NATURE versus NURTURE?
BORDER COLLIES AT PLAY ON THE BEACH WITH ROSE
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The nature vs nurture debate is a philosophical discussion about how much a person’s characteristics are determined by genetics (nature) or environmental factors (nurture).
In this instance, I’m talking about animals. Molly, the collie. Mollie is a nine-year old border collie, born and raised on a small holding in Cornwall where she has raised several litters of puppies, worked as a sheep-dog and is one of many pet’s to my sister Rose and her family.
Mollie’s mothering instinct goes over and above natural, in that she has cared for her own pups, plus many orphaned lambs, chicks, ducklings and any other animals on Rose’s small-holding. She extended her love to Rose’s own granddaughter and all other animals entrusted to Rose’s care on a temporary basis.
One of her most recent surrogate babies was “Darragh the Lamb”, born in December 2024 during the ferocious “Storm Darragh”. The poor lamb had a rather traumatic entry into the world which caused his mother to reject him and Rose to care for him by hand.
When you watch some of the following video clips, you will understand the reason for my thoughts on the “nature versus nurture” debate as Darragh is welcomed into the family of “sheep-dogs”.
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