Early Years

We still run together although for me it is a struggle. One of his favourite outdoor games is racing me in the woods.
He has learned alternative paths and he goes one way and I go the other. Usually I find him sitting waiting where the paths join. As old joints (mine) slowed me down more he was beating me easily, so one day I made him sit while I got a 30 metre start. That did it! Now it was a real game and the next day without prompting by me he sat down at the same place and waited until I said "go". He thrashed me!

The very next time, without a word from me, HE increased the start to about 40 metres and still thrashed me. Within a week the cheeky dog had stretched my start to 60 metres and still just won. A year later and still this endless game goes on, no matter whether I am jogging or walking with my wife. He suddenly stops walking and stands motionless while I get sufficiently far ahead. If he thinks he has overdone it I see him creeping along until it is right. Sometimes the race is a bit close and he races past the junction of the paths with a cheeky sideways glance like a winning 100 metre Olympic sprinter.
His intelligence is such that he now thinks of other situations where he can take an alternative route to me. He looks at me as if to say "What about a race?" I just say "OK!" and he suddenly takes off at high speed through the trees and bracken expecting me to sprint along the other route. Then he appears ahead of me looking smug. He loves it.

Telfer's country jogs are possibly his favourite pastime, and each one becomes a constant game of dropping behind me to investigate an interesting smell and then racing past to his proper position, with the occasional distraction to chase a rabbit or squirrel. The main problem is his lovely long flowing coat, as his legs and undersides get so wet and dirty from the muddy paths.

On his 4th Birthday

Like most dogs he loves chasing and finding things. Although we always run in an endless variety of 3 to 4 mile circles he seems to know when we are on the return part, and begins to grab sticks or fir cones and taunts me to catch him.

Meanwhile his home companion, Zippy, is now an old cat of 16 (2003) but still capable of setting up a "chase me" game with his big pal. Being half Siamese he has the Siamese howl which upsets Telfer no end. Telfer seems to be able to anticipate it and tries to get close to one of us for protection.

Zippy at 16

The kitchen door has a cat flap which Zippy dashes through during their games. Telfer can just get his muzzle through the cat flap and enjoys peeping through as it gives his long nose access to the scents of the outside world. It also comes in handy as his "doorbell" when he wants to come in from the garden.

Like many pets Telfer soon learned to put as much distance as possible between himself and the scene of any "incidents" which either of the pair were involved in. However sometimes it does not work!

A loud sound of breaking plastic and wood from the kitchen turned out not to be burglars but Telfer chasing Zippy, who dashed through the cat flap. This time Telfer went too far!

"Please take it off" !

As you can imagine Telfer is now very obedient. Most of the time we don't need to command him, we just talk to him using the vital words which he knows.

It takes some time on our part to devote attention to him but the response is worth it. He learns words so fast that I talk to him on his walks at the time he does things and within days he knows ( or rather associates) what I say. I can say "Go and wash your feet" and he will instantly go in to the nearest stream or pool and paddle around.
In a narrow lane I can say "Car" and he instantly gets off the road and sits down, or if we are jogging he slows down and comes into a "heel" position trotting alongside me.
Coming to a junction of footpaths on the edge of the woods the words "We'll go across the fields today" causes him to turn onto a path which leads across an open field.

So his remarkable knowledge increases month after month. At home when we say " I think it's bedtime" he instantly gets up from his sleep on the floor and walks to the outside door to be let out for his last "call of nature" of the day.

We only decided on a Border Collie because I am retired but still very active and can find the time for regular walks of over 3 miles on most days. Of course on occasions he does have to be left on his own, but for only a couple of hours or so. If necessity demands more then we arrange for someone to have him, which is an essential consideration when deciding to have a dog. The same problem occurs at holiday times. We are lucky in having a very competent "dog boarder" friend nearby.

Chris loves having him and Telfer loves visiting Chris (but hates it when we leave him). When we visit her by car he now gets excited at the sound of the car's indicator at a vital junction ( 3 turnings before we are there!!).

As you will guess Telfer lives in the house not outside in a kennel. He is a "pet".

His favourite toy in home is a tennis ball, particularly catching one. A popular game is "Throw". Telfer takes his ball to the top of the stairs and "throws" it down....bump...bump...bump.. we hear. He is hoping someone will respond and throw the ball back up to him so he can repeat the exercise.