aljones

Just fyi, I think this is the thread from February that some folks are referencing.

I just cannot believe nobody has replied to your question with the obvious question: does wanting to know about vaccinations and neutering mean you are keeping Scout and Little Bit??

^^ What Linda said! Johnson was about the same age as Belle when we adopted him, and we couldn't have made a better decision for both him and us! The crazy thing is that, with each passing month, he seems to be getting younger instead of older...even the folks from the shelter and the vet's office can't get over how he seems less like an "old man" now that he's living the indoor, family-pet life. I hope for a similar success for your family and Belle. It sure sounds like you're off to a great start!

Shay--I'd just like to second what others have said about your maturity in this situation. I teach college students, and many of them would not have been able to listen to feedback that ran counter to their own impulses, let alone been able to come to a decision that required them to wait awhile to acquire something they wanted as much as you want a BC. I really admire your open-mindedness and ability to weigh other people's opinions carefully and come to the best decision for your and your family at this time. Congrats!

Congratulations to Erin and Maggie! Z is just adorable, and, with a personality to match, I can see why she's going to stick around.

Diane, I certainly cannot speak to all the dogs on the "rescue" part of the site being ones Swafford has produced, but I strongly suspect most of them are. Some of the pics listed as rescues there look extremely similar to ones that have previously appeared on the breeder part of his site. Also, as I mentioned above, he showed me a female puppy that he had produced and that was missing toes and then, a couple of months later, "adopted" a female puppy missing toes out as a "rescue." That situation, specifically, seems too close to be a coincidence. When I visited his operation, it was in response to an ad he'd placed for "free" BCs, and he gave me a big story about how he was a rescuer who helped out people who could no longer keep their dogs. However, all the dogs he steered me toward were ones he had produced, with starting prices around $400.

While we're having our puke-fest, I submit this blurb from the "success stories" part of the website: I doubt this "adopter" of a "rescue" puppy with a deformity realizes that Swafford bred this pup himself. I am fairly certain it is the same young female he showed me last November, brushing off her deformity as no big deal all while stating he'd cut me a deal on her price and reminding me of the exact mileage to the closest ATM. And don't get me started on how he apparently thinks antifreeze jugs are appropriate dog toys since he uses them for impromptu games of fetch.

And don't forget the other good news: that Lady has you folks & Dixie all looking out for her well-being!! She has come such a long way in her months with you, and I'm sure she knows you will do whatever you can to give her the best quality of life for as long as possible. I'm glad the vet was able to remove the whole mass, which certainly must improve her prognosis a great deal, even if the biopsy results aren't what you had hoped.

Great news for Lady! And a nice bonus to hear that Dixie is being so kind and attentive, too. See, she does have a soft and gentle side...she just keeps it hidden most of the time.

I wouldn't want to generalize too much based on Johnson since he was owner-surrendered at age 8-10 and had evidently been an outdoor dog with no real socialization or health care his whole life. But he's not into playing with other dogs at all. He mostly just wants to be where his people are, sitting at or on their feet if possible. The alleged reason he was surrendered to the shelter was because his owner had died and the owner's wife couldn't keep him out of the neighbors' chickens (I think she said he was killing them). But, again, I would probably chalk that behavior up to nurture (or lack thereof) rather than nature. I would expect a 5-month-old pup to be both playful and trainable. Your idea to let the dogs meet and see how they interact sounds excellent. As for size, Johnson is shorter and stockier than Kate (a known full BC who is pretty average-sized). He was quite chubby when we got him, nearly 60# , but is now 51# and could stand to lose a couple more. His coat is very manageable, short and slick without the fluffy undercoat I expected. A quick once-over with the FURminator and he's good to go! Now I really want to see pics of this pup you're considering--I'll be he's CUTE. And I love the other pics people are posting to this thread, too--what gorgeous dogs!

Our best guess is that Johnson is a BC/ACD mix, but he was an owner surrender to the local shelter, so we don't know for sure. He is marked like a BC but shaped like an ACD. He is my first and only experience with ACDs, so I'm sure other more expert folks could give you more reliable information. Are you wondering about personality and temperment, specifically? Compared to the many BCs I've known, he is more bossy and barky and pushy and generally harder-headed when it comes to taking corrections. But he is also every bit as loving as my most affectionate BC and as "velcro" as any BC I've had. He is friendly with strangers and other dogs, but very focused on his people (doesn't run and play at the dog park, for example). He makes me laugh nearly every single day because he's just so goofy (he looks goofy, he acts goofy), and, even though we've only had him a year, I can't imagine life without him. Are there specific things about the mix that are giving you pause? Or, I have to admit, I was a total BC breed snob for my first few decades of life, so I wasn't sure a mix was for me. Of course, then I met Johnson and the rest is history!

Thank you all for thinking of us, especially Linda with the difficult week she has had. After being on pins and needles all day, I just got the call that Johnson came through his surgery fine and is waking up, so I can pick him up in a couple of hours. I am hoping to read similarly good news about Lady soon....

