jackson's mom Posted July 7, 2009 Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 I always enjoy the little things that my dogs do and really find that they have such different personalities; they are creative; they have a wonderful sense of humor. Jackson has been 'denning' lately. He just started doing this about a month ago. Inside the house he will pick a corner - somewhere remote and dark - and curl up in a tight ball and sleep there for a few hours. The other dogs are stretched about the floor like big rugs, but not Jack, he's in his own 'den'. Since Summer began everyone has been getting tons of exercise: running, swimming, playing, digging, chasing. They all come inside for dinner dripping wet and exhausted. I understand why Jack would like a quiet spot to rest after a long day. However, when he is outside he also creates 'dens'. He will choose a spot in the woods near the creek and scratch out an area, put all of his toys in it (that includes all the sticks, rocks and balls he can find) and hold up in his den defending it from intruders (that would be the very curious Brittany puppy). It's sort of a game to him. He also has a great time 'digging' in the bottom of the creek - for what I don't know! Maybe he's chasing frogs, minnows, crayfish. He has chosen several dens outside and depending on where the action is he will hold up in one of these spots. Just another interesting part of Jackson's complex personality. Anyone ever see this before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted July 7, 2009 Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 A lot of dogs like their "secure place". I think personality and/or experience may play a large part in this for individual dogs. Our Bute liked his "hidey holes" - behind the couch (where he would collect and hoard his treasures), under the bed, and in the windowless bathroom (if he was scared of loud noises). Our Megan loves to dig in water - but only certain water. It can't be too deep (maybe just a few inches or so), and it can be running (in a creek) or still (in the dog tank). She will chase bubbles in the creek, especially where there are tiny "waterfalls" over the rocks in the creek bed. Just another self-rewarding amusement, I'd assume. She's our only dog who has ever done that - but my mare will sometimes play in the stock tank, and I have seen her repeatedly splash her chest with cool water from the tank on hot, hot days. She will often go in her crate because it's an excellent location to keep an eye on the kitchen activity and feel secure. The myriad of interesting personalities is one of the things that makes Border Collies never boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet_ceana Posted July 7, 2009 Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 We had a foster who dug himself a hole in our back yard. It was so deep all you could see was the top of his head. He would hunker down in the hole and spy on the other dogs as they played. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoresDog Posted July 7, 2009 Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 This would make a very funny People's Border Collie Gallery thread! I'm going to take a picture or two of the funnier spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted July 7, 2009 Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 All my dogs like to den to various degrees. They will go sleep in crates or behind the sofa at times. In the past, I've had a couple of dogs who would dig outside when left to their own devices but thankfully that hasn't come up with any of the latest four dogs. Quinn enjoys splashing around in water and would do this for long periods of time if I let him. However, after a conversation on these boards last year about water digging and Lenajo's recommendations against allowing the behavior, I now redirect him when I see more than a few splashes. He doesn't show much in the way of obsessive compulsive tendencies but I do what I can to avoid that popping up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martySQ Posted July 7, 2009 Report Share Posted July 7, 2009 Uh Oh, time to do a search on water digging... bess jsut started this activity within the last month... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson's mom Posted July 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 Uh Oh, time to do a search on water digging... bess jsut started this activity within the last month... Yes, I would love to know more about water digging. Jack never did this before and he gets awfully messy doing it. On Sunday I washed a huge lump of mud off of his head ! I know he likes the water, but I also don't want him to hurt himself. I've been watching for cut paws and scrapes. The Brittany puppy, Dex has been snuffling around Jack's outside den near the creek. Jack got so irritated with him that he started to bark and snap. Dex was scared and hid in the bushes. My husband reprimanded Jack and he stopped instantly. Our older BCX never did anything like this. My mom always said that dogs dig when they are bored. Maybe Jack just needs more stimulation. He might get it sooner than he thinks -- we are building our new henhouse and will soon be getting a dozen guinea hens! Jack on hens? Oh, boy........