The Beginning

What's the matter. Do I smell?

Barney is a Collie X Lurcher, born in November 1997, and it is now almost certain he was fathered by a Bedlington\Greyhound Lurcher to a Collie or CollieX; and now he is approaching 3 years old I have just discovered he has a brother that looks the typical Bedlington/Greyhound Lurcher. A close examination of Barney will reveal several single long grey hairs. When he was 18 months old, we met someone who lives near where he was bred, and he said his dog, which was almost identical to Barney, except it was larger and brown, had the same father. His first six months were spent living outside, probably with his mother. He went to a home where he was shut out to roam in the daytime, but quickly found himself another full of stray cats, probably as a result of chasing one. Three months later he had a young pup for company, but circumstances demanded a home with someone who could offer him more time. So he came to me at 10 months old, this being his fourth home. Because of this unsettled past I decided he was stuck with his unsuitable name, the less change now, the better.

My First Photograph

His only experience of travelling in cars was a 5-mile trip in a taxi, when he was taken to the vet to be neutered. He had to be taken twice, and the travelling had made him sick. He was so terrified the second time, he lost control of his bowels while sat on his owners knee. I was told of this when I went to collect him. We had to physically put him in my small van I use to bring him home, and at the time I wished I was not alone, having someone to comfort him on the short ride across town. He was also terrified of being near the road, probably the result of running in front of a car while out roaming at his second home. I walked him along a footpath close to my house to the nearby park, where one of the paths runs parallel to the road, which is screened by a high hedge and a row of trees. After only a few days he quickly overcame his fear of traffic; unfortunately he also lost any road sense he may have learned. There is now the danger of him being run over if he chases a cat into the road. This has already happened several times, and constant vigilance is required.

Playing In The Sea

The first weeks here were very difficult. He could not travel in a car or be walked on a road, nor could he be left in the house because of separation anxiety. Fear of being locked out meant he would not go outside without a struggle. He was house-trained and would wait to toilet outside, but I had to physically push him through the door. I tried tempting him outside with food, but it was several weeks before he had gained enough confidence to know he would be let back inside.

Among The Buttercups

He appeared to be stubbornly disobedient in the house, but was well behaved once in the park. This may have been because he had never been treated as a dog while inside. Living in a house full of cats for four months taught him to act like them, either by copying them, or being treated like them by his human companions. I did not realise this at the time, but at least had the knowledge not to try to force or punish him. It took about three months to teach him how to behave inside, something he now excels at.

The Wet Look

At the end of the first week I arranged for someone to stay with him while I went shopping, as leaving or taking him was not an option. He had been neutered, but had not been vaccinated and I had five days to overcome his fear of travelling before taking him to the vet. I coaxed him into the van without going anywhere for a couple of days, giving him titbits and playing with him to make it a nice place to be, before going for a short drive to take him for a walk along a local footpath. On returning to the van, it took half an hour to coax him back inside to come home.