Belle
I'm a Border Collie-Aussie mix. Mick and Connie rescued me from the Watauga County Animal Shelter, Boone, NC in July of 2001. I must have been born sometime in January. Only I know what my first few months of life entailed, and I choose not to share that with anyone. What I know about that day in July when Connie picked me, and since, I'll gladly share.
I spent my first night at the vet's because the shelter person cut my ear (it took stitches!) when she was trying to cut out the matted fur. The next couple of days I hid behind the toilet in the bathroom. What a way to start with life with my adopted family!
Over time, I have come to know how much they love and care for me, and I have come to love them deeply. Yes. I am the proverbial "lucky dog." Sharp noises still scare the wee-wee out of me, but I've come a long way in ten years. Life is good. I just have to put up with my adolescent adopted brother and sister. The best thing about Noor coming along is that she is giving Gaid the same grief he gave me for the first few months he came to live with us.
I spent my first night at the vet's because the shelter person cut my ear (it took stitches!) when she was trying to cut out the matted fur. The next couple of days I hid behind the toilet in the bathroom. What a way to start with life with my adopted family!
Over time, I have come to know how much they love and care for me, and I have come to love them deeply. Yes. I am the proverbial "lucky dog." Sharp noises still scare the wee-wee out of me, but I've come a long way in ten years. Life is good. I just have to put up with my adolescent adopted brother and sister. The best thing about Noor coming along is that she is giving Gaid the same grief he gave me for the first few months he came to live with us.
Gaid
I am a full-blooded Border Collie, with all that comes with my heritage. Connie and Mick brought me me home from Statesboro, Ga in August of 2007. I was born on June 10th of that same year. There were three of us left from the litter . . . two girls and me. As soon as the pen was opened, I was first out and very active . . . playing with my sisters. I believe that they were impressed by my energy level -- something they probably saw as not a particularly wonderful quality by September. By then they were pretty much "stuck" with me. I've never doubted their love for me. I make them laugh, they make me happy, and I love them too.
Mick really wanted a dog that would chase tennis balls and frisbees like my predecessors, Charlie and Josey. Well, I didn't disappoint him on the tennis ball. It seems that I am addicted to that fun activity. I could do it 'til I drop. The frisbee, on the other hand, I didn't care much about. It was big and didn't bounce. Couldn't see much fun in that. Then Noor, the gullible puppy, came along. So Mick decides that he is going to work with her on the frisbee . . . and voila! . . . I'm going to find it fun. I only discovered that it is pretty much fun when he took us to the park with ONLY the frisbees. If I was going to play at all, I had to fetch what was there. My favorite is the ball, but now I do enjoy the alternative.
One of these days I might get to see some sheep. We'll see if I experience an unusual desire to herd them. I hope so, because Mick is going to be very disappointed if I run from them. We'll see.
Mick really wanted a dog that would chase tennis balls and frisbees like my predecessors, Charlie and Josey. Well, I didn't disappoint him on the tennis ball. It seems that I am addicted to that fun activity. I could do it 'til I drop. The frisbee, on the other hand, I didn't care much about. It was big and didn't bounce. Couldn't see much fun in that. Then Noor, the gullible puppy, came along. So Mick decides that he is going to work with her on the frisbee . . . and voila! . . . I'm going to find it fun. I only discovered that it is pretty much fun when he took us to the park with ONLY the frisbees. If I was going to play at all, I had to fetch what was there. My favorite is the ball, but now I do enjoy the alternative.
One of these days I might get to see some sheep. We'll see if I experience an unusual desire to herd them. I hope so, because Mick is going to be very disappointed if I run from them. We'll see.
Noor
Well, last but not least, it's ME! I'm always last. Last to get treats, to get fed, and stuff, because of my . . . youth. But I am darn cute, right!? A full-blooded Border Collie like my adopted brother, Gaid, I was born in March of 2010 and came from Florida to live with Mick and Connie in June. Life down there was happy . . . I had my mom and dad and my siblings to play with. Then all of a sudden it was a road trip and I met Connie and Mick for the first time. I never looked back! They loved me from the start. And now I had a big brother to play with . . . and an older sister to bug. I love them all so much!
Oh, I've had my negative days . . . when Connie would come home and find something valuable (oriental rugs, for instance), with holes in the edges. After a few episodes like that, I got a new "condo" made of wire. Now when they go out, I get to cool my heels in 4 x 2 ft of "luxury." I do have to admit that they are always happy to see me now when they come home.
Not long after I arrived, Connie and Mick thought it would be a great idea to enroll me in "Puppy School" at PetSmart. I don't know where they got the idea that I needed to learn anything. Anyway, I had no choice. Wow! Let me tell you . . . it was a lot of fun! My teacher, Trainer Bob, is such a neat guy. Don't tell Mick and Connie, but if I had to go live with someone else, Uncle Bob would be my choice! Mick and Connie learned a lot in my six weeks of school. I am a much better dog because they thought enough to take me there. They even took me back for "intermediate" training. Best of all, because they learned so much, I got certified as a Canine Good Citizen. I hope they'll take me back to another class, like Agility Training, 'cause they still have a lot to learn.
So Gaid has told how I got involved with frisbee catching. The ball I like, but my passion is that flat disc! I am absolutely reckless when going for it. Mick is delighted when I go in the air to catch it. With a lot of practice, I'll get good at it. And, with a lot of practice, Mick will be able to throw it correctly every time. He has some work to do.
He says that I have great sheepdog moves. When we get to visit Mr. Bill Coburn on his farm, we shall see if I have any interest in sheep at all. Since I've never seen one, I'm reserving any opinion on them.
Oh, I've had my negative days . . . when Connie would come home and find something valuable (oriental rugs, for instance), with holes in the edges. After a few episodes like that, I got a new "condo" made of wire. Now when they go out, I get to cool my heels in 4 x 2 ft of "luxury." I do have to admit that they are always happy to see me now when they come home.
Not long after I arrived, Connie and Mick thought it would be a great idea to enroll me in "Puppy School" at PetSmart. I don't know where they got the idea that I needed to learn anything. Anyway, I had no choice. Wow! Let me tell you . . . it was a lot of fun! My teacher, Trainer Bob, is such a neat guy. Don't tell Mick and Connie, but if I had to go live with someone else, Uncle Bob would be my choice! Mick and Connie learned a lot in my six weeks of school. I am a much better dog because they thought enough to take me there. They even took me back for "intermediate" training. Best of all, because they learned so much, I got certified as a Canine Good Citizen. I hope they'll take me back to another class, like Agility Training, 'cause they still have a lot to learn.
So Gaid has told how I got involved with frisbee catching. The ball I like, but my passion is that flat disc! I am absolutely reckless when going for it. Mick is delighted when I go in the air to catch it. With a lot of practice, I'll get good at it. And, with a lot of practice, Mick will be able to throw it correctly every time. He has some work to do.
He says that I have great sheepdog moves. When we get to visit Mr. Bill Coburn on his farm, we shall see if I have any interest in sheep at all. Since I've never seen one, I'm reserving any opinion on them.