Every Dog Needs a Job

I have a Border Collie with enough physical issues that it's hard to find work for her, and, being a Border Collie, work is important. She is very creative, and is pretty good at finding work for herself.

It is difficult to know when a Pyr or other LGD needs to go outside or come inside. They usually stand at the door silently, looking intently out or in. We are supposed to know, sometimes from another room, that they wish to leave or come in.

Put together a Border Collie and a task that needs doing and something interesting usually happens.

Hannah has taken on the job of butler. While she can't (fortunately) actually open the door, she stands by it and makes enough noise to let me know there is someone who wants that door open. She then excitedly greets incomers, and gets lots of praise for being so helpful.

Hannah has become so good at this that she sometimes alerts before the dog makes it to the porch. I'm not sure how she knows everyone's intentions, but then she is a Border Collie.