Storytelling Sunday-Sheltie love

I thought I would take part in Sian's Storytelling Sunday today....

Being February,the month of love,I thought I would tell you how my lasting love of Shelties (mini  Lassie Collies) came about..

We are going back to the '70's - I was a teenager and it was the school holidays-I spent most of my time horse riding -I used to ride the pony of the family who lived near me -they bought their son 'Smokey' -a gorgeous grey -but he was bored with her and they wanted someone to excercise her (that's a whole other story really - so maybe I'll save that one for another day!) or I would be making scrapbooks of the Osmonds.

Anyway,back to me in the1970s.....I was an only child and grew up in a home that always had dogs and at the time we had two poodles...most of the holidays I spent going over to my ancient aunt's house at the back of the playing fields near to us. In those days it was okay to walk miles over fields in the sun thinking of meeting Donny and falling in love - we always seemed to have sunny summers then....

Back to Auntie...she had something wrong with her legs and had to walk with sticks-she couldn't bend her knees.I never did find out what she had wrong with her....She owned four black and tan sheltie collies,two mummies and two boys who she bred and was trying to sell (the two boys).....I used to go over two or three times a week and sit with her then take the dogs out for walks round the fields,then brush and comb them and generally help her.I loved doing this though so it was never a chore.I loved those dogs so much. Rusty,Solo,Sally and Sue were their names.Rusty because he was more tan than the others and Solo because he was the only puppy that Sue had.Sally was Rusty's mum.

When I think back now,it was like something in an Enid Blyton book -old auntie living in a mansion like house on her own with dogs and young niece goes in to help!

Anyway -sadly she was taken in to hospital and her sister came over to stay at the house and look after the dogs etc..after a few weeks auntie died.It was the end of my fun summers and I was so sad-especially  for the dogs..
After a while ( the funeral and all the other  bits associated) her sister phoned my mum and said they would be selling the house and was there anything I would like from it. Well you can guess what's coming??
I wanted one of the dogs (well - I wanted all of them but that would have been totally impossible)

So,although we already had two dogs,we took on Sally - I was so happy and mum and dad were so good to take her on. Sue and the other two were found lovely homes too so that was lovely...

From then on I have always loved Shelties and always owned them......from being first married to now. All in all I have actually had six...our present dog being my sixth...

So there you have it, my story of how I got my love of shelties and here is a picture of Sally and me when we first brought her home - I think I was about 15...not a brilliant photo - but lovely memories..