Furry baby

The ID tag arrived today. Identitag's service is pretty good, I have to say. No 'typos' on the tag. It is quite small and hard to read but it IS for a puppy so it is only to be expected. Better that than getting a large disc that makes Ruby look like an extra from the Beastie Boys.

I've decided to chill out a bit and calm down on all the reading. It was getting a bit silly and to be honest, it was doing more harm than good. One minute I'm reading about something being a great idea and something you MUST do with your dog; the next I'm reading another article that says NEVER EVER do that. Instead, I'm going to 'play it by ear' and let Ruby settle in for a few days before trying to gauge what her personality is like. 

I suppose it's a bit like having your first child. You know it's a big responsibility and you know that it is going to be a steep learning curve. But NOTHING prepares you for the day when you walk out of the maternity unit with a tiny human who is totally dependant on you. I remember thinking to myself "why is nobody stopping us leaving" and "what the hell do we do when we get back to our house". All that said, our kids turned out pretty well. So raising a furry baby should be a piece of cake yes? Hmmmmm........

And here is another picture of Ruby taken on 1st September 2013. Once she is in the home, I will be getting regular photos but for now I'm reliant on archive footage.

One of the websites I have found most helpful and interesting is the one run by Barbara Sykes from the Mainline Border Collie Centre. She is clearly incredibly knowledgeable about the breed and is a source of lots of good information. One page gives a general overview of the breed. Entitled 'about Border Collies' it is a sneak peak into what you can expect when you own one of these dogs. There is a quote at the end that kind of sums up the nature of the dog and although still a 'newbie' to the breed I have seen some of what she says in the dogs at Gillian's farm. Here is the quote:

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"The Border Collie is the epitome of all we may ever desire in a dog, a friend and a partner. Honesty, integrity and loyalty are second nature to a collie and they will work until they can go no further. Yet for all their willingness to give they are not submissive, they are proud of their heritage and they do not suffer fools gladly. Look beyond the colour of the coat and the cloak they wear labelled ‘dog’, search inside and reach its soul for once there you will be trapped in a world of unbelievable love and honesty. You will have found true beauty, for the wonderful qualities within this breed are always there waiting to be unlocked and are what make it truly beautiful. Drink in its grace, speed and stamina, for rarely has so much to come together so perfectly in so small a package."

A Simple Beauty
Barbara Sykes © 1995