Inspired by Steve and Marley

[Brooky]

Being a Border Collie owner, Steve's shots of Marley inspired me to take Abby out for a run today with the camera. Now, if you don't know anything about Border Collies, you should know this. They are consistently rated as the smartest dogs on the planet. So smart in fact, that you don't have to teach them anything. They understand the English language. Steve knows what I'm taking about. Anyways, I let Abby out for her run, and run she did. After a while I told her to "go get me a stick". Now this is not anything that we've done before. And it's not easy to find a stick under 3 feet of snow. So off she goes until she finds a dead tree branch sticking out of the snow. It took her about 2 or 3 minutes, but she worked and worked until she succeeded at breaking this branch off a tree and bringing the "stick" back to me. Here's the series of shots that I got.

And finally, success!

Besides the entertainment supplied by Abby, I saw a few young deer today as well.

[blk94fiveoh]

Good looking dog. Nice pics

[Steve Foss]

Great series, Brooky. If kids listened as well as border collies, parents would be a LOT happier.

[MN Shutterbug]

Fun set. It appears the deer is giving you the raspberry.

[Dbl]

I like that last shot! Nice group of photos.

[Birdsong]

The deer photos are very sweet. But you gotta love dogs! These are nice shots. My son had a dog with that uncanny intelligence. Maybe part Australian Shepherd, but she was a stray so who knows. I was walking behind her in the woods and the path become overgrown with low branches on volunteers. So I said, "no way, Jenny, I can't get through there." She came back and pulled a volunteer tree out of the way with her teeth. I had to take my son back to show him the teeth marks before he would believe me.

[Catmendo]

Very nice photos! All nicely composed and all tac sharp!

[ccarlson]

Excellent shots.

The other thread of border collie pics got me thinking more about them also. From everything I've ever read, seen and heard about Border Collies, I really like their intelligence, personality, persistence etc.

This may sound strange but my question is, does anyone ever hunt with Border Collies for upland birds?

Because I pheasant and grouse hunt, I have always had upland dogs (English setters) usually one older one and one younger one.

Just wondering.

ccarlson

[Brooky]

This may sound strange but my question is, does anyone ever hunt with Border Collies for upland birds?

ccarlson

I don't know if it is typical Border Collie behavior, but both of my Borders are extremely afraid of loud noises such as fireworks and thunder. As an upland bird hunter myself, I'd love to take Abby along with me on a hunt, but I'm pretty sure that she'd be off like a rocket at the sound of gunfire. It's something that I wouldn't chance.

[Steve Foss]

Neither of ours have liked thunder. Mollie would crawl under the bead, and Marley (her past owners said) will jump up and bark and bark at thunder.

Also, responsive as BCs are, it's hard to imagine one with a soft mouth.

[mnfishingal]

Great shots! Nice and sharp! I like the deer with it's tongue out. Sweet!