Five months old today!

Well, it might be the last day of 2007, but today is also my five month birthday, so as a special treat mum and dad and my kids took me to a new park to play.

There is a small river that runs through it and mum said I would be able to swim in it, but when we got there mum was a spoil-sport and said definitely no swimming as the water was too dirty (probably because it is summer and has been very hot).

I was not impressed, it was a hot day and I really wanted to go for a swim, I don't care if the water was dirty! But at least Mum bought the chucka and I got to chase my tennis ball.





Then dad threw the ball with the chucka and the ball bounced off a tree and into the river. But my dad's a good dad, he got the ball out for me (of course, I could have got it myself, but they wouldn't let me go in the water!)

So I got to chase my ball again for a while, but then...

Somehow my ball rolled over the edge of the steep part of the river bank and ended up back in the water.

I knew that I could get it if they just let me!



Dad said that it was too far down and that we had to say goodbye to that ball.



Mum said nevermind, that was why she bought extra tennis balls with us, but I really, really, really wanted the purple and green one that was in the water, not a poor substitute red and green one!


My dad knew how much I wanted that ball so he tried to get it out for me. He tried lots of different things to catch that ball.




You can see the big branch that he tried to fish the ball out with.


It took a long time, so mum took me for a walk up the river. I still really wanted that ball. Us Border Collies don't forget things or give up easy you know.




Then Dad called us back because, after about 20 minutes of trying, he had finally caught the ball!


But the thing is, I didn't actually *want* the ball, what I really wanted was to go into the river myself to fetch it!



So I carried it back to the river bank...


And rolled it over the edge, just like I do in the pool when I want to go for a swim...


Mum and dad said I was a little monster and that it could stay there now.


Bye bye ball, it was fun while it lasted, I'll miss you!

Woofs

Taj.

I can count to three (videos and photos)

We didn't do much today (Mum says they are all still recovering from the lead up to Christmas). I did get to go for a swim with everyone (I'm always the first one in the pool nowdays), but we spent a lot of itme inside sleeping today...that was until I decided that mum had to take me outside to play ball, us Border COllies just can't sit around all day without doing anything.

I learnt to count to three when I was a baby, but just before Christmas Mum taught me a new game when we are playing ball. I have to watch her arm and when she gives me the signal I have to turn away, move away from her, turn back and then lay down and I am not supposed to move until mum says my release word which is 'ok'. Then when mum throws the ball, I am not allowed to run and get the ball until she counts to 'three'.

Heres a couple of videos of me palying the 'away' game. The second video is a blooper, I am sure mum said 'three' not 'twelve'!







And because Mum just can't help herself with that stupid camera, here's some photo's that she took while making me wait for the ball.

If I watch realllllly closely, sometimes I can tell which direction the ball will go before mum even throws it for me.


Did you know that Border Collies crouch because it helps our legs launch us like rockets!


If I make my self into a Border Collie pancake maybe she will throw the damn ball!



Mum loves this photo, she says I look very regal and dignified and this is one she is
probably going to do a painting of.

To be honest, I was just wondering if it was dinner time.

Woofs for now!

Taj

My Big Sister

You might be wondering why I have so many photos of me on my blog and not many of my big sister Tia...well thats because Tia dosn't like having her photo taken very much. Mum says its difficult to get good photos of Tia because of her wrinkles and black fur (Tia is a Chinese Shar-Pei - you know the dogs with lots of wrinkles?)

Well today Mum was able to get a few photos of Tia that don't make her look like a bizarre wrinkled blur.

In this photo, Tia is telling mum to rack off with that camera!

Then mum got this one while Tia was looking through the fence at someone on the street.

Three seconds later Tia started with the hippopotamus face which means that she is done with having her photo taken.

Meanwhile, the kids and I went for a swim (Tia hates water and refuses to be outside when we are swimming, silly girl, its so much fun!).

I wait my turn and make sure I am careful not to dive into the pool when the kids are in the way.

Lucky I have a sense of humour and don't really mind mum posting my less elegant photos, like this one of my bellyflop.

Tia makes herself cool by turning herself into a Shar-Pei pancake and then
falling asleep (which is why mum was able to take this photo).


I guess I should explain that there is actually one more very good reason
why there are not that many photos of Tia on this blog.

This is the reason.

The puparazzi belongs to me!

Beach Boy!

I'm such a lucky dog, mum and dad decided to take me and the kids to the beach for some fun! As soon as we parked the car, I remembered it from last week with Aunty Kim and my cousin Smudge.

I had to wait for mum to get my tennis balls and chucka out of the bag.

Didn't you know that Border Collies are better retrievers than Labs and Goldens?"

"I have to bring it back and drop it at mum's feet otherwise she won't chuck it again".

"Ha Ha this is so much fun!!!"

"You gotta keep one eye on those waves, otherwise they sneak up on you and pour over your head!"

"My mum and dad say I am such a happy boy."

"Catch me if you can!"

"I love running in the water, but I don't like the big waves that go over my head."

Look at all this open space and its all for the dogs!

Looks like some more lucky dogs have come down to the beach for some fun.

"Can I play, Mum, please can I?
On second thoughts I only want to chase them away from my tennis ball!"



Mr Sandman.

These are some of the other dogs we met at the beach today.

"Time to go. We live an hour away from the beach, we so had an icecream first (I even got my own little bucket of icecream - yum!). Tee Hee then I stole some of my kids chips on the way home, but they didn't really mind. When we got home we were all hot so we had a quick swim in the pool. I'm so lucky that my family want to have fun with me!"

Definitely a fun day for everyone. Oh and, for anyone who is wondering, Tia didn't come with us because she dosn't like water, overheats too easily, dosn't like the car, and is a bit selective with other dogs.

Can you believe she dosn't like toys or tennis balls either? But thats because she's a Shar-Pei, not a Border Collie!

The Morning After

This is what tired puppies do on hot mornings after a late Christmas night!

Taj, Shrek and Tia

But later in the day....

Being a Border Collie, Taj needs lots of excercise rain, hail or shine and when its 43 degrees celcius during an Aussie summer, swimming can't be beat!

Looking very dignified and focussed.

Not so dignified SPLASHDOWN!!!
Close your eyes and block your nose!

Taj: "C'mon, Race ya to the steps!"

Taj: Doggy Paddle Superstar

Leaping out of the picture!

Taj: Underwater diving Superstar
(aka King Klutz slipping on the bricks)

Although it should be noted that he *does* have the
tennis ball in his mouth
and thats all that really counts!

Redeeming his dignity with a perfect 10!

It's great to have fun with your dog!