, there was and eerie telepathic communication that went between us. We walked together and she looked at me with eyes that were full of brilliant desire to communicate. It was startling and a little freaky. She was determined and intense about making me understand what she wanted. When she and I arrived at her house I told her humans, "If you ever breed her, I have to have one of her puppies." A year later, Emma had puppies and we were gifted one of her sons, named Buddha. 
     Immediately, I called my Uncle living on a large piece of property in Colorado and told him that my husband and I were new owners of a Border Collie. My uncle had Border Collies in the past and he said, “You don’t own a Border Collie, they own you.” He added, “They are the smartest breed, smarter than a 4 year old. Heck, the guy down the road has one that has a 500 word vocabulary and he couldn’t run his ranch without him. You best keep him busy and I don’t just mean physically, I mean mentally.”
     His words didn’t fall on deaf ears. I keep Buddha busy or, shall I say, he keeps me busy. Right now there is a crisp cool air in South Florida and it’s too cool for Floridians to visit the outdoor water parks. The next few weekends the water parks are open just for dogs. Buddha, his mom Emma, and the rest of her pups went together last year and it was Border Collie heaven! 
     That brings me to an email I received today from my neighbor, dear friend and Emma’s female human. She and her husband have two dogs, Emma and Bailey one of Emma’s puppies. The email was about taking the dogs to the water park. She was going to take Bailey but leave Emma home. Emma had to stay home because of “female” issues. It was right to leave Emma home. It’s just not smart to take a bitch on her period to a water park, four legged or two.
     Then she sent another email stating that she was sorry; but, she couldn’t go to the water park at all.  Her husband felt that it would not be fair to Emma if the other dog got to go to the water park. If Emma was left at home, she would know that the other dog went to the water park.
     Like my Uncle said, “You don’t own a Border Collie, they own you.” It sounds crazy to think about how one dog would feel if she had to stay home and her pup got to go play at a water park. It's also crazy that these dogs are treated better than most humans; but, if you ever get a chance to spend any time with this deeply intense breed really look into their penetrating eyes.  You’ll get a glimpse of something amazing and perhaps you'll see why the humans that hang out with them care so much.

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