Myrddin Wyllt

[qatarperegrine]

My sister has convinced me that it's time to admit that my dog is really part Sheltie, not part Border Collie. This is a big step down in the snobby world of herding dogs. But, for people who've met Merlin (pictures here if not), is he not related to this dog? And doesn't the back half of this dog look just like his legs and tail? And doesn't he have the irritating barkiness of a Sheltie?

Sorry, Mer, but I can't deny it any longer. You're not a whit Border Collie.

Comments

[kit-ping.livejournal.com]

What does it matter? He's CUTE! :)

[qatar.livejournal.com]

He is DARN cute, and wonderfully snuggly. (You're one of few people who would understand that when I call him my little Mer-rat, I am complementing my favorites of his personality traits.) Unfortunately, he also has a prey drive that won't quit, a nonsensical desire to "protect" his little sister from the dogs she wants to roughhouse with, and other unpleasant habits left over from either his life on the streets or his shameful Sheltie genetics!

foobart pointed out that Sheltie people may be more useful than BC people in figuring out how to deal with him.

Or at least, that would be true if we'd ever met any Sheltie people who could admit that their dogs have some less-than-perfect personality traits!

[kit-ping.livejournal.com]

Prey drive is probably from the streets. The protection sounds like herd dog stuff; I remember going to the beach with the pack in tow and having Valjean (collie/lab/who knows what cross) absolutely FREAK OUT at the other dogs' joyful leap into the surf. "You get right back on land this instant! It's DANGEROUS out there! Stop running down the beach! Stay in a little group!" He eventually wore out trying to constantly circle the rest of the dogs. :)

[y-pestis.livejournal.com]

Well he could be a whit Border Collie... at least to whatever extent a Sheltie has BC in it. And BC is, after all, not so much a breed as a way of life (cf the various colourings of BCs and Working Sheepdogs). And you could call his prey drive a herding drive, as long as he doesn't get close enough to distinguish it...

There's definitely something else in there, anyway. Maybe he's half Sheltie, half Australian Cuddle Dog. :-)

[qatar.livejournal.com]

Hah! That makes more sense to Australian cattle dog (although I admit there is something very Merlike in this face).

Then again, some of what it says about cattle dog temperament is true of Mer: the dominance and protectiveness. And what they say about "firm training" makes me think they're a bit hard, correction-wise.

Both Shelties and cattle dogs are supposed to be SMART, though!!!

[materjibrail.livejournal.com]

That face is Merlin even if the colour is different. It makes me feel better about Aussies.

[nikki-nana.livejournal.com]

I think that does look like Mer's face. However, my brother used to work with a bunch of blue healers who were excellent herders, but had lousy people skills. They would just as soon growl and threaten you as to look at you, and you could never get close enough to one to actually try to befriend it. This definitely does NOT describe Merlin the cuddly one!

[materjibrail.livejournal.com]

Ooops. He's a lovely dog anyway. Unless you are a cat a rat or a motor bike rider.

[y-pestis.livejournal.com]

Or a fly. I've been leaving the screen door to the back yard open when I'm home so they can wander in and out. This means that in the warm part of the evening, the flies are still about and come in. Then the dogs spend a joyous few minutes hunting the flies. All three of them do it, and Merlin seems able to hunt flies without having to hide under beds anymore.

I know you probably don't want to hear this, particularly with the vegetarianism and all, but your dogs love duck necks. LOVE duck necks. Some mornings I let them split one and that's the only time Nikki actually looks interested in food. This morning I put the duck neck at the bottom of her bowl and covered it in kibble, and she dug the neck out, spraying kibble all over the floor. (I'm sure Abbey will help her clean it up.) Mer, of course, will eat anything but particularly likes the poultry.

[qatar.livejournal.com]

I would be a very silly person indeed if I expected my puppies to be vegetarian!!

But I guess being able to chase flies is... progress?