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Long time lurker, would like to introduce myself


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Hello, my name is Emily. I've been a lurker on these forums and have read just about everything I can find, but have never introduced myself.

 

I am a 26 year old PhD student, and I've been a border collie person since I first watched a program about sheep herding dogs when I was little. I think the draw is in the personality match between me and a border collie. When I was in 7th grade I finally convinced my mother to let us adopt a dog named Wit from a rescue in Louisiana. She was a much-loved dog throughout her life. She did have many qualities in opposition to stereotypical border collies, which always perplexed us. She passed away last fall to kidney failure after a long and terrible fight with dementia. I have many very fond memories of beach adventures and taking her hiking. She lived with my mother after I left for college, so it has been quite a while since I actually lived with a dog.

 

In January this year, I decided that my feeble reasons for not having a dog right now don't really hold water, and I set out to change that. It's true I'm often busy as a student, but my schedule right now is actually more flexible than it will ever be in the future. I can bring a dog to work with me, and I am also allowed to work from home when it suits me. In the middle of June I'll be moving from my current apartment to a cottage with a small yard that is only just over a mile from the university where I work. I won't have a big yard, but I have plenty of other avenues for getting a dog out and about. So I think, with the right dog, it could be an appropriate home.

 

I am looking for a young adult dog to adopt, preferably through a rescue, but I'm currently living in south Florida which seems to make this a very difficult avenue. Otherwise I will probably wait until I can find a dog that needs to be rehomed by owner, or a dog in a shelter that I can do a trial period with. I'm not really looking for a young puppy because I would rather go with a young adult dog whose qualities are known. Most of my family is in Texas, so I'm also willing to adopt a dog from Texas and transport it back to Florida.

 

So, before I make this post too long, I'll go ahead and wrap it up. I'm going to keep reading and learning from all the wonderful info available on this forum. If I find the right dog before long, I'm sure I'll have plenty of my own questions to ask. Though many have already been answered I'm sure.

 

Here is a photo of our dog Wit with my little sister and our parrot. I remember the parrot would actually wait at the bottom of her cage for the dog to walk by, and would climb on the dog's back.

 

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Welcome to posting.

 

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck in the search.

 

As far as "stereotypical" border collies, well I think that's pretty much a myth. There's as much atypicality in the breed as cookie cutter varieties. Most of the ones I've had been different despite their similarities and all have defied the stereotypical expectations in more ways than one. B)

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Welcome to posting.

 

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck in the search.

 

As far as "stereotypical" border collies, well I think that's pretty much a myth. There's as much atypicality in the breed as cookie cutter varieties. Most of the ones I've had been different despite their similarities and all have defied the stereotypical expectations in more ways than one. B)

 

Thanks GentleLake. That's true it does seem to be the case. I guess I'd say my expectations of border collies would be generally energetic, biddable, and owner focused. I don't think I would describe our dog Wit that way, but she was certainly intelligent with a mind of her own. But the individuality makes every dog unique.

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Such a cute photo! Clever bird. Did the dog mind her hitching a ride?

 

I don't think she did. She was a very good dog in terms of putting up with just about any animal. She didn't seem to have much prey drive. She was around rabbits, snakes, and lizards quite often as well. She and the cat had a lifelong mutual dislike, but she always knew the cat was in charge and never challenged her with more than a staring contest.

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Welcome to the boards Emily! Quick thought but you may want to get in touch with Stephanie Goracke in Texas. She recently posted on FB that she's got a 14 mo old that she's looking for a home for. He may not be cutting it as a working dog. Not a rescue but she's a reputable breeder/handler. Good luck in your search!

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Welcome to posting.

 

Sounds like a good plan. Good luck in the search.

 

As far as "stereotypical" border collies, well I think that's pretty much a myth. There's as much atypicality in the breed as cookie cutter varieties. Most of the ones I've had been different despite their similarities and all have defied the stereotypical expectations in more ways than one. B)

I second this. My wife was never a fan of the breed, but ever since we started keeping sheep, and the bc bug bit me, we have had several. She loved most of them.

Her explanation; " yes, but yours aren't typical bordercollies!"...;)

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Welcome RainDrops!

 

Are you aware of Ewenity Herding Dog Rescue in FL? They used to rescue mostly BCs and Aussies and ACDS IIRC, but I just checked their website and see that they have expanded the breeds they are helping. (It is so very hard in rescue to say no to deserving dogs.)

 

One dog, Clover, caught my eye. She may be a handful with her energy, but it may also be worth checking her out.

 

Good Luck and I look forward to updates.

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Welcome to the boards Emily! Quick thought but you may want to get in touch with Stephanie Goracke in Texas. She recently posted on FB that she's got a 14 mo old that she's looking for a home for. He may not be cutting it as a working dog. Not a rescue but she's a reputable breeder/handler. Good luck in your search!

 

Thank you so much! I will definitely send her a message right now. I'd be happy to give a home to a dog that isn't working out as a herding dog.

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Welcome RainDrops!

 

Are you aware of Ewenity Herding Dog Rescue in FL? They used to rescue mostly BCs and Aussies and ACDS IIRC, but I just checked their website and see that they have expanded the breeds they are helping. (It is so very hard in rescue to say no to deserving dogs.)

 

One dog, Clover, caught my eye. She may be a handful with her energy, but it may also be worth checking her out.

 

Good Luck and I look forward to updates.

 

Thank you! Yes I have looked into Ewenity and I've sent them an email asking if I should go ahead and submit an application before I move into my new place, but haven't heard back. If I do not hear back I will just wait until I move into my new place and then submit an application. They look great, although they seem to work mostly with ACDs these days. And I absolutely love that dog Clover, but unfortunately I have a house rabbit and it seems that she wouldn't be able to handle that without really intense fixation.

 

The rabbit stays in a cage unless supervised, and he is very used to dogs and cats, but it sounds like it would not be good for the dog. The rabbit has only encountered one dog that tried to herd him, a friend's sheltie, and it did annoy him but he made it clear he would box the dog in the face if she kept at it. He's not afraid to look out for himself. But we probably will at least need a dog that isn't into the intense fixation and that doesn't have a strong prey drive.

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I'm so excited. I think I might have found the dog! Found an ad on facebook that a woman in Louisiana (near the Texas border not that far from my mother) posted trying to find a home for a dog. He is a young dog, supposedly pure bred bc originally from a breeder(?) whose owner was leaving for a job with an oil rig. This woman's boyfriend took the dog in rather than have him go to the shelter, but they can't keep him as they have a young intact female dog and he isn't neutered. But he sounds like an amazing dog. He seems very small though. She said she would guess he is around 20 lbs, but I'm guessing he must be a little bigger. She sent me a video of him and he is 100% border collie shaped, not at all like sheltie or mini aussie. He is longer and leaner, not boxy. He is only 9 months, so maybe he still has some growing to do. I definitely want a smaller border collie, so the size doesn't really deter me, but he does look like he's really on the small end of the range.

 

She said he's great on and off leash, loves balls and frisbees, is good with small animals. He could be the one! The photo of him isn't great because it's taken with flash, but he appears to be a brindle point tri?

 

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Working-bred Border Collies come in lots of sizes, as I'm sure you already know. A male in the 20s would be a tad unusual but not unheard of. He's got a great, kind face. Let us know if you get him!

 

Best wishes,

 

Amy

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