Leda is the girl of my dreams. I am not shy about boasting my awe for this remarkable Border Collie to everyone we meet.  I wholeheartedly love every single thing about her : from the freckles on her nose --to how floppy and warm she is when cuddling at night -- to her addictive enthusiasm, wanting  to race around the agility course as fast as we can possibly go!

Leda is not only my dream girl, but my very first Border Collie. My first two agility dogs were a Husky-Mix and an Alaskan Malamute  . . . not exactly your most popular performance breeds!  I had a super time playing agility with my Nordic dogs (when they didn’t run out of the ring, that is!) and I learned a great deal from them both, but neither played agility with half of the passion that I had. I am completely addicted to the sport and felt that I was ready for a Border Collie, a breed which would share my agility flare! A breed who would WANT to play agility anytime, anywhere , like me!  The catch was that I also wanted a pet -- a dog that I could trust around my other pets; take for social walks around town, that I could curl up with at bedtime for a cuddle-fest. I did not want a Border Collie who could not ‘settle down’. My ideal dog had to be a joy to live with OFF of the agility course too. Being a professional dog trainer I had worked with many Border Collies who simply could not be asked -- or expected --to be both.  I was a huge admirer of Janice DeMello’s Border Collies, they were not only FAST and gorgeous to look at, but many of their owners raved about how pleasant they were at home.

When I wrote to Janice about the qualities I hoped for in my first Border Collie, I did not request a specific gender, color or size.  I wished for a healthy dog who would be my pet first and agility partner second.  I had heard about Jan’s remarkable ability to match puppies and people. Her website displayed numerous glowing testimonials from other Hob Nob owners who were matched with their “perfect dog”.  I did not want to limit Janice’s selection for me, and so I let go of any physical preferences that I had. I trusted that Janice would do her best to grant me a similar match. Did she ever!

I will never tire of proclaiming: Leda is my dream come true! As I write this letter she is sprawled across my lap, snoozing next to my cat. Leda is delighted to do anything with me, even being lazy around the house. Of course the nano-second I ask her to play, she skyrockets out of bed!

Janice does an outstanding job of raising her Hob Nob Border Collie puppies in preparation for any future, whether it is performance dog, well-adjusted pet or both.  Leda was enthusiastic about EVERYTHING from the moment we met.  I still remember opening her crate at the airport. Leda had just flown from Seattle, WA to Boston, MA. I was expecting a crying, scared puppy . . . instead a black and white ball of energy burst forth from that crate and began licking my face like my skin was coated in ice-cream!  Next Leda tried to wriggle from my arms to impart such a greeting on the airport personnel. It was all I could do to keep her from exploring the entire room!  

Tara meeting baby Leda for the first time at Logan airport in Boston, MA

At eight weeks old Leda was already bustling with self-confidence and she had the physical coordination and attention-span of a much older dog.  She put every ounce of energy her puppy body and brain possessed into learning the games we played. Leda continues to have an insatiable appetite for learning, whether it be a silly trick or a challenging lesson in body awareness, Leda WANTS to do it right!

Leda turned two years old in February, 2011 and, in these past few months, she has truly begun developing into an INCREDIBLY powerful dog with some serious momentum.  In just a handful of AKC trials we have shot from Novice to Excellent B, far exceeding my expectations. Running Leda is a privilege, it is a thrill and -- though trying to keep up with her can be challenging-- I love every second that we are together on course.  I equally relish every second we are together off the course too.  Just being near Leda makes a bad day into THE BEST day. You can’t be around this delightful girl and NOT smile! Gosh, I LOVE my Ledalee!  

Thank you so much, Janice DeMello, for my DREAM GIRL!    Tara Baggerman  Saratoga Springs, NY

Leda is from the 2nd breeding of

Posh & Bezel

click on this link to watch many videos of Leda in action on Tara’s YouTube channel

Leda is spayed