Happy Birthday Jet! Four years old today!
My little baby Jet turned four years old today! It seems like yesterday that Jenny Glen emailed me a picture of Jet, just a few hours old. Jet's mom is Scott's Maid and her sire is a dog named Risp who was from Ken Arrendale's Mac. At the time, I had no idea who those dogs were - Jet was my first Border Collie. 
She was a "gift" to myself after having been through Cancer and a stretch of illness. The year Jet was born was a turning point for me. I had travelled to southern Ontario and Alberta to trials and clinics and was rejoicing at feeling so healthy and happy. I nearly got a Border Collie in he 1980s, but wound up with a German Shepherd instead! So it only took 20 years to get my first pup!
Jet had a pronounced "V" on her forehead, so I started to think of V-names, but none worked. I thought about calling her Holly, after a dog in her pedigree. However, the name Jet seemed most appropriate after watching her tear around the yard! 
I love the photo above of a baby Jet with spring lambs, taken in May, 2006. A few years later, at a clinic with Scott Glen, he was giving a list of do's and don'ts to the participants, and he turned to me and joked "...and never name a dog Jet!"
I had been herding for quite some time with Thorn and Shaman my GSD and Rough Collie, but was totally unprepared for Jet's strong drive, and strong mind! She is very bright, but a tough dog to handle for a beginner, so Scott helped to train her and get her started for me. 
I think that I could easily have ruined her without the help. I even visited Scott and Jenny in July, 2006 where Jet worked the sheep at their beautiful place in New Dayton Alberta (above, she follows the flock).
BUT, I do know about tracking, and started Jet out in January 2006 when she was not quite 12 weeks old. She figured tracking out very quickly! Below is a photo of Jet at 7 months, on a long line for the first time.
I trained her to track, because I love tracking. In 2007 due to some controversial CKC changes, I was able to get a registration number for Jet to enter her in a CKC tracking test.
By the way, the CBCA supports performance activities that demonstrate the intelligence and versatility of the breed, but does NOT condone conformation...and I would not consider it either for my working dogs! You can read more about this on their website (link in sidebar) or here. However, I was thrilled to enter Jet in a CKC tracking test in October 2007.
She was the only dog entered in TD to pass that day, because of gusting winds. By the time we got to her track, last track of the morning, it had aged to just over one hour old. She flew through it, dead on and at the end, she lied down and put her nose on the glove! What a wonderful moment.
Oh yes, we were both sooooooooooooooo happy! I love this photo (taken by Karen Boyes). Jet is smiling! When she indicated that article, I was so choked up. She made me very proud. Today she is working towards her UDT and TDX, and I hope she will become a Tracking Champion. She was the second Border Collie to earn a TD in 2007 after people could enter them again in CKC events. 
No story of Jet is complete without mentioning my gentle boy Thorn, above with Jet and Ted. As a puppy Jet was used to Jenny Glen's GSD Nessie, so when she came home to my house, she instantly loved Thorn and he adored her. I have to dig up old photos from my old computer some day to find the pictures of Jet as a wee puppy with Thorn. She would climb up one side of Thorn as he laid on the floor, then slide down his other side. It was priceless! Thorn was the best puppy-sitter ever. And now she has her new buddy Ted, and the "thorn" in her side, her best friend Caden. River tolerates Jet, and holds her position as top dog!
She was a "gift" to myself after having been through Cancer and a stretch of illness. The year Jet was born was a turning point for me. I had travelled to southern Ontario and Alberta to trials and clinics and was rejoicing at feeling so healthy and happy. I nearly got a Border Collie in he 1980s, but wound up with a German Shepherd instead! So it only took 20 years to get my first pup!Jet had a pronounced "V" on her forehead, so I started to think of V-names, but none worked. I thought about calling her Holly, after a dog in her pedigree. However, the name Jet seemed most appropriate after watching her tear around the yard! I love the photo above of a baby Jet with spring lambs, taken in May, 2006. A few years later, at a clinic with Scott Glen, he was giving a list of do's and don'ts to the participants, and he turned to me and joked "...and never name a dog Jet!" I had been herding for quite some time with Thorn and Shaman my GSD and Rough Collie, but was totally unprepared for Jet's strong drive, and strong mind! She is very bright, but a tough dog to handle for a beginner, so Scott helped to train her and get her started for me. I think that I could easily have ruined her without the help. I even visited Scott and Jenny in July, 2006 where Jet worked the sheep at their beautiful place in New Dayton Alberta (above, she follows the flock).BUT, I do know about tracking, and started Jet out in January 2006 when she was not quite 12 weeks old. She figured tracking out very quickly! Below is a photo of Jet at 7 months, on a long line for the first time.I trained her to track, because I love tracking. In 2007 due to some controversial CKC changes, I was able to get a registration number for Jet to enter her in a CKC tracking test.By the way, the CBCA supports performance activities that demonstrate the intelligence and versatility of the breed, but does NOT condone conformation...and I would not consider it either for my working dogs! You can read more about this on their website (link in sidebar) or here. However, I was thrilled to enter Jet in a CKC tracking test in October 2007.
She was the only dog entered in TD to pass that day, because of gusting winds. By the time we got to her track, last track of the morning, it had aged to just over one hour old. She flew through it, dead on and at the end, she lied down and put her nose on the glove! What a wonderful moment.Oh yes, we were both sooooooooooooooo happy! I love this photo (taken by Karen Boyes). Jet is smiling! When she indicated that article, I was so choked up. She made me very proud. Today she is working towards her UDT and TDX, and I hope she will become a Tracking Champion. She was the second Border Collie to earn a TD in 2007 after people could enter them again in CKC events. No story of Jet is complete without mentioning my gentle boy Thorn, above with Jet and Ted. As a puppy Jet was used to Jenny Glen's GSD Nessie, so when she came home to my house, she instantly loved Thorn and he adored her. I have to dig up old photos from my old computer some day to find the pictures of Jet as a wee puppy with Thorn. She would climb up one side of Thorn as he laid on the floor, then slide down his other side. It was priceless! Thorn was the best puppy-sitter ever. And now she has her new buddy Ted, and the "thorn" in her side, her best friend Caden. River tolerates Jet, and holds her position as top dog!SO HOW DID WE CELEBRATE HER BIRTHDAY?
Since moving to Alberta, I have had such a busy year getting settled into a new house and new job, that I have not put the time into herding that I would have liked. After work I pulled together a little flock of sheep, to try to convey to Jet my good intentions for the coming year.
I wasn't sure if Jet was getting the idea. So I decided to create a little herding challenge, to see if Jet could shed the ewes. She did an awesome job, even though this feisty little stripey-legged ewe faced off with Jet. The others are nicely moving away (I am not sure what's up with the one that has apparently fainted...)
But just as I was congratulating myself on my little herding demo, Jet went in for a grip! Darn it! But it is her birthday, and we do need more practice.
All joking aside, I adore Jet. She is probably the brightest dog I have ever lived with. She has a very special place in my heart and I hope that you will read more good stuff about her accomplishments here in the future.
But just as I was congratulating myself on my little herding demo, Jet went in for a grip! Darn it! But it is her birthday, and we do need more practice.All joking aside, I adore Jet. She is probably the brightest dog I have ever lived with. She has a very special place in my heart and I hope that you will read more good stuff about her accomplishments here in the future. Category Article Border collie, Jet
