Hi Sue,

 

Blessings of the season to you and your family!  We hope your holidays are good.

 

We are going to Texas to visit our son and daughter-in-law.  Megs will go into the kennel (her first trip was last month) and it seems she likes it quite a bit.  She is so friendly to everyone and they respond back.  This kennel also has a big play area and they let the dogs have playtime everyday but Sunday (Sunday, the dogs only get indiv. walks).  Amazing place, so I guess, it's no wonder she loves it.

 

I wanted to let you know how wonderful this dog is.  She continues to be a huge hit and oddity down here in Florida, however most people know what kind of breed she is.   Everyone wants to pet her and she either sits nicely or prances to let her fur show off at it's best!  We finally had her clipped after letting her fur grow in. The groomer did an excellent job; just a light trim to keep her manageable and yet show off her beautiful coat. She loves to roll around and dig in the sand/dirt, however she does not like being dirty.  She will go into the tub readily and almost gleefully to get clean!

 

We wanted to get a dog after the loss of our daughter because we thought it would help fill the void.  Well, she has definitely made a difference!  The dog was primarily for me because I was having such a difficult time, however Brian fell head -over -heels for her and they are a pair to see!  He loves having her sleep beside him when he his working (he works from home) or laying outside the work shed while he putters.  She is noisy and has to check everything out especially new things brought into the house!  You pegged her right, as a puppy, when you said she would be one who wants to be by us.  She does most of the time, however has plenty of times where she wants to venture outside away from us and just enjoy the outdoors.  Because the weather is so nice most of the year, we leave the doors open all through the house and she loves that.  She can go out on front screened porch and lay out there or watch (and moan, bark and cry) as other dogs or people go by. She can walk all through the house going out one door and in another after checking out her territory.  Being in Florida, we have little lizards and she LOVES them!  She pounces and chases; she checks everyday (many times) they areas she knows they love to congregate.

 

Our yard is like a maze to her.  We had a mess of a yard when we moved in here and have been planting.  We were a little concerned that she might not have enough room to run; not so!   She views it as an obstacle course and runs "hell bent for leather" around and through the plantings.  It is absolutely wonderful and fun to watch.  We also take her to the dog park so she can run and run and run.  She hasn't met a dog she didn't like, although there are a few who don't care for her. 

 

She is so amazing because she is loving and fun, funny and so smart.  We had virtually no problems "potty" training her. She was a very quick study.  She is still a jumper, however even that has decreased.  I did the one thing I said I wouldn't do ( and never let any other dog do) and that is get on the bed.  Ironically, she jumps up whenever we are getting ready for bed, licks us and gets some pats and then she jumps down to sleep elsewhere.  She will jump back up in the morning when she hears us stirring and actually stays longer for a more rubbing and loving.  She does not get on any other piece of furniture.  I am amazed and she knows not even to try!

 

So much for you to read and the bottom line is: we love her madly and couldn't be happier.  I would readily buy another if we had more space (our house small and yard perfect for one 65 lb dog).  Oh, that reminds me.  We also were hoping for a sheepdog on the smaller size (since all our other were > 100 lbs) and she is perfect at 65 lbs.  She is smaller than the majority of dogs at the dog park (height wise). The labs, Shepard's and others are a bit bigger than she; that is part of her charm!

 

We are so please we have one of your dogs!  She has been, BY FAR, the best of all the 7 dogs we have had and has the best of all of their good traits. 

 

Carolyn and Brian Dixon