I have been the proud owner of a border collie myself for over 11 years. Sally has boundless energy (even still) and as a family we have had to find ways to exert that energy and over the years we have trained her out of bad habits she had as a younger puppy. She is a highly intelligent dog and we have used her intelligence to our advantage, as she is able to understand a basic reward system for obedience to commands. This is really important. It is about being consistent and having the right tone of voice. She has done many naughty things in the past, and there is an urge to shout, but that doesn’t really instil discipline, as it sounds as though we are the ones who have lost control. It’s about being firm and remaining in control; whilst showing love to your best friend. I have also had many cats and a pet hamster, so I’m used to taking care of the basic needs of animals and more. At my secondary school in Lancashire, there was a farm as apart of the school, and we had theoretical and practical lessons in agriculture and horticulture. This has given me wider experiences in working with animals.