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AMY PRIMES - PEARL CD & |
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UPDATE:
I'm writing this to update to my rescue border collie's performance titles.
Since the time that I wrote the article that is currently on the website, he has
earned five more titles and is 2/3's of the way to a sixth new title. His new titles
are: HIAs - Herding Intermediate A - Sheep,
HXAs - Herding Advanced A - Sheep,
HSBs - Herding Started B - Sheep,
RN - Rally Novice,
VX - Versatility Excellent.
He has 2 legs towards his RA - Rally Advanced title. This brings his total
number of performance titles to date to 18.
He is now: VX My Ebony Smurf, CDX, ASCA-CDX, RN, CGC, OA, NAJ, HSAs, HIAs, HXAs,
HSBs, HCT, JHD, HTD1.
Needless to say, I'm REALLY proud of my little guy. He doesn't care much about
the titles and ribbons - he's just having FUN!!!!
Pearl was my first Border Collie. At the time that I got her, I was a foster home for a local all-breed rescue organization. She and another dog presumed to be her littermate had been picked up as strays off of a local street and went unclaimed. Pearl started out our life together as a foster. She was a truly wonderful dog, but she did not show well on pet adoption days. She would slink to the back of the kennel run and play dead all day, not responding to anyone or anything. Knowing what I know now of Border Collies, I truly think she knew EXACTLY what she was doing. She'd found the home she wanted, and she was doing what she could to keep it. She quickly worked herself deeply into the hearts of my son and me. Our fear that she would be deemed unadoptable quickly turned into a fear that someone else just might come along and want her. So, I adopted her myself.
Most of Pearl's life with me was spent as a wonderful companion, friend and second-in-command in my household. She quickly learned the rules of the household and never broke them. She was the matriarch of all animals in my household, and she would ensure that the other animals followed the "rules", too. She was always gentle and loving, but also firm in correcting the other animals. The cats as well as the other dogs all loved, respected and obeyed her.
Pearl was not one of the super-intense, highly driven Border Collies, but she was always ready to go on whatever adventure I had in store for us, and she had the manners, flexibility and stamina to go anywhere and do anything for any amount of time. She was a "mascot" of sorts at my son's soccer games; she went on extremely long hikes in the woods; she could be trusted with an infant crawling all over her, yet she could also be depended upon to correct any other animal in my household who ventured to get "out of line".
After my son was grown and gone from home, I got interested in formal obedience training for competition with my younger dogs. Pearl showed some interest, so I applied for an AKC ILP. Although virtually nothing was known about her heritage, she was granted her ILP without any problems. So, she became "My Ageless Ebony Gem". At the ripe "young" age of 10 years (give or take), she began Novice level obedience training. She learned the exercises quickly, and she earned her Companion Dog (CD) title in three straight trials. She also earned her Canine Good Citizen title on the first try. While she enjoyed the Novice exercises, she really had no interest in retrieving anything or jumping over anything. Since she wasn't that interested, I didn't push the issue with her. Her obedience career ended with the CD title. At the time that she died, she was My Ageless Ebony Gem, CD, CGC - "Pearl".
I lost Pearl to bladder cancer in May of 1999, and I truly lost my "soul-mate" when she died. She was one of those "once in a lifetime" dogs, and I still miss her.
Months after I lost Pearl, I began my search for another Border Collie. Since I work full-time, I did not want to get a young puppy. Since my first rescue Border Collie was so wonderful, I turned again to rescue organizations. Our local humane societies and shelters did not have any Border Collies, nor did anyone have any advertised in our local papers. In October 1999, I found Murphy, who was being fostered by Border Collie Rescue of Texas. On October 14, 1999, he joined my household, and it's been one adventure after another ever since.
While I did not want one of those Border Collies who NEVER relax and settle down, I did want one who had enough drive and interest to participate in advanced obedience and agility competitions. Murphy definitely met that description, and he introduced me to herding as well. A neighbor had a flock of goats, and Murphy would stand at the corner of our fence and look across at the goats for extended periods of time, making it perfectly clear that he had PLENTY of herding drive, too. I found a herding instructor with sheep within a reasonable driving distance, and we've been hooked ever since. He got his first herding titles in December 1999, just two months after I acquired him. We got our first small flock of sheep in May 2004, and he is indispensable in helping me with their daily care.
Murphy, too, has the gentle, loving, affectionate soul that Pearl had. His greatest desire in life it to simply be near me, doing whatever it is that I want to do. I should have named him "Shadow", as he's always right there with me. If I'm working on the computer, he's curled up at my feet; if I'm hauling the garbage outside, he's there to escort me; if I want to romp and play, he's more than a willing participant. He's as gentle as a lamb, and just as trustworthy, with small children, yet he's strong enough to move a flock of sheep with the look in his eye. While he has attained his "Versatility" title based on his achievements in the arenas, it is his versatility outside of the trial arena that truly warrants the title.
Of course, soon after I adopted Murphy, I applied to AKC for his ILP, and it quickly came back approved. Once again, even though I had no information regarding his lineage, I had no problem getting approval for his ILP. Murphy and I have competed in obedience, agility and herding events of several different venues, and he has achieved 13 titles to date. At the time of this writing, he has 2 qualifying legs towards his AKC Herding Intermediate A-Sheep title. Attaining his Herding Intermediate title will also be the last requirement he needs to meet to qualify for his "Versatility Excellent" title.
His list of titles to date are:
- Versatility (V) - Border Collie Society of America
- Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) - AKC & ASCA
- Novice Agility-Standard (NA), Novice Agility-Jumpers (NAJ) Open Agility-Standard (OA) - AKC
- Herding Capability Tested (HCT), Junior Herding Dog (JHD), Herding Trial Dog 1 (HTD1) - AHBA
- Herding Started A (HSAs) - AKC
- And he also has his AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
These titles make him: V My Ebony Smurf, CDX, ASCA-CDX, OA, NAJ, HTD1, HSAs
So, can wonderful things be accomplished with rescue Border Collies????? Well, let the above speak for itself!!!
Page Updated 08/31/2008