The big day was yesterday, the worst day of a pampered dog’s life-The Operation, the day my gold and white Border Collie was neutered. As the vet technician and I walked down the hallway to the kennel, I slipped the leash from my hand to hers and I turned around, quickly and silently walking back to the main office. I looked over the receptionist’s shoulder and saw that Bodie had suddenly realized that I was gone. He sat down like a stubborn mule but the experienced tech urged him forward. Late that afternoon I received a call that Bodie had survived the operation and was fine. What could have been a complicated surgery, given his cryptorchidism (one undescended testicle) went smoothly. I could breathe a sigh of relief. The thought of losing him put me on edge all morning.
Now home and without a cone of shame, he is crated and controlled-for two loooonnngg weeks. The vet’s instructions were clear. Bodie is to stay VERY quiet. But he’s a Border Collie, recovering quickly, ignoring any pain or discomfort already. In one respect I dread the long hours during his recovery time, however it does give me time to knit, crochet, bead, write, catch up on housework and groom the other dogs so they don’t keep shedding in the house. At times during Bodie’s incarceration he can come out of his crate to be groomed, examined and loved. He can do some basic retrieving next week, anything to keep his mind active and off the loss of his “equipment”.
My plan was to wait until December to get him neutered. But one day he lifted his leg on my spayed female, Razzie, who was simply lounging on the kitchen floor. Oh, no, wrong! He was also getting nippy in training and pushy. He needed to be taken down a bit. There is no reason for me to have an intact male. His breeder can do a repeat breeding on the off chance that I went crazy and wanted another dog from the same lines.
Bodie is lovable, loyal and reacts well to strange environments at shows and on the road. We can now go forward with his training and show career. He loves the work, never shutting down or tiring, remaining engaged and watching me even when returned to his crate. Plus I’m so grateful yesterday is over, that I can continue to write about my gold dog.
He has blended in well with my pack of Border Collies, my Ark, now two males and two females. Will there be a fifth? No but-at the end of the month Bodie’s breeder is coming over with a litter of Border Collies to be temperament tested. They are beautiful, with unique colors, little fluff balls, adorable. But raising three puppies in three successive years is enough and my heart can’t go through another morning waiting for my dog to come out of the anesthesia from a spay or neuter operation.
Wow. What we put ourselves through for the love of our dogs.
Border Collies and Beads Blog 