One bearded collie dog, 20 months old. His name is Carrot Pilausson and he is the love of my life (currently, and hopefully for another 11-12 years!
).
He hasn't had the easiest time of it, poor little lad. Diagnosed at 9 months old with hip dysplasia he can't manage certain activities: playing with other dogs is always a heart in mouth time for me...if they rugby tackle him and take his hind quarters down, that sets up weeks or months of pain and stiffness - and even just running by himself he sometimes hurts himself if the ground is uneven.
We had months and months of hydrotherapy and daily physio exercises (cunningly disguised as games!) and he intermittently needs pain meds for weeks or months at a time. During the first few months after his diagnosis he was 'grounded'. Lead walks only, but no more than 25 mins at a time - trying to soak up an adolescent beardie's energy with short lead walks and no free runs was tough going. We ended up doing about 6 walks a day.
But he worked hard at his exercises and was a patient little chap and lo, now he gets to do most of what the other dogs do.
He has no concept of his own limitations though *chuckle* He's got all his mum's agility dog bounce, and can levitate sideways up and onto things without seeming to push off from the ground at all. Clever too. Got the collie smarts.
One of the things I love about bearded collies is the way their colour changes and shifts, as they grow up. Starting with vibrant, deep colours and fading to pale, almost ethereal
shades. Then sometimes getting darker again (though never as dark as they were). My previous beardie, Pilau grew to a kind of cappuccino froth colour. In the right light, he could have passed for a ghost *smiles*
Carrot steals socks and toothbrushes, feels it his his duty to inform me of any cats that wander into view of the front window, and digs my newly made bed into a heap, but he's mine and I love him.
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