.png)
Did my title draw you in? I hope so!
It may seem like a really odd thing to blog about, but hear me out, all will be revealed.
A google search for information about Border Collies came up with these descriptions:
Unlimited energy, stamina, and working drive.
Very demanding, playful, and energetic.
Due to their demanding personalities and need for mental stimulation and exercise, many Border Collies develop problematic behaviours in households that are not able to provide for their needs.
A working collie may run many miles a day, using its experience, personality and intelligence to control challenging livestock, and these dogs will be distressed and frustrated if left in isolation, ignored or inactive.
As a Border Collie pet owner you must understand that it’s a hyperactive breed, therefore they always have a need to do something and you cannot keep them quiet for long without engaging them in some sort of physical activity. That is why it is better to keep their mind continually stimulated.
Having a dog at home doing nothing and sitting all day long is an invitation to serious trouble, because if a dog does not have a purpose, or not able to engage his mind in some activity, he will become irritable and frustrated.
So, what's with the information about Border Collies? And why do I think I might be a dog??
Well, let me share a little insight with you all that has rocked my world. Given the above information, I think I might actually be a Border Collie. To reiterate:
Has energy, stamina, working drive; is demanding, playful, energetic; has a demanding personality and need for mental stimulation; always has a need to do something; cannot keep them quiet for long (HA!)
Sounds pretty accurate.
So here's the kicker. This is why this is so earth shattering for me.
None of the descriptors in the above paragraph are inherently bad.
So if none of the behaviours that are intrinsic to a Border Collie are inherently bad, then problems arise only when one does not understand the requirements of the breed and does not adequately provide for them.
",,,if it does not have a purpose or isn't able to engage it's mind it will become irritable and frustrated."
".. will be distressed and frustrated if left in isolation, ignored or inactive."
Not 'these dogs are assholes if they don't get their way', or 'they are totally neurotic and batshit crazy'.
NO. When their needs aren't getting met, they will develop problematic behaviours.
Let that sink in for a moment.
Why is it that somehow we as humans struggle with this? Why do I struggle with this?
Being a high energy, creative, playful, demanding and driven dog is not bad. It is what it is and no amount of training will train those inherent qualities out. What training will do is allow the dog to shine to it's fullest potential. A trained Border Collie is a tremendous tool and asset to its owner as well as a loyal, loving and content companion.
So my leap is that if the above is true, then being a high energy, creative, playful, demanding and driven human is not bad either. If I am currently behaving like an out of control, untrained Border Collie - all energy and intelligence and a desire to please, but no idea how to channel what I can do, then maybe the problem is not something inherent in me. Maybe the problems are arising because I have not adequately understood my own needs and provided for them.
Maybe what I need is to accept what is inherent, work with it, and train myself so that my natural abilities will become an asset and allow me to shine to my fullest potential too.
Woof.