Time to get it up, is what it all means. Two dogs letting me know, Time to get up and let's go. Border collies know what they want, they know the order of things. They are never afraid to to remind me what that routine is. In their own way, they try to herd me, "We want to go out there and to go out there we go through here"
They know the routine. Terra exits the house first and Panda follows; it's not the order of age of course, Panda has that advantage but it's an order of seniority. Terra was here first. It's Panda's house no doubt and in most things both dogs must share, but to seniority there must come some privilege.
The car is a different situation. Panda is first into the car because, due to the grace of her almost 10 years, she needs a little assistance getting into the vehicle. So Panda first then Terra comes, through the hatch, and once inside they are left to their devices to figure our the geometry of who lays where. It's funny, the back of my car is pretty spacious, but they always seem to end up together
They are not sisters, there is no relation between the two of them, but as time has gone on they have become what I refer to as house sisters. Probably against what is in their little doggie hearts more and more and more, they are learning "Hey, she seems to be here to stay, may as well make the best of it"
They become a united front when it comes to going out and playing. Out in the parks and the trails and the ravines and the woods they are in their element. They have a lot of discipline in their lives and it doesn't end at all outside but still, they know this is their time. That time is earned through good behaviour and damnit, being good ain't easy. Let's appreciate our rewards
We hit the park and they're off. I don't throw the ball and then have them chase it down. That's not the border collie way (Feel free to say that to yourself in a Sean Connery accent) I raise the Chuckit and they go off, moving fast, Terra stretching her long form, legs moving with a liquid grace, Panda hunched over a bit and digging hard, her back legs, a little stiff with age, moving in tandem. They run down to where they think the ball will land then they wheel to look at me, to look at the ball. Heads flattened, ears out, butts slightly elevated "Yeh, ok, we're ready for the sheep"
I call this playing, you could call it work, work is play for a border collie. I have working dogs that have taken a very early retirement. The work hard, on command, there's some competition there but mostly it's benign. They play hard and they crash hard, people see them collapsed on their water bowl and will say "Oh they're too tired to play now" Then I raise the ball and they're off again
What is the point of all this? Your dogs want to play with you. Today is National Dog Day. So go play with your dog.
And that's the end(s)