You know the senior set here is pulling for Lady, Dixie's Dad. In fact, Johnson is having surgery on Thursday morning, too, so I know just how you feel. I will spend Thursday keeping a good thought for both our senior rescue chums. Hey, if they can beat heartworm, these minor surgeries should be a cakewalk, right? Best wishes for Lady's smooth surgery and speedy recovery!

Having had both rescue and non-rescue BCs, I think this is just typical BC behavior. It is unusual for any of my three dogs not to be in the same room I am in, but I do remember that it took me awhile to get used to having first one, then two, and now three shadows! Now, though, I think it's weird when I visit family and friends whose dogs voluntarily leave their people...or who stay snoozing in one room when the people move to another one. Before you know it, you'll just take Bear's constant presence for granted!

Your post brought tears to my eyes. Having also had a BC with cancer, I know all about the temptation to blame yourself, especially when you've been away from the dog shortly before it becomes ill. But this truly sounds like a situation where Katie's health was out of your hands. You did the best you could for her, all throughout her life, and your taking a trip certainly didn't cause her cancer. Please don't beat yourself up (I know, I know...easier said than done). I'm sure Katie knew just how much you loved her.

Oh, my heart dropped when I saw a post with Lewis' name on it in the Memoriam section. How tragic that his life was ended so senselessly and so shortly after he found his real place. RIP, Lewis.

What a relief for you and Sara! I have been thinking about her since reading your other recent thread announcing this surgery, and I'm so glad that this procedure was successful. I'm sorry that I don't know Sara's exact age, but I did want to share that my William had a similar surgery at age 11 and needed no follow-up treatment. I was worried about putting him through the stress of the surgery at his age, but it was well worth it: he lived another 2 1/2 years without any additional liver-related problems. I hope for an even more successful outcome for Sara!

Folks have already given a lot of excellent specific ideas. I'd just add one general rule of thumb that comes from having been on both sides of this situation (I pet/house-sat a lot when I was a student and couldn't have pets of my own, and now I sometimes hire petsitters). If in doubt, write it down! You've probably already thought of this, but I was always amazed when I'd go to someone's house to meet the pets and "learn the routine," and we'd run through things in 5-10 minutes and that would be it. Obviously, it's all old hat to the owner, so he or she would just expect me to get it all instantly. Maybe I'm just not too quick on the uptake, but I was always relieved when the owners left me detailed written instructions about how to care for the pets...particularly when those instructions were broken down chronologically (instead of by individual pet). So one list of "morning/breakfast" stuff and another of "evening/dinner" stuff was much appreciated. No matter how many notes I would take on my own or how many questions I'd ask, without clear written instructions from the owners, I would always be afraid of overlooking important issues for the pets. Hope you have a great time at the wedding and that all goes smoothly at home in your absence.

Wow! That is huge progress! I remember reading your earlier thread about how fearful Ellie was when you brought her home, and it's wonderful to hear how much she has improved and how devoted to her you are!

In a weird way, I'm glad I'm not the only one who had that reaction to the photo (almost simultaneously with my "awwwww, pupppyyy!" reaction, in fact). I even immediately checked out the website of the "breeder" in question to see if the pic was posted there (it wasn't). Sorry for the hijack. Having lived with BCs for 30+ years and having acquired them in all fashions, I really encourage you to keep in touch with rescue organizations, for all the reasons folks have already given. And I found a young adult (18-month-old) dog easiest for me to manage as a student. When I later obtained a 6-month-old pup, in fact, I realized just how lucky I was to begin with an older dog, especially when I needed to study for more than 2.5 minutes at a stretch. Best of luck in your search.

This sounds like the usual problem at my house, too! But I have a foster now who is more picky, and his rescuer (who has considerably more experience than I do in dealing with dogs that have to be encouraged to eat) swears by this canned tripe. It works really well for Spirit, and I add a little water to just one spoonful of it (making a really wretched smelling and looking "soup") and stretch a can for a looooonnnggg time.

Hi, Diana, I'm no expert on Rimadyl, although I've used it cautiously for short-term pain management like you did with Louie. It, along with other pain-management drugs, has been discussed quite a bit in the Health & Genetics section of the board. If you go into that forum and then enter "Rimadyl" in the search box at the bottom of the screen, you'll get lots of previous posts you can review. Glad to hear Louie is recovering well!

I'm so sorry to hear of this turn of events! Are you familiar with the Border Collie Rescue board? If not, I encourage you to check it out, as it contains a wealth of information and contacts that you can draw upon in potentially rehoming Bindi. Best of luck as you navigate this difficult situation for you and your family.

Eileen's and Joe's points are excellent ones, and, after reading and considering them, I'm sorry I posted Elise's new creative work and stirred up that part of the conversation. I completely agree that her creativity is better used in producing fiction than in producing more border collies, and I'll delete my post if folks think it would be appropriate or helpful to do so.

Just when I thought the Everic website couldn't get any stranger, the homepage displays this: