Adoption Update: Darby

Hi Angie,

I've been thinking about sending you a note to fill you in on "Miss Darby." Well, she certainly does have a few of those border collie-isms. She still growls at Buster when she is either waiting for a toy to be thrown or with one in her mouth if he is trying to pass by her. It's not really anything vicious, but Buster is such a wuss he just slinks by or goes the other way. Sometimes she chases him in the other room, or behind the sofa. When she starts to do that, I get after her and make her stop to let her know that is not acceptable behavior.
She hates the broom. Will bark and sorta whine at it and wants to bite it. She has to have something in her mouth , a leaf, ball, weeds, anything, then kinda barks with her mouth closed. When she get "psycho", she always has a toy in her mouth and shakes her head and seems to take it out on what ever in there. She does that when I get the trash bag out to put in the can, when she hears certain noises, stuff like that. And of course she barks still like crazy at the mail lady, and ups trucks, etc. She will run form one room window to another when the vehicle is in the street.
Okay, she does do good stuff too. She loves the swimming pool I got for her. Only thing she does bad with that is she grabs the side and pulls the pool all over the yard. She will tug and pull til she has it at the back of the yard, and this is with it half full!! She's got a grip and some good teeth. Getting better at being affectionate, and have gotten a few more kisses. She sleeps on the couch in the living room most of the time.
She seems to listen a lot better in the house than outside. Will come to me in the house, but outside she just lays there in the yard most of time and just looks at you waiting for the ball to be thrown. I have a lot more work to do with her. She can be a real good girl a lot of times, just wish it was all the time.
Any idea's of how to get the barking to stop ? I keep telling her if she doesn't behave I'm going to take her back to the "Farm."
I have to get her signed up for some obedience class this fall. Needs some refresher courses.
Okay, now that you have a short story on Miss Darby, I will close.
Thanks for listening !
Dawne