Sirrah is named for the best border collie that ever was, owned by James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, around the turn of the 19th Century. He is called Buzzie or The Bouzou Dog, reserving "Sirrah" for commands, which he follows pretty well, especially "what's that?" which means "I dropped some food, please make it go away." He is a fearsome Bouvier, a breed known for herding, police work, and having a dirty beard.
No, he's not hot in the summer, and I don't shave him. The hair keeps the sun off his back. He doesn't shed; his coat is much like a sheep's. That means a lot of grooming. You can actually make a strong, thick yarn out of his fur if you twist it and braid it. He doesn't drool, thank God, but his face gets wet when he drinks. He can't actually see, of course, but the breed has evolved a highly effective sonar to compensate.
Sirrah is very friendly. He likes to sleep in the hallway so you have to walk over him. His favorite game is "don't really fetch," where he fetches the ball and then expects me to chase him down. His second favorite game is "tug the big fat rope."
He loves snow and rolls around in it whenever he can. He likes to ride in the car, and he has his own seat belt. I'm hoping one day he'll learn to do some of the driving. That'll take the edge off the six hour drives to New York!