My Love Affair

Meet Tippin

Seriously How can you not just love, love, love this face. 

So back in July my dear sweet hubby said yes to my proposal! It was almost as exciting as his proposal back in college... ha ha ha.  I showed him a site that had links to where there were Old Time Scotch Collie puppies for sale. One lady was near Austin, he called her and she asked us lots of questions and finally agreed to sell us her last male puppy. She said a family friend who wanted him but since he tended to kill goldfish she was hesitant to send him that way. She was planning on breeding him and I can see why.  This dog has the best temperament. He is sweet and smart. I love how much of a family dog he is. Our smallest fluffy butt is bonded to only one person in the house. It takes a full slice of bacon to get him where I need him.  Ransom would rather sit all day every day at my feet leaving the kids feeling a bit left out. Where as Tippin seems to be happy with whom ever he is with.  Happy to chase a frisbee and bring it back once or twice... but after that *squirrel* and he is off to dig in the Zen Garden. At least he is not making holes under the fence right... 

One reason we got him was to be an all around farm dog. Good for laying doodies around the perimeter of the yard to keep away things that prey on chickens, and to discourage flying missiles (hawks) from taking out our free ranging chooks.  He seems to have a feather fetish.  Just a few days ago I noticed all the chickens were in their yard... they can fly over but he can't get in. So I let Tippin out to run around the back yard. He was so good for about 45 minutes... I'd be peeking to make sure he was where he was suppose to be. I looked and saw he had a chicken! He had Mama the one that successfully adopted the chicks we brought home from the store.  EEEk! I walk over, he runs away, because he knows chickens are not for chewing. I give him a few choice nose tweaks and say no eating chickens. I'm worried the chicken is injured. I look and look can't find her. Little miss Sunshine looks. We're looking front/back/side yards. No chicken, "Well she is mobile." I think to myself.  Eventually I spot her hiding in the long grass in of all places the dog run. No one said chickens are smart... this is the 2nd time Tippin has licked her right good. She was one wet hen. She had 1-2 feathers munched on but mainly she was just wet. I checked her wings her legs her neck, no squawking or I'm hurting sounds. She flapped her wings and huffed off after I put her back in the yard.  Today you would never tell she was sat on and licked. She waddled past him as if nothing happened. Not a feather out of place. Go figure. 

This dog has been a joy to my heart, up beat on the most depressing of days and happy, so happy. Give him a kong full of peanut butter and he just expresses contentment. He is smart too, I could see by the twinkle in his eye he stole that sock knowing that if I say drop it, I will give him a nice chewy treat.  He steals one sock just about every day. Were still working on "come here" oh he knows but some times he stands there and thinks.  I have to convince him my treat is better than chasing the toads.... Seriously stop it,  the toad are good for the garden.  Yet this trait of thinking is good. He may one day be out there and have to confront a possum. For example one day last month he just would not come in! No matter what I offered, so I put on my muck boots and went out to get him. When I scared the hawk out of the tree... I then proceeded to herd all the chickens into the covered run and locked them in.  See, good thinking Tippin! 

I love how he sleeps on his back next to the wall, how he jumps up on me when I'm lying down and gives my back a massage. How he desperately wants to get on the couch and cuddle but knows he's not allowed. So he gets all but his back paws on the couch and looks at one mournfully like Oliver asking for "more please."  Such a big baby that is a sweet sweet lover. What can I say I'm smitten. 

If you want to follow him on Instagram his moniker is TippinOTSC. Soon I'll blog about the joys of a dog Instagram account, really its the most fun one can have on social media.