My Pet: Rose the Workaholic Border Collie
Jon Katz is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books and a guest contributor to Wag Reflex. Order Jon's newest book, Izzy & Lenore, Two Dogs, An Unexpected Journey, and Me, available now.
Introduction: Meet Rose, a six-year-old workaholic border collie who lives on my farm, Bedlam Farm, in upstate New York and helps me live my life. I wrote about Rose in my books and on my blog, http://blog.bedlamfarm.com/, doesn't care to be petted or cuddled. She lives to work. She herds sheep, rounds up runaway donkeys, makes goats behave, covers my back. I cannot imagine life on this farm without this ferociously work-obsessed creature. I imagine that late at night, she puts on her spectacles and chairs a meeting of the dogs and goes over the day's activities. She cannot be distracted or deterred, and she never ever lets me down. Rose is in the glorious tradition of dogs in service to people, something dating back many thousands of years.
Home: Salem, NY
Breed: Border Collie
Personality: Determined, focused, a bit humorless, vulnerable. Crazy sometimes, as when she tries to herd big snow plow trucks. Loyal, and absolutely dependable.
Age: Six years.
Likes: Work, especially going out to get the sheep.
Dislikes: People who say "awwww, cute puppy," and anything that takes her away from work.
Favorite Food: Doesn't eat much.
Trivia: She was kicked once by one of my donkeys and every day she rushes into the pasture and nips the donkey in the butt.
--Jon Katz, Bedlam Farm
Brenda on September 25, 2008 at 04:47 PM
What a beautiful tribute to an obviously appreciated girl. :) Glad to have read her story.
LadyNAava on September 25, 2008 at 09:16 PM
I would bite the donkey in the butt too. =-) That is a great story. I'm going to read it to my elderly mom who loves animal stories. You should write a book. I'd buy it.
Don in AZ on September 26, 2008 at 05:04 PM
Border collies are wonderful.
Second only to Shelties! :-)
Steevo on September 26, 2008 at 05:18 PM
Well its a great story and it make you wonder why?
Helen on September 26, 2008 at 06:09 PM
Great story, that part about not caring to be "petted or cuddled," I really like that. I need a dog like that. Does Rose have pups she's training?
Also this, you wrote in haste, "I wrote about Rose in my books and on my blog, http://blog.bedlamfarm.com/, doesn't care to be petted or cuddled." It should've been this: "I wrote about Rose in my books and on my blog, http://blog.bedlamfarm.com/; she doesn't care to be petted or cuddled." The absence of the subject briefly made me wonder if your blog can be "petted or cuddled."
Laura on September 26, 2008 at 07:59 PM
Determined, focused, a bit humorless, vulnerable, and crazy sums up my 2 year old border collie, Ozzie. I am happy to report that he does humor me by allowing a cuddle or two. If cuddling means bouncing on your lap and bonking you in the head. He eats like a bird too.
I love the breed but cannot stress enough that they need work or to be walked EVERYDAY for at least an hour. If not, their intelligence forces them to create "work" and it may not bear good results.
Carlos on September 26, 2008 at 08:00 PM
Our late and much-missed Jack Russell terrier never approved of border collies. "They're not half as smart as they think they are," he'd often say.
njoriole on September 26, 2008 at 08:36 PM
Cool dog!
Jeff B on September 26, 2008 at 08:54 PM
My Australian Kelpie is also a working dog, and shares the same attributes your dog has... wants to work, loves to work, hates it when she can't work, and will "settle" for tracking work if there's no herding to be done.
Ain't dogs great?
-- JRB
Kurt on September 26, 2008 at 09:53 PM
My Border Collie is a rescue from a shelter in California ranching country. I believe he was turned in to the shelter because he wasn't of much use to the ranchers. He seems to possess no herding instinct and is at the low end of the Border Collie energy spectrum. But a sweeter dog you will never find. He loves to be petted and loved, and he loves getting praise and treats for responding to the few commands he has learned. Thinking he might possess a herding instinct, I purchased a large, purple Jolly Ball for him to push around, but whenever I try to teach him how to play with it, he is always more interested in hanging out near me than he is in playing with the ball.
Kurt on September 26, 2008 at 09:53 PM
My Border Collie is a rescue from a shelter in California ranching country. I believe he was turned in to the shelter because he wasn't of much use to the ranchers. He seems to possess no herding instinct and is at the low end of the Border Collie energy spectrum. But a sweeter dog you will never find. He loves to be petted and loved, and he loves getting praise and treats for responding to the few commands he has learned. Thinking he might possess a herding instinct, I purchased a large, purple Jolly Ball for him to push around, but whenever I try to teach him how to play with it, he is always more interested in hanging out near me than he is in playing with the ball.
Julie on September 27, 2008 at 01:38 AM
My 1/2 border collie 1/2 sheltie is 9 and has become a lazy house dog. She still loves walks, but is most content lying on the floor in the middle of wherever the family is. Great guard dog, but not good in the park since she wants to herd everything that moves.
Maggie45 on September 27, 2008 at 01:49 AM
Mr Katz, I've been reading your blog for a while now, and I have to say I can hardly get enough of it. I thank you so much for the pleasure you bring to us. It touches my heart in a special way.
Fred on October 02, 2008 at 05:37 PM
I once owned a dog with exactly Rose's coloring but about half her size. Smartest, most loyal dog I ever owned. We didn't have sheep but she was a natural herder. Unlike your Rose, she was an affectionate little thing and I still miss her 25 years later.
molly dog on October 16, 2008 at 07:24 PM
My border collie is orange and white....anyone have a name for those types? She is so awesome!! I cannot believe the intelligence:)
jess on May 23, 2009 at 09:28 AM
I also have an orange and white one..they are called australian reds...beautiful dogs!
Angela on November 16, 2009 at 03:11 PM
I laughed out loud when I read the part about Rose nipping the donkey on the butt! I have a B.C. mix, Jake, and he does the same thing - once the Evil Cat from across the street showed up on the retaining wall at the top of my driveway, and now every time I let him out he rushes right over there and barks, just in case.
Jake has a blog, too, if you're interested:
http://jacobziggymarley.wordpress.com