Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 This more rightly belongs under Rescue I suppose, or maybe training, but I thought this was a somewhat important point. I've gotten in several rescues lately - after a long break I've finally taken the plunge and gone right back into it, since I have contacts now who are interested in the "hard luck" cases I used to specialize in. Biters and "too much to handle" and so forth. These are great, great dogs. I've had a couple losers but I've had a run of dogs I'd be tempted to keep myself. With your permission I want to talk about them a bit. Ed, the dog who wouldn't stay home, who wouldn't look me in the eye for two weeks and melted if I pointed a camera at him. One look at sheep and he's everyone's best friend and won't leave our side. Everyone connected with sheep, that is. Mel, the dog who took one bite too many. Just way too much going on in his head - turns out sheep are just what he wanted. And maybe cattle, too. He'd make a super sport dog too - he's just responsive enough to keep in touch, but with that hair trigger and go-go-go that's needed for success in the more active sports. He'd eat up something like rally for breakfast and have a dog dancing routine down by dinnertime, and bring in the cows before dark on top of it. He's a dog that could literally do anything at all - except live quietly at home! He's even pretty - deep blue merle with rich brown trim. Chris, another dog that snapped once too many times. He was the baby of the family, but he doesn't want to be a baby - he wants to WORK. I see geese in his future for sure, but he's starting on my sheep. He had to learn that the game has rules, and he sulked for a bit (he was the baby, remember?), but he's never offered to show a tooth, even on the sheep now. One or two more turns in the pen and he'll be ready for the bigger field, after maybe four times on sheep altogether. He'll never set a trial field on fire or make a heavy-duty working dog, but he'd sure be a nice novice dog, small farm dog, and he'd even make a nice companion for a home that is keeping him quite busy again. If you've got an active life to offer a dog, or a job to do, please consider rescue. I'm not speaking for my dogs in particular, they are spoken for many times over at the moment. There's many rescues out there filled to overflowing with similiar dogs - and I see a lot of people way too ready to dismiss these dogs as unworthy of an experienced trainer's time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Festerling Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 I guess it is like with everything, just got the find the right spot to fit into. I enjoyed reading about your rescues. Great work! Ever so rewarding I am sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixie_Girl Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Rebecca, that is an awesome testimony! You know, I knew all the "stuff" about rescuing, but until I did it, it didn't really have a clear picture for me! To see Buddy go from a "companion" home where he was deemed to "barky and excitable", to a ranch with no time for him, to a ranch where he was picked on constantly by ACD's, to my house, to a home where he earned a CGC, plays with young children, has loads of other dogs to play with, and is thriving! Oh, and he's McDreamy, Mick for short, now. Then my two girls, that weren't worthy of life any more due to their humans having "other" things to do, that could hardly move at a slow walk, running through the woods now, lighting up when its time for a walk, one running with the boys for the ball or frizbee, one teaching a certain juvinile delinquint proper doggie etiquite, and just seeing JOY in them, where so much sadness was before. All this is what makes me SEE what rescue is. Thank you for reminding us all, what can happen, when given a proper chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileyzookie Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 I loved that! I am 100 percent rescue/shelter. Thats a great testimony I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Watch Debatable Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 If a great companion dog is what you want, you can find a shelter dog as smart, trainable, keen and terrific as any pedigreed pup that ever lived, border collies included. But if you want a good working dog [i always used to tell people], then you need to contact a good breeder of working dogs. You'll never, ever in a million years find a real working dog in a municipal shelter. Boy, was I wrong. Lu is my go-to dog now. She'd be delighted to work until she drops; she can move or hold anything I've got; and by God if she isn't starting to show signs of a natural cast. She's fast, keen and tough, and was, I suspect, a complete nightmare for some poor, unsuspecting family. I love her tons. Gratuitous snap of the landshark in Jamul: If you've got an active life to offer a dog, or a job to do, please consider rescue. [Or shelters!] I'm not speaking for my dogs in particular, they are spoken for many times over at the moment. There's many rescues out there filled to overflowing with similiar dogs - and I see a lot of people way too ready to dismiss these dogs as unworthy of an experienced trainer's time. Big, huge amen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lunar Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 That is just fabulous to read, Rebecca. And makes me think even more that we need to find some kind of job for Zeeke. Unfortunately herding won't do it for him. (Not that we have sheep!) I think it's so great that you can and do take in the hard cases and really show what fabulous dogs they can be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheri McDonald Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 That is soooo wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 What a wonderful message to read first thing in the morning. