Lizabeth Posted May 7, 2014 Report Share Posted May 7, 2014 I have a beagle mix who will be 15 on the 4th of July, We live with my adult daughter and her 5 year old Red Heeler My amazing well trained Grand puppy. I had a bc many years ago and always have wanted and said one day id have another one. Well this adorable 8 month old red and white darling found me, She is a sweet girl but knew nothing, not sit, stay, not even house broken. I have had her a week, she is now house broken, knows sit, stay, come, and lay though sit is the only thing she is doing every time on the first time she is told, the rest will follow I am sure The thing is I am disabled. I have some issues to where i need help not always but often enough, my lab did many things for me but he died at the ripe old age of 18 and a half. My beagle she alerts me of seizures which is just amazing that she does such a thing with no training. I had an Irish Wolf Hound who was an amazing boy, trained him with my jaw wired from reconstruction operation so he was sound and hand command trained no real words. He would help me up and down stairs and trails, alert me of dangers on the ground in the woods. the list of things he did is way too long. Sadly he died from a bad heart at 6 years I know I have my hands full with this young BC but its all good I am up for the challenge. Things are not the same for me as there have been many changes in my life with issues such as broken neck, sever nerves, memory loss and other things. So I am a bit slower, I forget silly things and i hurt all the time. I know that this is not going to be easy it will not happen over night, I also know that it is possible, I have seen BC service dogs that can do the most amazing things. I understand she is a pup and needs her puppy time that is fine with me. We work a little then she gets to play a lot. I hope that I can learn from others input, I have spoken to a trainer who has given me some advice as well as a service dog trainer who actually works with BC and other cattle dogs I hope for the best. Just want to add I will have Gidget spay I see the vet tomorrow Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted May 7, 2014 Report Share Posted May 7, 2014 Good Luck with Gidget. From your description, you sound like a very good trainer, and I am sure Gidget will be a great help to you in the future. Since she was 8 months old when you got her, was she a rescue? How did you come to get her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordercentrics Posted May 7, 2014 Report Share Posted May 7, 2014 First of all, let me say that I really admire your courage in dealing with your disabilities. Second, thank you for giving Gidget a loving home. Third, are you KIM's mother????? Kathy Robbins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom of Mya Posted May 7, 2014 Report Share Posted May 7, 2014 Thank you for giving Gidget a home and may I say I love that name...Would love to see pictures some time also Hope you have many wonderful years together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted May 7, 2014 Report Share Posted May 7, 2014 You sound like you have a good idea of what you need and how to get there. Obviously, due to size alone, there will be some things Gidget (great name!) won't be able to do that your other dogs likely did for you, but you ought to be able to train her to help in all sorts of ways. There are a couple (at least) of folks here who use their border collies as service dogs. You may want to post an additional topic with "service dog" in the title in order to catch the attention of those folks. Please do share photos. And thanks for giving Gidget what sounds like a wonderful home and great future! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted May 7, 2014 Report Share Posted May 7, 2014 Congratulations on finding each other!! It sounds like you and Gidget should have many wonderful years together!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizabeth Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Kathy Yes I am Kims Mom!! And a very big thank you from us to you for all your help and support Thank you all for your encouragement, I came up with the name Gidget because she is such a little gidget always so busy and moving about. I always knew I needed a gidget lol Ok so how she came to be with us, the other night 2 young lads who are in our neighborhood often, they sort of know me because they will come over when I am out in the yard. They think our dogs are cool especially Orian the mad fetching grand puppy of mine lol They also get such a kick out of my bird on my shoulder when I am out in the yard lol So this day they were out on a bike ride and this puppy came running after their bike tires. They tried for hours to find her owners with no luck. It was getting dark they had to go home, mom said no pets in the apartment or they will get evicted! So guess who they thought of lol they came to the house and told me of their situation asking if maybe I can help. Well I saw this skinny sad puppy face looking at me and I knew rite then and there she was prob homeless and a liver and white border collie at that!! I did not know what I was going to do I knew Kimberlie would shoot me lol So SHE comes to the door and sees what is going on!!! SHE let that dog in the house NOT me! and closed the door to talk to the boys. That dog came in looked at me and I told her point blank that she best not be abandon because if I cant find her owners Im gonna be in big trouble! We tried every thing went to all vets in our area with in 100 miles eaither way from our house, all animal shelters, all places on net we can post found dogs and we took her in to see if she had a chip posters all over you name it we did it! Kim contact the border collie rescue and was given some options which really helped me to feel better if I had to find her a new home Everyone and their brother has tried to get me to give them this dog if i cant find her owner. But to me after getting to know her and see the issues that she has their was no way that she was going to just anyone! Yes I tried to tell this lil girl she is not mine but well she had other ideas!! She crawled deep into my heart and I knew for some reason she was meant to show up on my door step. She needs me and I need her we will work together and sort it out The animal shelter called me to see how things were going and if their was anything they can do to help. The lady at the shelter told me when I told her of my situation and all she pretty much helped me convince myself that disability or not I can do this and I have my daughters help their is really nothing we cant do For now I have got to get her to stop barking at every person and every dog that walks down our street. And I have to get her to stop barking at Orian when he is playing fetch baby steps ( she doesn't bark all the time at the dogs and people but oh she barks all the time when we try to play fetch with the other dog ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizabeth Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Sorry so long I will get pics of her soon just have not had a chance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Festerling Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Welcome. Sounds like a match made in heaven as to speak. And I agree, you sound like a very strong and courageous woman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bordercentrics Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I thought so!!!! This is such a wonderful outcome for everyone, especially for Gidget. As for barking at Orion when he is playing, I have four Border Collies, and when I am going to do anything with one of them outside, the others are in the house where they can't see us. Motion can turn a Border Collie on, at least mine (haha), and watching another dog having so much fun may be too much for Gidget right now. At some point you could try playing with two balls, so that Gidget has something she can run after herself. When she is as well trained as Orion, you can put each one in a stay in turn and give each a chance to go for their own ball without competition. If her other behaviors are motivated by fear issues, as Kim described, the best program I have worked with for that is BAT, or Behavior Adjustment Training by Grisha Stewart. I helped a friend with her Border Collie with this program and the results were amazing. You and Kim should feel free to keep in touch. Kathy Robbins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizabeth Posted May 8, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Thank you Gidget is not much for bringing the ball back, she will a couple times she is more into tug of war, and yes I agree and so does poor Orian we will bring him out alone so he can have his time more often though I think. At the dog park is the only place I can turn poor Gidget loose because it is fenced in, We cant and wont bring her to the big dog park where they have lots of room to run and play because poor Gid is terrified of those big big dogs. But happy as can be in the small park. So once again the 2 older dogs will go to the big park with out Gidget now and then so they can have their fun too. Last night she got to sleep out of the crate. 2nd time we tried but this time she did not wonder the house she went rite to sleep and was there on the foot of my bed when I woke up We will look into BAT today again thank you all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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