The Hairy Edge: IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A SISTER PART 2

Friday, July 31, 2009

IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A SISTER PART 2

Puppy Terra is growing. She is still a puppy, just turned six months old, but a lot of people seem to doubt that. When we are walking her with Miss Hayley, we often now hear the refrain: "Are they twins?" Of course, Hayley doesn't understand that, but I'm sure she would be flattered if she could

Terra is a big girl. She is actually right now a little bit taller than Hayley and weighs about 36 pounds, that's ten pounds lighter than the old girl. And Terra is far from done from growing, I imagine. How big she's going to get, I can't really say. Hayley is a small border collie, even for a female, but Terra seems to be on track to be, physically, some kind of uber collie. Perhaps something primeval, out of the misty jungles of Scotland (OK, I know there are no jungles in Scotland, bear with me here, I'm waxing poetic), a great fierce, giant herding machine ... the Border Collie of the Baskervilles.

No prey is safe from the Border Collie of the Baskervilles

The relationship between Hayley and Terra is improving. Slowly, perhaps, but definitely coming along. Hayley is actually pretty submissive, she will regularly give up water, toys, even food to other dogs. so she is doing that with Terra. In the parks, however, if a dog comes into Hayley's personal space .. like her butt .. she will assert herself. A few years a go she pinned a 90 pound male Doberman who was getting a little too free and easy with his nose. I would like to see her use that kind of dominance with Terra. She is giving up her bed (that being our bed) to the puppy. In the park, if Terra charges her, trying to initiate play, Hayley will put up a pretty weak defense, she waits for me to put the pup in her place. Here at the house, Terra can fall asleep with her head on Hayley's butt, but if Terra looks at her from several feet away, Hayley gives her the snarl. I think it's all about approach. Eye to eye contact. It's a border collie thing.

They are walking very well together, we get many compliments about them and as always, especially in this city which is not always dog friendly, if your dogs are well behaved, sociallized and calm, people will take time to notice them in a positive way.

I know Hayley has been affording a luxury of behaviour that she grants to all puppies. Now that Terra is getting older, I would expect Hayley will become more adamant with her dominance. But it's certainly obvious that Terra loves her "big sister" All of her behaviour is an attempt to illicit play, or snuggle in, dog pack style. Hayley is not wrestling with Terra, she really hasn't done that in the last few years, but she will do her herding/heeling behaviour when Terra fetches. And yes, she has gotten much better at sharing the couch.

Even though, there are times, Hayley is cuddling under protest. I'm sure, in the pic below, she is asking me "C'mon, one little nip, she's right here, it would only take me a second .."