I have owned collies since 1972, when after careful research, I discovered that this breed possesses qualities with which I felt most comfortable.

For those who have not experienced this breed, I urge you to go to the "collie" section at the "American Kennel Club's" website at www.akc.org where a history of the collie is provided as well as the "breed standard" which is a description of the perfect collie, to be used by judges at dog shows.

Collies make excellent companions. In general, this breed is very social with humans, dogs and most other animal domestic animals. I have never met a mean collie. Not only do they tolerate sharing their lives with us humans (including the occasional tail tugging by toddlers), but they really want to be nearby to observe and monitor their human family. This is understandable, as collies were bred to be herding dogs and farm sentinels. I have never been able to teach one of my collies to tell time, yet they make the best watch-dogs! They sleep lightly and upon hearing or smelling anything unusual, will give voice as warning or go directly to the person in charge. (Thanks, Lassie, I'm glad you TOLD me that the dark-suited man was from the I.R.S. !)

On the other hand, you will never have to worry about the liability of a collie "crossing the line". These dogs sound the alarm, but to not rise to the battle-cry.

Although our domesticated dogs "know where their bread is buttered", and solicitously wag their tails at our worst jokes, collies are more likely to be "canine free thinkers" and may even be quicker at the punchline!

Collies are an intellegent breed, but being smart is not the same as being blindly obedient. They will size up a situation and act accordingly. Collies seem almost psychic in these abilities. I do think that collies may be considered somewhat lazy in the obedience arena- and this is because of their ability to make their own decision. I give you this example:

Danging my car keys and dressed for work on Thursday morning, I may command my collies to go outside and they all slink through the door. On Saturday morning, dressed in play clothes and in between trying to feed and dress the keds, I again order my collies to go outside.

This time, they look up from their different areas of the floor and watch me, without moving. I stamp my foot and point to the open door at the same time that I stamp my foot and implore my son not to toss his breakfast on the floor. They dogs look-on, perhaps slightly anxiously. They realize that the routine is more likely to be lax on this day, than on a day that I must be at the office. They also understand that part of my energies are invested in feeding these children.

True, they DO know what "GO OUT!" means, and they almost feel bad that their decision has been made instead to maintain their positions and hope that my son's food will end up on the floor where it rightfully becomes their property (another rule scripted by dogs). They don't want to be accused of misbehaving, but clearly, they see a greater benefit in ignoring my orders and remaining in the house, near the children.