I am a dog watcher. Anywhere I go, if there’s a dog in sight my eyes and curiosity are immediately drawn to it. So it’s not surprising that on our recent visit to England I spent a lot of time observing and interacting with a gorgeous tri-colored Rough Collie belonging to the friends we were staying with.

Todd, or Todd the Dog as my husband likes to affectionately call him, is a magnificent animal and a perfect representation of his breed which was originally developed for herding in Scotland. An intelligent and friendly dog who loves to work, the Rough Collies are calm dogs that are very loyal and protective of their owners and good with children which make them a great family dog. Todd’s humans, Jeff and Mhairi, love the gentle kindness that Todd always shows others.

The only pet in the household, Todd leads a comfortable life. He gets a minimum of two walks daily, a short one in the morning past the local Victorian housing and a good long walk in the evenings to the village green where a medieval fair has been held annually since the year 1500. There he is let off the lead to run freely, play with other dogs and chase rabbits… very “Lassiesque.”

At home in his garden (English for “back yard”), Todd will chase anything that moves, real or imaginary. He loves to run after his ball or sock toy and occasionally becomes “mad dog” by running circles around a huge old tree with a terrific burst of energy.

Todd’s vocabulary is large and it was fun to hear the English version of phrases we use in the States. Here are just a few of the words and sentences Todd responds eagerly to:

Want to go walkies? Go and get your lead.
Would you like some toast?
Where’s Jeff/Mhairi? Go get him/her.
Would you like your tummy tickled?

Then there’s the universal question understood by all dogs, “Would you like a treat?”

As a herding breed, Todd is happiest when everyone in the house is in the same room. Only then can he truly relax, and does so by lying down on the middle of the floor punctuating the human conversation with loud groans that make him seem terribly bored with it all.

Todd’s fur is gorgeous and resembles a lion’s mane. He has to be brushed daily and Mhairi told me that in the olden days people actually washed and spun the long dog hair to use for knitting small garments like socks, scarves and gloves. Mhairi puts it in her garden compost.

Above all, Todd reminds me of a lovely English gentleman. His manner is calm and steady and his kisses (if you are lucky enough to receive one) are soft. Interestingly, Mhairi who is Scottish, recently found out that her family were some of the first to bring Rough Collies to Canada.

You don’t see many Rough Collies in Texas, and rightly so. The climate here is much too warm for them to tolerate and what a shame it would be to have to shave that beautiful coat to insure their comfort in the heat.

At night, Todd settles down on his bed outside of Jeff and Mhairi’s bedroom door, ever on watch and occasionally touring the inside perimeter of the house insuring its safety. Though once a week he jolts the whole household awake at precisely 6:15 a.m. when the dust bin men (English for garbage men) come to collect the trash and recycling. I guess that’s universal too!