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Three blue merle Border Collie puppies run across a lawn with open mouths as an orange butterfly flutters nearby. 2 / 31

Three Puppies Spotted a Butterfly and Forgot Every Other Plan

AI imageborder collieblue merlebackyard

Somewhere near the fence, an orange butterfly has just made a terrible mistake: it flew low over a lawn with three blue merle Border Collie puppies on it. The trio is in full chase, ears flapping, mouths open in happy pants, paws skidding on the grass. The little one on the right is leaning so hard into the turn that its back end is trying to overtake its front.

Chasing moving things is built into the Border Collie. The breed was developed to gather and move livestock, and that instinct to watch, stalk and chase shows up early, long before a puppy has ever met a sheep. Butterflies, balls, falling leaves and even the family cat can all become imaginary flocks. Channeling that drive into games like fetch, hide and seek or simple training sessions helps keep a smart pup happy.

A fenced yard is a wonderful place for this kind of sprint, but check that the fence is secure, because clever young dogs can find small gaps. Short play sessions with water and shade nearby are better than one long marathon for little bodies, and a nap afterward is practically guaranteed.

The butterfly, for the record, is doing fine. It is hovering just out of reach with an air of total calm, which only makes the puppies more determined.

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