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, all of you who have taken on the giant task of rescue are awesome people! You are unsung heroes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painted_ponies Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Oh, Becca, that's wonderful to read! Do you mind if I copy your post and email it out to our group? I know they'd be tickled to know how well Mel is doing, and we all like to hear people promote rescue dogs. Good to read everybody else's rescue successes as well. I know I couldn't be happier with the two who live with me - I have finally faced the fact that I've grown far too attached to Faith (pictured at left) to ever give her up. Anyway, she's taught my little workaholic Violet how to play, which is such a miracle in itself that I have to keep her around to see what else she's capable of! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurae Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 That really is a nice post Rebecca. I wish more people who actually do things with their dogs would consider rescue. Too often people assume that rescues are somehow flawed dogs, when in reality many just had the misfortune to live in inappropriate homes before being turned in. Often the very people who think they need a puppy to do activities with are the ones who would be a perfect match for dogs who became rescues in the first place due to a lack of the opportunity to do such activities. If that makes any sense... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 That is wonderful, Rebecca. It's kind of like our little Megan - her stockworking abilities won't set the world on fire but she is very useful here on the farm within her limits. And, actually, her strong points are a good complement to Celt because they are different from his. Some rescues are also staffed by people who are particularly able to evaluate dogs for their stockworking abilities and place them in suitable homes. One rescuer with whom I am familiar had a couple of excellent farm prospects. One was a six month old from excellent breeding. At six months of age, he was taken out and "told" to get the sheep. You can imagine the results. Without further ado, his "family" took him to the pound as a "useless" dog. Thank goodness he was rescued by a knowledgeable organization. Another dog was trained for sheep and cattle. The farmer was no longer able to farm, sold the place, and had to rehome the dog (for whatever reason, health, I think). A young, fully-trained dog was looking for the right home. These are particular examples but I'm sure there are many more out there. This rescue found the right and appropriately active homes for these dogs. I just wish I'd known about them in time to consider one or both of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoresDog Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Thanks for the testimony, Rebecca, Linda, Luisa, Sue and all. And a huge THANK YOU to all who do rescue work, with all breeds and cats too. I for one wouldn't have become acquainted with border collies at all if I hadn't been found by a funny young bc needing a home. Our beach buddy Tate's human is in France now (envy!) but I think I can say that the two of them couldn't be happier with how rescue turned out, too! Tate'll be in his first sheepdog trial in 2 weeks, btw. Guess he found a good home, eh?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 I'm nowhere near the numbers that Rebecca has been able to help but I have found the same things. Most of my rescues are unwanted puppies and out of control adolescents. We can only do about 6-10 rescues a year here on top of our other committments but from that few I have placed herding dogs, flyball dog, agility dogs, frisbee dogs, loving and fun pets. Many of them do several of these things, some of them do *all*. Our star rescue currently is Willie, picked up as a pup by animal control - history unknown. Willie is now titled in Rally obedience, training in Agility, a service dog in training, and a Delta Certified Therapy dog. As a therapy dog Willie was a special star at the orphaned childrens picnic at a major regional hospital. He was not only the kids favorite dog to play with, but a special example of an "orphan who made it" There is a time and place to purchase from a quality breeder, but before you do...remember that there are a lot of good dogs who are waiting just around the local rescue corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSnappy Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 That's a beautiful post Rebecca, but it makes me sad. I guess it makes me sad that we have to remind, or tell, people about how wonderful rescue dogs can be. I would think it would be intuitive on some level. The fact that we, as rescues, have to actively market our charges just saddens me. We have rescues who have become top agility and flyball dogs, rescues who are therapy dogs, rescues who are acting in movies and television, rescues who are stellar working dogs, and rescues who are oustanding companions. It just makes sense that a rescue is a dog and a dog is as good as his handler helps him to or lets him be. RDM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieDog Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 What a great thread! And yes, it is sad that we have to market rescue dogs as equal to (or better) than dogs from papered lines, but I prefer to think of all the minds rescuers have helped change rather than those we haven't reached yet. Maggie is another "do anything" dog, this time from a shelter. She was one of the "problem" dogs people think of at shelters - at adoption, she was severely undersocialized, nippy, had separation anxiety, cleared 5ft fences, was dog aggressive, and nervous anywhere outside of the house/property or dog training classes. But she proved everyone wrong; even those "problem" dogs can overcome their hurdles with flying colors. Though she may never be a good trial dog or a top winner in agility, Maggie has learned much about her world. Looking at her now you'd never think she was undersocialized. She greets most people with a wagging tail and is happy accompanying me as a demo dog to college classes and animal events. She competes in agility and has been a therapy dog w/ Delta Society for almost 4 years. In March she will acompany me to Clicker Expo in Ohio - where we'll be in seminars for 8 hours a day surrounded by tons of people and dogs. She has a growing list of dog buddies, and is the "go to" dog for teaching obnoxious adolescent pups doggie manners. Maggie is truly AMAZING! before: now: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 That's a beautiful post Rebecca, but it makes me sad. I guess it makes me sad that we have to remind, or tell, people about how wonderful rescue dogs can be. I would think it would be intuitive on some level. The fact that we, as rescues, have to actively market our charges just saddens me. I know what you're saying, but advertising is important for most things, even wonderful dogs in need of homes. So please keep putting the word out there. Before I say anything more, I want to emphasize that I truly intend to get my next BC from rescue. And I know lots of great rescues out there. However, there are also rescues with significant issues and when people see those dogs, they start to think that's what every rescue dog is like. I've had 4 rescue dogs. Two were the best performance dogs you could ask for. Even more importantly, they were wonderful companions. The other two rescues were my "worst" dogs with very serious agression problems. They had other fantastic qualities but living with them left me very wary about taking on certain kinds of problems. I do see some (not all) rescues having behavior problems that are very challenging and lots of people don't want that much of a challenge in their dogs. My point is people need to keep hearing how wonderful rescues can be. That will help offset every time they hear a person excuse their dog's poor behavior with "he's a rescue." Because that happens. Just like the news, it's not all the good that's out there that gets the most press. I can only guess how discouraging and frustrating rescue can be, but thank you so much for helping those dogs and please keep tooting their horns. Every time you do, you are at least planting a seed in the minds of all who hear or see your words Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheRuffMuttGang Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Me and my pack of 7 rescue dogs (and the several that I have adopted out through my rescue) would like to sincerely thank you for this thread. Perhaps none of them are true working dogs but they are all successful at what they do, be it flyball, agility, frisbee, therapy work, rally...the list goes on and on. I can't imagine why no one wanted any of these wonderful dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackoDog Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Our rescue was a "barker," he snapped a lot, he was "too much to handle" and "not good" with children. Uh huh. Or perhaps his owners were just POS. I can probably count the number of times I've heard him bark. He only does it when he gets REALLY frustrated. Yes, he was mouthy, but he also thought, at 1 year old, that he was a 4 month old pup. Definite socialization issues. He has learned, and is still learning. He doesn't bite at all when scared now, and we're trying to teach him that being mouthy with humans during play is no good - he's learning! Too much to handle...well, he's a border collie, he has a lot of energy and wants something to do all the time. If we don't give him a job, he finds one, which I'm sure is what his previous owners encountered as well. The difference is, we've taught him that sometimes he has to turn it off, but that there's always something fun right around the corner - a game of seek, a bike ride, a tennis ball, whatever. Not to mention, those bones from Costco. They'll last an hour or two. Not good with children...perhaps because he wasn't trained, perhaps because he was 50 pound dog who thought he was much smaller, I don't know. All I know is, all of the problems he was said to have are gone since we've taken the time to love him, give him the physical and mental exercise he needs, keep him close to us whenever we're home, and teach him the things he needs to know. He is a much more confident and secure dog now than he was when we adopted him in June. Thank you for posting the stories in the OP. I don't know if J could work sheep or not - we live in the city, and we've never tried it - but I know he's a great dog who loves to run and play and be loved on and give kisses. That's what we were looking for in a dog, and we found it on our very first try. We will definitely rescue from here on out, because we know that good dogs can be found at the shelters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy in AZ Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Maybe we could archive a thread: "Rescued Dog Success Stories " to point people to who come here inquiring