Lexi

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!

Hello friends. Just thought I'd make a quick update!! Well, things are going good here. Even though mom and dad are at work a lot, they come home during the day to see me, and mom usually takes me to work with her in the evenings when there aren't classes going on. I like the university where mom works. It has - not just 1 - enormous fields of perfectly soft green grass!! My favorite thing when I get there is to find a spot that smells soo good, and then to roll in it. Mom and dad think it's really hilarious when I roll. They say I "flail", whatever that means, and laugh. I never understood why they don't join in! Here are some photos of mom's university and of my favorite fields.

We always work on obedience when we come to one of my fields. I am just such a good girl. Mom says that I am doing so well that she is thinking about entering me in an obedience competition! we have to find out what the official rules are, and I still have to learn to heel (mom and dad usually don't bother to keep me on a leash, because I'm so good at coming whenever they call). But how cool would that be!? Maybe I won't herd sheep, but I can still be great in other competitions!! we border collies tend to do well with these things. Well, mom's just bought new tennis balls, and they're super bouncy... I'm going to go chase one now!

- Lexi

Things have sure been busy here. Mom and dad went back to work full time, so now I have to spend more time alone during the day... I don't know what could possibly be more fulfilling then petting me, it is so exasperating! Sigh... anyway, at least we do fun things in the evening. Mom found a new dog park, which is great news for where we live! For some reason the humans here don't like dogs - all the city parks Mom has ever taken me to ended up having "No Dog" signs! Can you imagine? No dogs...at a park? These humans are very weird. Anyway, it was a rare thing to find - it's a big park, not too many trees for good hide and seek, but a big trail at the top of a hill at the back end! Mom says when she gets a new camera she'll take photos for me to put up here. We go to the park and do obedience (I am SUCH a good girl!) and play hide and seek. Mom keeps trying to throw my ball, as if I'm supposed to run and get it or something? I know I do that in the house, but really mom, it isn't that cool when all the neighbors watch me do it!

Well that's all I have time for today, but I'll post again very soon!

Lexi 

Hello world! I'm new here and this is my first post. I don't quite know what to say. I guess that will get easier with time. I'm Lexi, as my profile says, and I'm 3 year old border collie (I think, I'm actually not quite sure when my birthday is)! I fit right in with some of my breed's typical tendencies - I have lots and lots of energy, and I'm smart, and I need a job to do. But I am also not the highest energy border collie around - see, my job is to get petted and loved. I'm sooo good at being adorable. Really, my gallery pictures just don't do me justice. My mom and dad tell me I'm disgustingly cute, and then they pet me anyway (they can't resist my charm). So as long as I get petted and cuddled lots and lots, I'm pretty content with my daily run and walk.

My mom wants to start agility, but there are no local groups, and she doesn't think we have time yet. That's okay with me. We are so busy hiking and camping that I'm too worn out to learn a new sport. We do get to go and watch sheepdog trials though - mom's boss has 4 border collies and they all compete in the trials! I'm not horribly interested in sheep myself, but I do find it intriguing to watch the dogs run. They get to run so much when they're herding. I don't know why I don't want to herd them - I know I'm a herding dog. I do like to try and herd mom and dad out of the lake and onto shore when they try to swim. I just know that with only two legs and their weird attempts at doggy paddling, they could be lost at sea forever. Not us dogs, we have four legs for that. But I still don't like swimming very much. I just swim out to them and try to bring them back with me. Then I roll in the sand and shake it all over - it feels so good! For some reason mom always gets mad when I do it on her towel. These humans - they just don't know how good it feels.

Well, that's all for now. I'm sure there will be lots more to come! And mom says we can upload some more photos off dad's computer when he gets home. He's out of town for a few days. Sadly, mom says I now have to go have a bath... I think I will try to shake the water everywhere. Maybe then she'll let me get out?

- Lexi