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A Scottish Collie Contributed by rathleek on Wednesday, November 05 @ 06:50:18 CST
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 It seems as if I've always had dogs around. The first dog I can remember as a toddler was called
Bonzo (yes, well it was a long time ago and I think it was probably quite a fashionable name at the time). He was a mutt, no doubt about it, brown, white and orange and I used to sleep on the stairs with him.
Then came Jock, named after my dad, who didn't live with us at the time. He had a rough coat, and I suppose was part terrier (no, not my dad, please concentrate).
Later, when I had my own dogs, there was Snooky, who was a collie with a terrier head, then
Gub-Gub with the beautiful tail, named after Dr. Dollitle's pig because I liked the name. She was actually a Welsh Collie, fast and slim, and nothing like a pig.
Then there was a labrador cross, also called Snooky. My wife wanted to call her Lib-Lab but I vetoed that. Keep politics out of the kennel, I say. And finally there came Snooky's favourite daughter Bugle
(loudest in the litter) and little scruffy Pebbles.
The last two are still with us. So you can see that I know about dogs, or so I thought before we
aquired Patch.
Patch is not aggressive; in fact he is very lovable and quite gentle with our other two dogs as long as they know who's the boss and as long as they do as they are told (by him) and do it fast. I have to admit that Patch is a puzzle. If he doesn't want to do a thing, he won't. It's as simple as that. He can't be tricked, flattered or scolded into doing something because he's not that easily impressed.
But there are ways to manage him. If you want him to follow you, walk away. You know, like the Horse Whisperer. It's not because he doesn't relate; he really loves us and he is obedient in his own way. He will sit, go down, give either paw and 'talk'. He just doesn't see the point of doing something he doesn't want to, all right?
He has plenty of the legendary energy and intelligence of the Border Collie. I usually take a tennis raquet and a ball on our walks in the woods to try, in my optimistic way, to tire him out. We live in a hilly and fairly wild part of the Highlands, and I only have to say to him, "Patch, that way", or even just point, and he'll be there, waiting for the ball, whether it's up the brae or across a burn.
And yet, for all his intelligence and boldness, he is sensitive and easily frightened. At the first hint of a raised or angry voice (it wouldn't be mine, you understand) he goes to pieces and hides...
Yes, our boy is difficult at times, but always fascinating, and I don't have to tell you that we love him to bits.
James Collins
He was a gash and faithful tyke
As ever lap a sheugh or dyke;
His honest, sonsie, baws'nt face
Aye gat him friends in ilka place.
His breast was white, his towsie back
Weel clad wi' coat o' glossy black,
His gaucie tail wi' upward curl
Hung o'er his hurdies wi' a swirl. Robert Burns
gash = wise sheugh = ditch sonsie = cute bawsn't = striped like a badger
Towsie = shaggy gaucie = large hurdies = hips
Writer's details
James Collins BA(Hons)Fine Art
Pet portrait artist, living and
working in the Highlands of Scotland.
Website title: Scottish Pet Portraits
Website: www.jamescollins.org/Patch.html
Email: collinsdallasart@tiscali.co.uk
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