My border collies and Kleo

I would like to introduce my pack to you:
I am Dutchy, a rough Collie of 15 years old. On 12 February 2009 I have left my family to start my journey over the Rainbow Bridge. I like to tell you my life story while sitting on my heavenly throne.

I was the oldest of the lot. In 1994 I came to live with my mistress as a 10 months old puppy. I was born on a farm in Aalten, near the German border. Up until then I was spent my days from early morning until late at night playing with my mother in forests and meadows. It was a wonderful life but other than that I had seen very little of the rest of the world. My new mistress was living in a much larger town with lots of heavy traffic and many new scary sounds. I was so afraid of everything she bought me a playmate hoping I would get feel more secure and fun. That playmate turned out to be Lavos, a Border Collie.
Lavos was a delightful little bundle of wool. We soon became best friends and I taught him all the intricacies of life. But my mistress Loes didn’t have the foggiest notion what sort of new dog she had brought home. A Border Collie needs lots of activity and mental challenges. Luckily she was a active and sportive person herself so that turned out fine.
But Lavos wanted more ....! Lavos wanted to herd sheep! Loes started to look for a training fit for Lavos. But then something terrible happened: ... during our evening walk Lavos had a terrible accident. One and a half day later he died from his injuries. My mistress and I were brokenhearted. Afterwards I fell to a great depression and refused to eat or drink. I missed my playmate so very much! But not long after, my mistress came home again and presented me with another ball of wool!
This
was Abbadan. Of course he was a Border Collie too. But by his introduction to our household all hell broke loose! My, he was a feisty one. I just couldn’t keep up with Abbadan. Everything I tried to teach him was completely sadly ignored.
Soon I saw that my mistress was at her wit’s end. I tried to help her, but matters turned from bad to worse. Fortunately Loes took Abbadan to a puppy class and his behavior gradually improved. But Abbadan also wanted more ... (sigh).
He too wanted to herd sheep. Loes eventually found a place. The same place she still trains all her other dogs. Abbadan was able to vent his energy but his listening skills were still sub zero. After the subsiding of the energetic puppy age, unfortunately Abbadan went through adolescence! All in all, my mistress learned much from these days.
Botton line: it doesn’t matter how well dogs listen at home, as soon as our true instinct emerges, everything else is forgotten. Meanwhile my mistress was married and Abbadan and I moved to the Veluwe. The area is famous for its natural environment and every day we enjoyed long walks! But of course, there was a catch…
My mistress and new boss wanted to follow their dream. A little cottage in the middle of nowhere was their ultimate dream.
Sigh ... please don’t tell me we’re moving again! But indeed, on a beautiful day in December, all our things were packed and the whole lot was transported to the Betuwe. Grudgingly I had to admit the good taste of my bosses because what I saw really surpassed all my expectations. A beautiful white farmhouse with a large meadow. With lots of space for the young ones to run and play and were I finally could enjoy the quiet of my old days. Well, at least I thought so. Unfortunately a new puppy came along: Balou. In fact a Border Collie after my heart.
For finally I met a Border who, much to the dismay of my boss, didn’t want to chase sheep.
Anyway, being the packleader of five wild borders was getting too much for me. I transferred my crown to Abbadan. Just in time, because Loes had added a new border collie. It turned out to be Ginger, a cunning witch indeed.

She really was a piece of work. In no time Ginger tried to rule everybody. The only thing Ginger wanted was to work.
I had my doubts about the wisdom of her choice, but my mistress has lots of patience and Abbadan was her faithful assistent. He didn’t and still doesn’t tolerate any foolisness and puts everybody in his or her rightful place. After training Ginger for a while a new bitch, Joy, caught her attention.

A couple of years later, Loes was specialized in dogethology and dog behavior skills. Loes teaches also dog behavior skills. There have been many changes in the pack. Dogs that have come but unfortunately also dogs that had to go because not everybody can stay. One of the last changes was finding a new home for Jay-Jay and Balou. The pack was out of balance and finding a a family for those two brought peace back in the pack.
On this page you can see our current pack and Abbadan and Joy fortunately are stil part of part of it. After a long life I finally left my earthly home for a better World. However I still try to monitor everything and everybody from up my little cloud. And there is no doubt in my mind that they can manage fine without my physical being there…

I wish you all well!