Unusual jobs

[sweet_ceana]

When thinking about the dog human relationship lately, I couldn't help but notice some of the ways my dogs have made themselves useful. Not necissarily in traditional ways, but the ways that they find to "assist" in every day life activities.

 

For example:

 

Ceana is a bug hunter. She will literally come and get us and bark and run (like a cheesy old Lassie show: What's that girl?) until we reach the bug's location. Once she is sure that she has our attention she will go rigid and point at the bug with her nose until we dispose of it. We never taught her this, it is just something she does on her own. She will also, less enthusiastically, point out a spot on the wall that needs to be cleaned.

 

Poke's natural urges to help are usually more annoying and bossy than Ceana's, but he still really just wants to be a part of things. We have recently been teaching him to open certain doors on command. (We place a rope to pull on the handle) He absolutely loves going around the house and opening doors for me. He will soon learn to close the doors behind me, and I think I may teach him how to take clothes from the laundry hamper and put them in the washer. He seems to get so much more out of these types of activities because of their purpose in helping us. He thinks being our helper is his purpose in life.

 

Sita feels her job is to be everyone's friend. She has been an amazing help with our foster dogs. She really seems to understand them, and they seem to get her. She is great with people of all ages as well. She is my little communicator. Sita just seems to understand what everyone needs from her. She is still young so who knows what hidden talents she still hasn't shown us yet. Talents or not, it is nice to have such a bomb proof in every situation dog.

 

What every day type of things do your dogs do? (Yes I know some of you get to work sheep every day...I'm jealous, but, what else do your dogs do? ) Helping out/ being your partner seems so very quintessentially border collie from what I have experienced. These dogs excel at being our partners and I thought it would be nice to hear what everyone else's partners bring to their daily ins and outs.

[Sue R]

So much fun to read about your dogs!

 

Ours don't have much in the way of jobs in the house other than that Megan is an official lap "flumper". She hops up in the lap (on invitation) and "flumps" or flops over to land on her back in preparation for a good belly-rub. Being the princess, she has special priviledges!

 

Celt does have a new, non-stockwork job that he seems to enjoy enormously. When I am sledding down the hill (road), to avoid sliding off into the plowed snow and careening all over the place, Celt runs alongside me and I put my hand on the back of his neck or shoulders, and use him to stabilize me. Since he likes to run right alongside anyway, I tried this and he seems to really revel in the contact and "being needed". When we finish at the bottom of the hill, he's all wiggles and excitement, and ready to walk up and give it another go.

 

PS - Lisa sprang another Border Collie (or cross) from the pound in NC and passed Maui on to a new foster home. The new foster failed Fostering 101 her first time around and Maui is now Dylan with his own family! Thought you'd enjoy to hear about Lisa's latest rescue!