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Last winter, I stopped eating and drinking and got very sick. My owners tried everything, but to no avail. Extremely skinny, I lasted two more weeks. Deanna held me lots. I wouldn't open my eyes. Two weeks later, I died. Goodbye world.

Hello Everyone!  My name is Jake.  I am a 9 year old dog that kind of looks like a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. I enjoy walks in the park, going to agility class, and visiting the local nursing home!  This is a picture of me and my doggy brother.  Actually, he is not my real brother.  Rather, he is a dog my Mom rescued from the pound. 

Uncle Bill wanted me to tell you about the little brat named Hurry! that Mom brought in a few weeks ago.Hmmmph. Not every dog gets his very own punctuation mark at the end of his name...

He is a cute little fellow, to be sure, but he is very annoying. It would seem that this little guy got more than his fair share of herding instinct. All he would do day in and day out is herd us dogs.

I got smart. When we went for our walks in the field, I made myself scarce and ran off squirreling. He couldn't catch me in the trees. Instead, he just herded Derby, Flare and Frodo. He didn't dare herd Muna, or she would give him such a thrashing!

Anyway...Mom said little Hurry! was far too herdy for a normal pet home, and that he needs to be a working dog. Uncle Bill (I love him, he ALWAYS has tons of treats in his pockets!) called Uncle Jay, who runs a sheep farm. He told him all about the "Herdy One". Uncle Jay was very interested. He called Mom, and it was all set. Hurry! was to go and live with Uncle jay on the sheep farm.

So Bill and Lin came and picked up Hurry! and took him for a long drive out to the country. They took him to see Jay.

Jay really liked him. Hurry! was not so sure about these new critters with the wool all over them though. They were VERY interested in him.

Hurry! also made a new friend. His name is Mike. He is a Maremma, a guardian of the sheep. He is the same age as Hurry!, but he is MUCH bigger.

I think they are going to be friends. I also think Hurry! is going to be a great herding dog, and those sheep best learn to respect that little pup...cuz he ain't going to be little much longer!

Love;

Freckles

[IMG]http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee72/westwing38/Border%20Collie%20stuff/100_1211.jpg[/IMG]

Hurry with his new Dad, Jay.

I was taken up to play with Aunt Sally's group this last week and met the neatest little pup.  She had called him "Hurry", but my Dad figured it should be "Hurri" after "Hurricane".  He's only four months old, but he was herding Aunt Sally's "Derby" and "Flare" like he'd been doing it for years!!  (He even tried to herd me, but I ignore pups - they're to playful for me.) Then my Dad e-mailed the man that he got me from and told him all about "Hurry".  I heard today that "Hurry" now has a new home on a farm just west of Souris, Manitoba.  He should have a fun time as Mr. Jay has a whole bunch of sheep for him to keep him busy.  Good luck to you, "Hurry" (or as my Dad calls him, Hurri")

GUESS WHAT everyone? I got to HERD SHEEP this weekend!!! That's right, me and real sheep! Mom's boss has a whole bunch of sheep and 5 (!) border collies plus another dog-like creature (one of those purse-sized things that's yippy) and a horse. On Sunday, mom and dad didn't tell me where we were going. We got into the car and I thought maybe we would go to my field... but we kept driving...and driving. And suddenly we were far from the city and we were in these wonderful open hills. Mom's boss's dog, Bill (oh my, what a fine specimen of a BC he was....I am still twitterpated) separated a few of the sheep from the flock and drove them to a pen. Then mom and dad and mom's boss came into the pen and stared at me. I wanted to chase the sheep, but I didn't think I was allowed (mom usually won't let me keep chasing cats), so I sniffed the rocks instead and whined. But then every few minutes the sheep would get themselves into a corner and Bill would herd them away from it... well, finally I couldn't help myself anymore, and as the sheep ran by, I took off!! I herded those sheep all the way around the pen - I came in great circles around them and tried to control them with my stare - it was fun!! Oh, and it felt good. Something just clicked in my head, and I was doing what I needed to...wanted to... felt so good!! Mom's boss was really nice to me too. He kept encouraging me to chase those sheep. He even told mom that he thinks I'm a very nice dog, with good manners. I'm not as sheep crazy as Bill (who is living every moment to hear the whistle that means he can round up the sheep) but I'm not afraid to nip the sheep either.

Well, it was a fun day. After we wore the sheep out, I got to run around with all the other BCs, including an adorable and IRRITATING 3 month old BC puppy.Why are they so cute? And, for the first time ever, I got along with all the other dogs - I'm still no social cassanova, but there was no rasied lip at all - mom was proud!! Mom's boss said we can go back and herd the sheep again sometime. I hope we can do it again soon!