[in the hills]

So you grew up with collies Jaykay ..... well I shall consider you the font of all collie knowledge. 


My daughter is 11 and adores her and Meg seems to love her back. She is a very quiet girl and is very sensitive to animals and yet deals in a really practical and confident way with them ..... wants to be a farm vet. It is her furry boots that Meg is sleeping on. We talked a lot as a family about collies and there needs and she is trying so hard to do everything right. Bless her .... hope Meg grows up to be her best friend. Alf is her brothers best play mate .... proper boy's dog ... boisterous and up for any stupid behaviour that's going 

[jaykay]

Meg and your daughter sound made for each other 

I have confided in our various collies all through my childhood - they heard all my plans, boyfriend worries etc.
Still now, if I am stressed and need comforting, to bury my face in my dog's thick coat instantly calms me down 

Yes, i've lived with collies all my life. I wouldn't count me as the font of all knowledge but I do get on with them well - we seem to know how each other ticks somehow.

Edited cos I can't spell!

[in the hills]

Thank you to all those who suggested using a crate  . Must admit, I wasn't that keen but thought I would give it a go ...... know all you folks are brill!!!! Thought at least she would be safe from being bounded on by Alf in the mornings 


Meg cried on night 1 and wee and poo in her crate  .  Night 2 and 3, just a sad whimper but settled quickly and only a small wee on both mornings. The last 4 nights, she has got down in her crate straight away after her last trip outside, no crying and clean and dry in the mornings  . She is having one or two wee accidents each day ...... when the children are supervising    but that is all.
So pleased with her ..... only just over 8 wks now.


In the day, she is taking herself into her crate to sleep and seems quite content in there.


 

[doganjo]

Brilliant, well done you!

[Mammyshaz]

That's great news  remember to crate her during the day when you are around too. Give her a nice chewy treat in her crate and once she has finished it you can let her back out. This associates the crate with nice treat times as well as bedtime. It also stops her being clingy around people, teaching her to settle in her own space when people are around and not attached to people's legs. Makes for a more confident dog.

[in the hills]

Thanks Mammyshaz, I'll do that.  She "collects" things to take in there ..... like her empty bowl.  She's asleep in there now. Later on I'll pop her in with a bit of plain biscuit.

[goosepimple]

Lovely long legs, very pretty, good luck with her   

[norfolk newbies]

Hi ITH
How old is your flattie?
Ours is now 5, met my brothers collie pup when he was 4 and she was about 5 months and still very nippy. He doesn't bark or growl and whenever she played around his face he just sat still and moved his head a bit....but no real playing at that time, although in retrospect we did reign him in a bit due to the size difference, and worry if he did get a bit exuberant. Both are older now and still dont actually 'play' together (brother and collie spent Christmas with us and dogs settled into routine inc snuggling after a couple of days).
 
I am not sure if it is his  age (Flattie not my brother)  although, as you know, FCR not well known for 'aging'), or because we urged restraint in the past, but it make me wonder if he would enjoy another dog to hang out with at home.
 
We would like to get another dog now we are out of the caravan. FCR puppy would be preferable, as they are so fab, but funds not up to that so we are considering a rescue dog...not sure if that is a good idea either?? 
 
Meg looks like a darling. My 11 year old DD would love her also!
Jo

[in the hills]

Hi Jo.  Our Flattie is 7 but as you know they are forever pups. We knew that he would enjoy the company of other dogs because he loves my fathers labs when he comes here to stay and also a neighbours lab that I look after here .... and any other dog that he meets  .


Alf has been really good with Meg. They wrestle for long periods .... he lies down and mouths her while Meg jumps all over him! He gives a low warning growl if she gets too rough but only as her mum might do. They sleep together in the utility room at night but Meg is crated at the moment .... for training as people on here advised and also thought Alf might accidentally land on her in the mornings as he is a little lively then .


In general Flatties enjoy the company of other dogs but I suppose there are exceptions.


I don't know how much Flatties go for now .... lost touch with that a bit.  I love them and we thought about having a Flattie bitch but the incidence of cancer in the breed has put us off.


Do you mean a rescue Flattie? We enquired at the Flattie rescue before buying Alf because we liked the idea of helping a Flat. We were told that we would not be suitable as we had young children ( youngest 3 at the time) and that most of the rescues tended to be young unruly males that would be too boisterous around young children and difficult to handle in a family situation. I don't know what your lad is like but I did understand their point because although I love them they can be a handful.  Might be different if your children are older.


Let us know how you get on. 

[downsized]

Aw she's gorgeous, tricolour collie.......better not let my son see that, he's always wanted one.

[in the hills]

Thanks DS.  She is very sweet when she's asleep  .


My children have wanted a collie for a couple of years but held off until they were a bit older because not sure how good they would be with younger children. OH grew up with a collie X but they are new to me.


She is a real live wire now and grown so much in 2 weeks. Hard to believe. Good job when she's had her last injection because she'll be too big to carry around soon ..... having to take her to the village and school  in my arms as we don't see many people or cars where we are.

[Mammyshaz]

So what did Meg think of this snow? ( presuming you also had some    ). And where are the piccies of her in it?    

[in the hills]

We have snow now Mammyshaz    Plenty of it.


Meg wasn't sure at first but has the hang of it now ...... led by the nutty Flat-coat.


Did you know Flatties can roll their own snowballs .... by reversing and shovelling with their front legs as they go? They then deliver them to hand and if you are daft enough to throw them, they search the whole garden to return the same lump of frozen stuff back to hand  . Okay for the first ten minutes.


The collie actually prefers the log burner, radiator or any other heat source. Perhaps she'll get hardier or maybe she's just smarter than the Flat. 

[Mammyshaz]

  sounds like you have a couple of bright sprks there ( and they've got their owner trained well  )
I love the expressions of puppies when they first meet snow 

So where are your piccies? 

I'll try to put one on of our two  tomorrow, It's not straight forward with an iPad  and they are nowhere near as cute as meg