In the year 2000, we moved back to Arizona from Liberal, Kansas. One of the stipulations from Bettylou was to acquire a dog. Not just any dog, it had to be a Border Collie. On one of our first days home, while perusing the ads in the Arizona Republic, we found the one we were looking for. The Brewer family in Clay Springs, in the White Mountains, near Heber, had an ad for Border Collie puppies. On Friday evening, we left and stayed in Payson overnight. When we arrived at the modest ranch house we were pleased to find a three month old puppy that passed "Dr. Ralston's puppy test". She was the favorite of one of the little boys there and he had named her Gypsy. The Brewers gave her a bath and placed her in a small cardboard box for the ride home and away we went. After an hour or so on the road, Bettylou became concerned because the new puppy was so quiet. We stopped to check and found her sound asleep. At home, after consultations with the John Ralston family we decided on the name "Allie". She became acclimated to her new home quickly and learned to respond to her name. I consulted with the veterinarian who had purchased my animal hospital to get a supply of the necessary vaccines. I also scheduled her neutering surgery for her at six months of age. After not having done any surgery for a few years, I was able to do the job without any problem. Allie quickly bonded to Bettylou. They became regular walking companions. One of her few faults was the "herding instinct", which she never lost. It was a minor distraction. Allie became very much a part of our household routine. She was kennel trained early on and when we left the house on errands, she would automatically go to her kennel. If we just mentioned the word she would do so. Border Collies are bred to be working dogs and they do so for many owners, especially for farmers and ranchers. I saw an example first hand when I was at the Farm Fresh Meats slaughter plant in Maricopa, where I was the USDA veterinary medical inspector in charge. Several small goats left for slaughter for the next day had escaped. The plant employees were unable to chase and corral them. A call to a sheep rancher down the road resulted in their two Border collies corralling them and putting them right in a trailer! Allie would come up to us and stare at us as if to ask "What should I do now? They always make direct eye contact. Our former Beagle, "Bagle", would never look us in the eye. Much of her training was accomplished with giving a treat when the appropriate response was elicited. She was uncomfortable with loud noises. If the TV blared, or if someone spoke or laughed loudly, she wouldgo to her kennel. Often she could tell ahead of time what we were planning to do. When we would be ready to leave the house, she would be in her kennel. She loved to play, especially with the frisbee. Like most of the breed, they don't want to stop. One thing she did enjoy, would be any time when Bettylou played the piano. She would be found directly underneath the piano. She loved to be brushed and to have her nails trimmed. That attitude was gained by being very generous with treats afterward. She loved children. When some would pass by our fence, she would go to the fence and lay down to be accepted and petted. Years passed, and when we noticed her tiring when playing frisbee ball, I suspected a heart problem. While we were away to visit our son John, our daughter Cindy was caring for her. She was concerned enough to take her to the vet where they discovered congestive heart failure. Following up on that, we also discovered that she had lymphoma as well. When it became a struggle for her to breathe we elected to have her euthanized. Her ashes are buried in our back yard. For us, after having several dogs, she had become the epitome of what a smart well mannered dog should be. We were blessed to have her for a short ten and a half years. RIP, Allie.
