There’s a new kid on the block! His name is Blue and he’s a 17-month-old smooth collie. His first placement didn’t work out and the breeder had to take him back, and since he needed a home where he could get lots of individual attention to help him get up to a healthy weight and we needed a companion for Echo it worked out perfectly for everyone!
“Sheep? These are called sheep?? Something in my brain says I am supposed to boss them around!”
He is more people-focused and less sheep-focused than Watcher was so far, but he’s still very keen on telling the sheep what to do when he notices them running or when I’m moving them in or out of the barn. They are not, as of yet, quite as keen on this new dog barking at them.
“Maybe if I bark from this corner of the yard they’ll listen?”
“What’s the point of being a collie if they won’t let you chase sheep?”
Blue is young enough that without sheep to chase, he will chase toys or play tug-of-war or just run in big circles all by himself when he gets excited.
“Won’t you play with me?”
Echo is more than happy to leave all that work to the youngster.
“What’s the point of being a collie if you can’t lay around on soft beds being petted and admired at all times?”
Echo did not cope well with losing Watcher, and even though Blue can be a little too rambunctious for him at times, Echo has been so much more active and engaged with him here. He’s actually awake and paying attention to things and wanting to be petted again, instead of alternating between anxious pacing and depressed lethargy the way he was.
They don’t like to be separated even by being in different rooms, and were comfortable and relaxed enough around each other that they took a nap cuddled together by Blue’s second full day here.
“Zzzz…”
I think they’re pretty good friends already.
A new dog can never be a true replacement for one who’s gone, but each one brings something new that’s all their own, and having Blue here does make the farm seem much less empty and silent.