Border Collies are extremely focused! They will stay on task, not moving a muscle or eye muscle until reading the movement that signals them to react. That's why they are so good at herding and are easy to train and...
scary smart! Our Allie is no exception. I can talk to her like a human and she actually understands. I have been able to just look or make hand movements to her and she gets it. She even knows right and left. Weirds me out sometimes.
So. Today. It's hot, humid and all together like an armpit outside. Allie likes her tennis ball but, I usually wait until the shade is to the patio to play with her. She was cooped up all day while I was at work so when I got home she was ready to play.
This is the view of the back yard from the patio. See, no shade yet. Also note the fire pit/pile of wood at the end of the patio with the "beaten path" from the left around it. This is Allie's route from returning her ball to getting into position for the next throw at the side of the fire pit. Over and over we do this. Until I tell her "last one" which she catches, returns and drops on her way into the house for a drink of water. She knows.
So, since there was no shade, I took the ball out to the back of the yard to play with her.
This is 80 paces (I counted) straight out from the last view now looking back. See that there is nothing in the yard. See the piece of leafy thing in the bottom of the picture? That is a small sunflower (maybe a weed, don't know yet).
Now. Do you see a yellow tennis ball and something black crouched behind the weed?
Look a little closer.
Yep. There she is. She as returned the ball and is in position, watching, ready for movement. Guess the weed is the new "point of reference" for fetch. OCD? I rest my case.
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