Different Strokes…..
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Yes, eeeefarm we do have sheep (mainly Beulah Speckle Face) but because we only have under 200 we don't keep more than one BC nowadays. Although she is not a youngster she is still not trained as well as we would like. Probably because she was 14 months when we had her. She is a bit strong for our flock but she learns daily. My OH used to also compete in trials with one of our previous dogs but not evry BC is ideal for that and Fern certainly is not.
I agree that Border Collies are a lovely breed but there is never anything but a Basenji for me ( not that I let Fern know! - she thinks she might be a Basenji any how!).
Not quite true that a Basenji is useless on a farm. In the past we have used them to help with the rounding up but these were ones who were reliable with sheep. This is not a trait that has been inherited in any of our current Basenjis.
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I met a woman at the ASFA II in Lexington KY many years ago and she owned a Standard Poodle that hunted. I almost did not recognize the dog as a Poodle because the coat was different than what I was used to seeing in the ring!
Jennifer
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I took Digital and Jet out for a herding test once many years ago. Diggie showed quite a bit of interest in that new game. It would have been fun to see how far I could have gotten in training with him. Diggie has always been marvellously talented with anything asked of him. He will also do a slow border collie stalk of the goats next door. I shroud try to film that sometimes although he now does it less than he used to
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None of my Basenjis have shown herding instinct, but to be fair they haven't had a lot of opportunity. Perry is interested in the horses and loves to greet them (and steal their carrots, if he can!), but they are a little big for a small dog. They were even a challenge to my Border Collie, but when all else failed he would get them moving by a nip at their noses. He was well aware the back end was dangerous! I have a picture in my mind (didn't have the camera with me) of him flying through the air snapping at my gelding's nose when the horse had been ignoring him…..
On the subject of temperament, and my recollection that my earlier dogs were if anything better than today's........I had lunch with my niece today and asked her if she had the same memory as I did of my earlier Basenjis. She remembers a very tolerant Lady, who put up with a great deal from her and her sister when they were young. This was back in the seventies. There was never any worry that Lady would bite a child. When the kids were young she put up with everything, including physical abuse, without a murmur. (I once caught the two sisters fighting over the dog, each pulling on the opposite end, literally trying to pull her apart!) When they were older and they got out of line, she would warn them, but it never went further than that. Never a problem with adult guests either, although she would help herself to their beverages if they weren't looking. :)