about acquiring a BC and think a breeder is their only viable choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted February 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Oh, Becca, that's wonderful to read! cool.gif Do you mind if I copy your post and email it out to our group? I know they'd be tickled to know how well Mel is doing, and we all like to hear people promote rescue dogs. Mel is at Karen's by the way right now and she wrote me to say this morning, among other things, that he's "thinking and doing whatever I want - can't ask for more than that . . ." You of course are welcome to pass that on. I completely forgot to get in touch with you as we started lambing that night . . .and I immediately lost my brain somewhere next to the iodine bottle and next to the dirty towel stack . . . You could just keep adding success stories here - it would fit the topic title. My biggest point is that even the "tough" rescues are often worth putting the effort into for someone with the experience. I hope those people can realize that though RDM is right - the trend seems to be shifting the other way. I refuse to be discouraged, though! Just call me Pollyanna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 I appreciate your post a lot. It has only come to my attention recently that some people really do think that there is something inherently wrong with a dog that came from rescue/a shelter/etc. A student of mine was telling me that her vet - her VET - told her that all rescues are not mentally sound, or they wouldn't be in rescue in the first place!!!!! I think that all of you know that it's my one dog that was not from a rescue or shelter that is not mentally sound! In fact, people are constantly asking me, "is he a rescue?" because he has mental issues!!!!!! So, when I decided to get a new Border Collie to train for sport competition, I sought out a rescue on purpose so I could find one with a solid temperament!! And I meet so many very nice dogs in my volunteer ventures with the Border Collie rescue - dogs that will thrive when they get their homes and be much more mentally sound than my breeder dog could ever be! My reaction to the idea that rescue dogs are somehow inferior is true confusion. I say keep the success stories coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Here is one organization that I absolutely love the concept of Search Dog Foundation. They take rescue and "career change" dogs (including BCs) , train them to a high level as SAR dogs, then donate them to rescue personal. Look under "The Search Dogs" to read some of the stories. VERY neat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSnappy Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 A student of mine was telling me that her vet - her VET - told her that all rescues are not mentally sound, or they wouldn't be in rescue in the first place!!!!! Ah, her vet must be Jon Katz. The problem with rescue terminology is that owners of rescued dogs are as quick to blame (excuse) their dogs' problems on the fact that they are rescues as the general public is. The reality is, those dogs with issues either came into rescue with those issues (and often because of those issues); ergo, their problems are NOT because they are rescues. And most of those problems can be resolved, too, with some patience and handling - except many adopters prefer the scapegoat "My dog is a rescue and that's why he does X." I suppose on some level it's also more romantic for people to have "saved" an "abused" doggie. Kind of like how when a news channel sensationalizes a single rescue dog's sad story a million people want to adopt that dog. It can be an ongoing emotional struggle for rescues. On the one hand, we want to save the dogs who are in the most need - on the other, we want to PLACE dogs who are the most well adjusted. Because a f*cked up dog with a sad story is a heartbreaking story on the internet, but a well adusted adopted dog is where your best PR comes from. Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of rescue dogs coming in have no issues other than the quirks one might find in any dog. RDM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossie Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 It has only come to my attention recently that some people really do think that there is something inherently wrong with a dog that came from rescue/a shelter/etc. I have had that experience as well. My dog is from a shelter and when people find that out they say are very surprised and say things "what was a dog like that doing in a shelter!" or "BUT he's so lovely!" One neighbor even said to me "Oh well, a dog like that wouldn't have been in the shelter for long, though." To which I responded "You're absolutely right, dogs in his shelter are euthanized if they aren't adopted by the end of their 7th day!" Buzz & his litter's shelter photos - - Buzz now cuddlebug model future obedience and agility competitor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc friend Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 A student of mine was telling me that her vet - her VET - told her that all rescues are not mentally sound, or they wouldn't be in rescue in the first place!!!!! I The more I hear from people on the Board, the more I appreciate my vet! She recommends various rescue groups when clients ask her about where to acquire a new dog, has worked w/rescues placing dogs, etc. In all fairness, she does still recommend breeders for puppies, but she is good about talking to clients about their lifestyle versus a young pup or a rescue dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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