Individual Personalities

  Last week, we had our gutters cleaned.  After the crew was finished, one asked if he could visit the dogs.  Of course I said yes and gave him a tour.  As I introduced him to each of the dogs, he commented that I knew each by name and seemed very surprised about it!
  I know many people perceive those of us with multiple dogs to consider them a business and are surprised that we love our dogs with the same intensity that they have for their one house dog.  For us, the kennel is a practical way to house the collies.  I can't imagine what our house would look like if we had nine large dogs running through it all the time!
  I'm equally baffled though, by people who are surprised that I can tell the dogs apart.  I've heard that comment ever since we had more than one dog.  Besides the obvious differences--coat color, coat length, markings--each dog has distinct personalities and quirks.
  For instance, Jackson won't eat until he's had his "love fest".  He practically quivers as I'm distributing the food bowls, then races outside to greet me at his gate as he's the first to have his kennel cleaned.  He greets me as if I haven't just seen him and given him his hug.  He leans against my leg, his head and ears get a thorough scratching, then he walks with me while I clean his kennel.  He watches me as I clean the next kennel, and only after that goes inside to eat.
  His grandmother, Lauren, is the opposite.  Meal time is the best time of day for her and nothing will stop her from getting to her bowl!  She jumps up and down in anticipation of eating, sometimes so high I'm afraid she'll go over the gate!  Lauren doesn't even notice when I scratch her back as she eats, her enjoyment of breakfast or dinner is so great.
  Lauren is also our "town crier".  I said she was a tattle-tale but our handler had the more flattering term for her.  She lets us know when deer are in the yard (sometimes waaaaay back in the yard but she thinks it's important to let us know), when one of the dogs is mis-behaving or she thinks breakfast is late.
  Phoebe and Claire also enjoy their meals and do a synchronized jump as I give them their bowls.  They are not as athletic as Lauren and don't jump as high.  Phoebe likes to conserve her energy and will find her bed as soon as she finishes eating.  Her biggest pet peeve is cats.  She doesn't like them at all, objecting to the semi-feral cat that visits us or the house cats that are peacefully sleeping by the wood stove.
  Claire is quiet and can get overlooked when she's by her more dominant sister.  Phoebe pushes her aside for attention, the cot, the daily brushing and Claire readily gives way.  Usually, this works to Claire's advantage as we try to make up for it with extra hugs.
  Dixie is the opposite of her mother and aunt in many ways.  Besides being smooth, while they are rough coated, she can be hard headed and determined to have her way.  When I tell her "no, you can't nip at my shoes" she'll sneak behind me and nip my backside!  Dixie is very athletic and our only dog that likes to play fetch.  She will chase after a toy until my arm gets tired and is disappointed when I stop playing (which is when the nipping starts, I think she's trying to keep me playing).
  Mosby is the old man but doesn't realize it.  He thinks he's the pack leader but the girls put him in his place!  He pushes himself into any activity they are doing, often clumsily knocking into someone.  Sometimes, they gang up on him, knocking him down and rolling him about.  Mosby always gets back up, covered in leaves and grass clippings, sometimes a little stiff, then goes right back to whatever behavior earned him the put-down!  I often have to separate him from the others on play days as even I can see he's annoying, although he just wants to be part of the gang.
  Ref looks big and dominate, but he's a marshmallow.  He doesn't like Jackson or Mosby and will posture if they are near him.  When I call him out on it, he immediately flattens his ears and leans against my leg, with a "I don't really mean it" look on his face.  I call him my delicate flower as he refuses to leave his kennel when it rains.  Even on cloudy days, he stays inside, only poking his nose out and looking anxious as I clean his kennel.  If he does have to walk in the rain, he almost cringes, as if he expects the raindrops to weigh a ton!
  In looks, Gemma is a female version of Ref but her personality is completely different.  She can be most stubborn and dismissive of things she's not interested in.  It could be a toy or the show ring.  She's actually looked a judge up and down, gave like a "phhttt" sound, clearly decided he wasn't worth her time and that she was bored.  But when she wants something, I can practically see the wheels turning as she tries to figure out how to get it.  She has a very sweet face, which she uses to get me to relax my guard, then quickly tries to stick her nose in my pocket, grab the brush out of my hand, knock a water bottler off the grooming table...
  Gibson is the smartest one of the group.  He's a fast learner, picking up on how to do something after seeing it once or twice.  Unfortunately, he watches Gemma and can figure out how to accomplish whatever mischief she's attempting.
  While I try not to have favorites, Gibson is my special love, filling the space that Ben left.  Gibson is always sensitive to my moods, knowing when to act like a clown or when to snuggle.  He has expressive, brown eyes that look like melted chocolate.  Sometimes, I see him sitting in his yard, watching the house and of course I have to run outside to spend extra time with him.  But since I try not to play favorites, everyone ends up with a hug and a pet!