Midge
I have not had Midge (pictured above) for a long time, but it feels like I've know her for years. Midge is one of those dogs who just fits in. When I went to pick her up at the airport, she acted like she already knew me as well. Maybe it's just one of those things that's just meant to be.Midge came from Helsley Ranch in Idaho. She is sired by Don Helsley's C/V Cap out of a bitch who is a littermate to Patrick Shannahan's Riggs. Patrick Shannahan has a littermate to Midge, Vangie and has used Cap as a stud dog on numerous occasions. Cap trials successfully at the open (highest) level of USBCHA (United States Border Collie Association) trials. Out west, the trials are more demanding than they are in the east. The outruns are longer and the sheep are tougher. Cap consistently places in the top ten when trialed. Midge's mother, Tess had been trialed on a limited basis at the Pro-Novice level. Patrick Shannahan's Riggs, like Cap, is a successful open trial dog. Midge's pedigree is here.
On sheep, she's fast, intense and very, very biddable. Midge loves to work sheep (as well as ducks and goats) and she has a strong presence on stock. When she hits the field, the sheep don't question her requests to move. She's a lot of dog in a small package.
At almost a year and a half old, Midge weighs approximately 35 pounds and is about 19" tall. Even though she's not tall and doesn't weigh a lot, she's a substantial bitch. She has good bone, but is still feminine in appearance. She has a very pleasant look about her, especially when she's working sheep: you can see the smile on her face when she's working.
Off sheep, Midge is very happy to just be with me. She's affectionate without being overbearing. For a dog that has lived most of her life in a kennel, she's adapted well to being a house dog. She's proving to be an excellent mother! There isn't much I can fault Midge on as a companion, she's just a nice, nice dog.
A properly bred Border Collie does have an off-switch. I don't want to live with a dog that is constantly looking for something to do. This is not saying that I do not need to keep Midge busy, she does need to work, all Border Collies do, but when her job is done, she settles in nicely and doesn't need to be crated to keep her quiet. Midge is not noise sensitive and is calm and confident when taken to new locations.
Midge delivered a litter of puppies on August 7, 2007 and was an exceptional mother. She delivered nine puppies in less than three hours. I continued Midge's training right up until the day before she delivered her puppies and then a few days after they were born. She remained in perfect condition the whole time. I do not think Midge could have done a better job than she did with those puppies, all of which are in their new homes except the puppy I kept, Inferno.
Midge is too young to have her hips x-rayed for an OFA rating, however, both of her parents have been x-rayed and have good hips. Midge has not been DNA tested for CEA, however, she should be Normal via parentage. Gel is Collie Eye Anomaly/Choroidal Hypoplasia (CEA/CH) DNA Normal which means he cannot produce CEA/CH-affected puppies no matter who he is bred to. I will have Midge's hips x-rayed when she's two years old.
You can see some videos of Midge working here and photos here.