After a 9 hr round trip to North Wales yesterday, finally got her home last night.

Her name is Nel, and she's just over 2 years old, got her from the same Sheep Farmer that i got Sam from a year ago when he was only 6 weeks old, they are not related though, as the farmer had 2 males and 2 females, he purchased her and paid a lot of money for her apparently, but she won't come to him and won't go near the sheep anymore, he thinks she's been punished for working sheep too hard...........but why would you pay out for a sheepdog and not test it first?  Its a bit like buying a car and not test driving it first isn't it?

I'm wondering if its due to another reason.......will come back to this in a minute.

We went back to the farm to visit last summer and thats when i met Nel, she was up in the hills and wouldn't come down, when the farmer whistled for her she would run down but would stop about 50 ft away and wouldn't come any closer.....thats when he asked me if i wanted her as he said she won't even follow him out into the fields......

I said i'd think about it as needed to sweat talk the Mrs, then i phoned him up to confirm we'll have her, then he said he will hold onto her for a bit longer to see if she comes around as he's paid a lot of money for her, that was nearly a year ago and then on Friday he texted me and told me i can have her!

She is in a really bad state though, her hair is matted, she has clumps of mud/dirt hanging from her coat and she absolutely stinks!

We are going to give her a bath tonight with some doggy shampoo.

The farmer said to me last night that she may smell because he caught her eating a dead sheep!   You ever heard of this?

I'm wondering if this is why he wanted to get rid of her, maybe she is working the sheep fine but a bit too fine, and literally hunting them and killing them!

Here she is:-
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Bless her - give her a couple of weeks, she'll be good as gold, especially with Sam as the head of the household and someone to look up to.

Aw she looks lovely, if a bit dirty! Also got that look in her eye, here comes trouble!  

Quoted from treaclesponge

Aw she looks lovely, if a bit dirty! Also got that look in her eye, here comes trouble!  

Hi Treacle, well spotted mate, the 'eye' is what makes the Border Collie such a fantastic working dog, as their 'eye'/'stare' is referred to as 'hypnotic', they literally hypnotise the sheep and basically scare the sheep sh*tless and thats how they move the sheep with the 'eye'.....

Imagine Mike Tyson walking into the room and giving you that stare and phsycotic twitch that he had and then he tells you to leave the room, you'd be out in a flash!

Gorgeous.

Eating dead sheep is no great shakes... she has to eat something... must be something more deep-rooted stopping her from going with the farmer, in which case she won't have eaten properly "at home". Whatever it was, it's behind her now.

Nice looking dog albeit a bit dirty. Now she's got a new home and is going to be loved you'll soon be able to mold her.

I'm sure she'll come round Sonni, looks lovely

Wouldn't worry too much about the eating dead sheep stuff - it's never done me any harm, although I do prefer it cooked with a dash of mint sauce

Sounds like this little one was the "Black Sheep" of the dogs? - I guess being a working dog, this farmer treats them differently to say you or i?

I have some before and after pictures of our most recent dog, if I can bring myself round to going through them to show you......    

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh   she's lovely!!!
See how she settles down, but it sounds like she may be a bit traumatised....doesn't sound like the farmer looked after her too well???
If you have any behavioural problems I know a really good animal behaviourist....think 'Dog Whisperer' (but more local!)
Charlie Scott - Barham Pet Behaviour Centre 01227 831 051
He is brilliant & has helped me out when I was having a few issues with Robson (actually it turned out it was ME who was causing his behaviour problems....ME?????!  If you do need him, let him know I sent you!!!

Aww bless. I would say keep an eye on her as she's clearly tasted blood. Going from experience here of other dogs and my collie... It can bring a shed load of trouble!

Quoted from BMJBOY

Bless her - give her a couple of weeks, she'll be good as gold, especially with Sam as the head of the household and someone to look up to.

She looks glad to be out of the farm mate and as she was just a broken machine to the farmer (they can be hard barstewards when it comes to livestock or working animals) she will get a 100% better life with you, she will just have to learn how to behave in your "pack"
As for Bens statement above, like most women he may think he's in charge, but she will have him wrapped around her little claw in days  

hi guys, this is her about 16 months ago, was shown/emailed the photos by the farmer when i collected sam 12 months ago.

Nel (my new dog) is the one on the far left of each photo and the one in the middle on the last photo:- (she didn't look very happy with things back then!)
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