A to Z challenge, day 2, Border Collie.

B is for Border Collie.

Well it had to be, didn't it? Have you met loopy Lu aka Ludo?

                              

Yes, my baby. He's a Blue Merle Border Collie. He isn't the first Border Collie I've had either. In fact, I've been lucky enough to have several pure and not so pure collies and all of them have been awesome. So, I am a huge fan of this breed. Believe it or not, my lovely little De man (pictured below) is one of my not so pure Collies. His Collie side is very deep, when it comes to looks; however, the intelligence he has in buckets.

                               

So, what can I tell you about Ludo? Well, he is two and a half years old and has been a part of my family since he was the ity bitty ball of fluff pictured below. He was a present from my husband for completing and getting my first novel published.

 We'd hoped that he could also be trained to help me with a few jobs, around the home, that I can no longer do myself due to my disability; however, his mischievous streak and my softness meant we didn't succeed too well with the service dog training. This isn't to say he can't do the things I ask, because he can. Like all Border Collies, he is very intelligent. His mischievousness just gets in the way. For example, Ludo will help me unload the washing machine, pulling out all the clothes like a good boy for me and dropping them in the basket. The problem is, once they are out, Ludo will get this cheeky glint in his eye and ram them all back in, double quick. The miscreant!

 He'll also pick things up for me; but, when it comes to handing them over, he'll lay them down, keeping his nose close, and the instant you try to take it, he snatches it away and parades around the room with glee. Would I change him? No! Not in a million years, because he gives me something better than a helping paw, he gives me joy and keeps me smiling and that is better than anything else. 

                             

Ludo loves speed, too and does pretty much everything at a hundred miles an hour. He also loves people and is incredibly affectionate with everyone. If you ever meet Ludo, you'll need to be firm, because, if you're not, he'll jump all over you and his front legs and paws fly around like deadly missiles, putting you at risk of getting a black eye. :) Doggy people get that Loop's not trying to be mean, but the non doggy people can get a little irritated. So, whichever you are, if you ever meet Lu, just try to remember that he shows his love for everyone the same way he does everything; with great enthusiasm and excitement. At least he no longer gets so excited that he wets himself. That was a huge problem when he was a pup.

Ludo could probably be a lot better behaved if I was tougher, but he's so pretty and sweet, I struggle to chastise him and frequently give into his antics. He does know how to be calm and gentle though. If you watch him with my son, you'll see how brilliant he is in these respects. They're the best of friends and a prime example of that old saying, "Every boy needs a dog."

So, let's learn more about the Border Collie: