Dear Ferret Folks-

I have a great deal of experience with the Border Collie/Lab mix.
(Called either a Borderline Collie, or a Blab, I guess...) My dog the
Noble Allis Chompers is one of these. She gets her mellowness and
tolerance from her Labness, but oh, dang, is she smart, and that comes
from her Border Collie.

Now, I'm not just saying that my dog is smart because practically
everybody likes to brag that their dog is smart. I will never forget
the first day I brought her home from the pound. She trotted around
the perimeter of the house...looking. Then she went inside the house,
and looked out of all of the windows. It took her quite a while, as
this was a huge old Connecticutt farmhouse and there were *dozens*
of windows. She stood on beds. She got up on tables, on dressers,
everything she needed to get up on to establish a direct line of sight
map in her head. She did not stop this task until she had made a
complete 'lap' around the house, and ended up where she began in the
first place. It was eerie, she was really driven map her territory...
but that is her Border Collieness. They are very sharp, and they follow
through.

She does obey my husband's commands, but she will often look over at me
quickly as if to say "Is that OK with you, Alpha?" Once I make it clear
that his will is also my will, she hops to it, whatever it is. As far
as she is concerned, I am the alpha female, and that's that. It's
funny. My husband will invite her to jump up on the bed. "Come on
Allis, C'mon, c'mon up!" He'll be patting the bed the whole time. I
look over at her, make eye contact, and pat the bed *once*, and she's
up. Alpha is Alpha.

These guys are so *easy* to train. Once you establish a routine, they
know it, cold. They, like any dog, will have their own individual
quirks (Allis moos in an agony of longing for a piece of frozen okra)
but they need so little heavy handed managing. (Unless you want to
bathe them!)

As dogs go they are very clean smelling, and not trememendous shedders.

This Brady is good with kids, and like Allis, good with household pets
(the ferrets, the cat, etc.) Allis watches their antics and sometimes
moos in disappointment because I won't let her join in. But I know I
can safely leave the ferrets out of their cage around her. They
basically leave her alone, she basically ignores them.

I gotta tell you, this is a *good* dog, a really good dog for ferret
people. If my circumstances were different, I would take him *myself*.
I am that happy with this particular mix, and really don't want any
other, now that I am spoiled! This Brady will make an outstanding
companion, a dog you will never forget. He won't be *the dog*, he
will be part of your family, as Allis is a part of ours. When I show
up places people are *disappointed* if I don't bring her!

Please think about giving Brady a home. You won't be sorry.

Alexandra in MA

PS Michele did not pay me! This is an unsolicited service announcement
from a border collie/lab lover

[Posted in FML 5498]