01/03/2026
I Donāt Think You Meant to Get It Wrongā¦
(A Border Collieās Letter to the Humans Who Love Him)
Hello.
I know you love me.
You wouldnāt have chosen me otherwise.
You tell people all the time how clever I am.
You show photographs of me sleeping upside down on the sofa like a furry accident.
You laugh when I tilt my head at you.
And honestly?
I love you too.
But I think we might need to talk about something.
Because latelyā¦
Neither of us looks very happy.
You Thought You Were Getting a Dog
You researched.
Wellā¦ a little bit.
You read that Border Collies are intelligent.
Loyal.
Easy to train.
Good companions.
Nobody really explained that intelligence without purpose feels a lot like pressure.
Imagine being brilliant at something but never being told what that something is.
Thatās me.
My Day While Youāre Away
You leave for work.
Nine until five.
You say goodbye.
I watch you go.
At first, I sleep.
Then I wake up.
And my brain switches on.
I listen to everything.
The post arriving.
Children walking past.
Cars slowing outside.
Dogs barking three gardens away.
My world becomes noise and movement and questions I cannot answer.
Was that a threat?
Should I respond?
Is someone coming?
Should I control it?
I donāt know.
So I try everything.
You come home and say:
āHeās been at the window again.ā
From my side?
I was trying to help.
The Things That Frustrate You
You donāt like that I chase bikes.
Or react to cars.
Or bark in the back of the car when dogs walk past.
You worry when I snap sometimes.
You wonder where the sweet puppy went.
I didnāt disappear.
I just grew into the dog I was always going to be.
Fast brain.
Fast reactions.
Big feelings.
No outlet.
The Weekend Fix
Saturday arrives.
You feel guilty.
So we walk for miles.
You throw a ball again and again because someone told you it would āwear me outā.
I run because running feels good.
But hereās the secret.
It doesnāt empty my head.
It winds it tighter.
You see a tired dog.
Inside, I feel like a kettle that never quite boils but never switches off either.
Monday comes.
Nothing changed.
The Part You Didnāt Notice
I donāt struggle because you donāt love me.
I struggle because you love me in a human way.
More walks.
More cuddles.
More freedom.
But what I need sometimes is guidance.
Clarity.
Boundaries.
A job.
Because uncertainty feels loud inside my head.
Iām Not Trying to Be Difficult
When I bark in the car, Iām overwhelmed.
When I chase movement, instinct takes over before thinking arrives.
When I struggle to settle, itās because nobody taught me how.
Dogs donāt arrive calm.
We learn calmness.
Right now, I only know how to switch on.
What Helps Me Most
Not exhaustion.
Not endless miles.
Not another toy.
Give me small pieces of work.
Searching for food.
Learning to wait.
Using my nose.
Short moments of focus with you.
Teach me where to rest.
Show me when the world isnāt my responsibility.
Routine tells my brain it can relax.
Leadership tells me someone else is thinking for me.
That feels safe.
To the Humans Reading This
If your clever dog feels harder every weekā¦
If reactions are growing.
If settling is difficult.
If the car has become stressful.
If frustration is creeping in.
Pause.
Look at lifestyle before behaviour.
Ask whether the dog in front of you matches the life around it.
Because most dogs arenāt choosing chaos.
Theyāre adapting to confusion.
To Trainers and Handlers
Sometimes owners donāt need judgement.
They need translation.
They love their dogs.
They just didnāt realise love alone isnāt always guidance.
Teach structure.
Teach fulfilment.
Teach calm.
The change can be extraordinary.
From My Bed Tonight
You didnāt ruin me.
You just didnāt know.
And thatās alright.
Because if you give me purposeā¦
Teach me how to switch offā¦
Help me understand the worldā¦
I will meet you halfway.
I will walk beside you calmly.
Ignore the cyclist.
Sleep peacefully.
And become the dog you always believed I was when you first picked me up.
Alsoā¦
We really must discuss scooters.
I remain deeply concerned.
