We have a 4yr old Springer Spaniel dog(working) and a 16 week cocker bitch puppy. My son has trained the dog himself and done a rather wonderful job, with trophies to prove it. He was int he garden yesterday with pup trying to persuade her that barking and chasing the cat was NOT acceptable. She was aware when he was around and behaved impeccably so he hid and waited for her to give chase whereupon he leapt from the bush and bellowed at all his might "NO - STOP - DON'T chase the cat"! My neighbours then leaned over the fence to reprimand him for being so cruel to the dog! "How dare you talk to a puppy like that, etc". He did comment on the fact their neurotic collies could benefit from the odd walk, a bit of training and something to stop them barking continually day and night. Neighbours response - "I don't care" Some people!!

Never mind. Hope you managed to ignore them. Your son certainly sounds as though he has the right idea. If people own collies and never walk them - shame on them. I have a next door neighbour with 2 collies - the only time they get walked is once in a blue moon when the grandmother comes over at the weekend....off the poor things go happy as larry. the rest of the time they are stuck in yard, no bigger than 20 ft by 4 ft...bark at everything going by all day.....