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted July 8, 2009 Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 Yes, I would love to know more about water digging. Jack never did this before and he gets awfully messy doing it. On Sunday I washed a huge lump of mud off of his head ! I know he likes the water, but I also don't want him to hurt himself. I've been watching for cut paws and scrapes. The Brittany puppy, Dex has been snuffling around Jack's outside den near the creek. Jack got so irritated with him that he started to bark and snap. Dex was scared and hid in the bushes. My husband reprimanded Jack and he stopped instantly. Our older BCX never did anything like this. My mom always said that dogs dig when they are bored. Maybe Jack just needs more stimulation. He might get it sooner than he thinks -- we are building our new henhouse and will soon be getting a dozen guinea hens! Jack on hens? Oh, boy........ Snap Dragon's Den is the bathtub. That is where she goes for thunderstorms and fireworks and most times just to sleep. Been threatening to send a picture to one of the local tv stations weather line as severe weather preparedness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumpin Boots Posted July 8, 2009 Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 Boots has always loved digging in the water. He will grab a stick and drop it in front of him and then try to bury in the water Then he gets mad at the stick when it pops up and starts growling at it and will bite it more aggressively and then try to bury it again. 'Bad stick' Our guys all have denning spots, for the most part they are in corners or against a piece of furniture or wall. But Renoir is the weird one, he will just go and curl up in the middle of the floor in a very tight ball, just like when he is in a corner somewhere, but instead is completely out in the open. Smudge, Toller not BC, is also very into making his bed. We have the costco dog beds around the house and when it's his nap timehe will go and dig, scratch, growl, bite, pull, and whine while he tries to get his bed just how he wants it. The funny part is after he goes through this ritual, which can easily take 3 minutes and finally flops down, he wil sometimes get this completely fussy look on his face, get up and do it all over again He has also done this at my parents farm in their shaving pile, which it pretty funny since he sends shaving flying 10 feet easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pansmom Posted July 8, 2009 Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 Pan dens. Especially when she's scared. Under desks, under tables, I think she prefers to be under something most of the time actually. But she doesn't dig - knows not to dig - unless she's acting out and bored (this rarely happens as she gets a lot of stimulation, thankfully, our backyard looks fine) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted July 8, 2009 Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 We have a sofa table in the living room that Scooter, and visiting dogs, seem to like to sit or lie under. Scooter also likes to lie behind the recliner (when he's not lounging in it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson's mom Posted July 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2009 Boots has always loved digging in the water. He will grab a stick and drop it in front of him and then try to bury in the water Then he gets mad at the stick when it pops up and starts growling at it and will bite it more aggressively and then try to bury it again. 'Bad stick' Our guys all have denning spots, for the most part they are in corners or against a piece of furniture or wall. But Renoir is the weird one, he will just go and curl up in the middle of the floor in a very tight ball, just like when he is in a corner somewhere, but instead is completely out in the open. Smudge, Toller not BC, is also very into making his bed. We have the costco dog beds around the house and when it's his nap timehe will go and dig, scratch, growl, bite, pull, and whine while he tries to get his bed just how he wants it. The funny part is after he goes through this ritual, which can easily take 3 minutes and finally flops down, he wil sometimes get this completely fussy look on his face, get up and do it all over again He has also done this at my parents farm in their shaving pile, which it pretty funny since he sends shaving flying 10 feet easily. I think it's so funny when Jack gets mad at a stick for not staying where he wants it to stay -- mainly because he has dropped it into the creek and it's heading downstream. One of the most 'spooky smart' things I have ever seen happened with Ru, our BCX, when he was very young. Ru was always a smarty pants and somewhat spoiled. He loved to play fetch for hours and hours. At some point, both my husband and I had to get working or the whole place was going to go to ruin, so we would play for a while and then say 'no more play' and put the ball away. Ru found his own ball and decided he didn't need us at all -- he would throw it in the creek, run full speed down the driveway and wait for it to float downstream to him and then 'fetch' it back up to the beginning. He would play fetch on his own for hours and hours! Ru was also the master of 'rock digging' -- he would drop a large rock into the pond and try to get it up from the bottom by pawing at it, trying to make it float up to the top and then finally taking a full dive toward the bottom and grabbing it. Very funny. The whole time he is doing this he is grumbling and talking........does he kiss his Mom with that mouth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.