Adoption Information

If you are interested in learning more, please respond to this post with your name and email address. We'd be happy to answer any questions!

Week 3 Update

Doll and Prion are doing great with their recall work-- I've been calling them each several times on our adventures outside and rewarding with treats. Both dogs were great hiking with our young children. They did not try to herd them in any way, even when both children ran past them. I've been working with both dogs on ski-joring, but with a bicycle (no snow right now!), attached to our other border collie who pulls like a champ. They both are getting it and seem to enjoy pulling in a harness.

Prion LOVES chasing balls. She's happiest when she can have two or three to play with. I am very impressed with how gentle she is when our young children play fetch with her; she drops the ball for them and doesn't crowd them when they pick it up to throw it again. Doll isn't as excited about playing fetch (probably because Prion steals her ball!), but she did enjoy our agility session learning to run through a tunnel. She will do anything for a treat!

Week Two

Both girls have been amazing citizens despite the little exercise they've gotten this week. Our whole family came down with the flu and I was not able to even half-heartedly toss the tennis ball for them for three days. It broke my heart to see four amber eyes imploring me to get my sorry self off the couch each morning. Yesterday, I finally felt well enough for a bike ride and they had a blast! I think Doll is ready to learn bike and ski-joring with a harness. She raced right alongside Brio, our bc, who was dutifully pulling us through the snow. Taking three border collies and a large black mutt out for exercise is definitely not a low profile adventure-- it's more of an outing. Several skiers and snow machiners were on the trail and witnessed the madness. I think I'm becoming The Dog Lady!

Doll and Prion Play with our Kindergartner

Day 7

Prion and our three-year-old

Doll with our five-year-old

Day 6

Today I tested Doll and Prion with the bicycle-- they galloped along like champs with no attempt to herd me, although Prion chased Doll a few times too close to my front tire. With a little practice, they will make GREAT mountain biking companions as well as running buddies. I worked with both girls on sit, stay, down, and come commands and they were excellent. Very bright, very obedient, and eager to please. They have completely come out of their shells and are confidently using the doggy door and choosing to be wherever the girls and I are playing. Also, they both seem to like men and will visit my husband for ear scritches.

I was impressed today with how well they responded to loud, running, young children. Neither one was bothered or initiated any herding behavior, although this was indoor play only. On a nicer day, we'll try some supervised outdoor time with children.

Day 5

I gave Doll and Prion a rest from running. Doll is quite obese and Prion mildly curvy, so I think too much too quickly could tax their joints and soft tissues. Plus, it's wicked cold outside. Nine degrees with a serious windchill = 30 minute quick walk back to the warm wood stove. I let Prion off leash for more than five minutes for the first time and although she initially herded Doll, she did leave her alone for most of the walk. I'll have to see  tomorrow on our run if she is just over-stimulated by a faster pace into OCD herding behavior, or if she'll quit after a while. I haven't given her the chance because I was worried they would tear an ACL or something on the ice herding/being herded (tiny border collie circles on ice is job security for an orthopedic vet).

Also, these two are starting to make poor Brio, our one-year-old border collie, look bad. They are just innately cool.  First of all, they voluntarily curled up in our daughters' room tonight and are still there, protecting them from the "monsters" that have kept all of us awake lately. Secondly, no chewed toys, stuffed animals, or hairbrushes. The last few foster experiences I've had with middle-aged or senior dogs have taught me those that have a few years really can make amazing family companions. I know time and all of the work we've put into Brio will eventually even out some of his puppy-isms, but having some milder personalities in the room really is a treat. I feel thankful I'm spending time with these lovely gals, even if it is for a few short weeks.

Day 4

Apparently that border collie intelligence that recognizes and responds to patterns so quickly is not lost on these two. After only two runs so far, they did the border collie equivalent of handsprings-- bouncing up and down on their front paws with glee-- when they saw me slipping on my running shoes today. I guess everyone loves endorphins!

Doll and Prion- Week 1 Photos



Doll getting a well-needed bath.



Doll

Prion

Both border collies have adopted our three and five-year-old daughters!

Day 3

Both girls seemed to enjoy our five mile run early this morning. Since they are now coming when called, I let them both off leash with the Blacks and Brio to test their behavior. Doll was happy sniffing and galloping twenty feet in front of me, while Prion attempted to herd Doll back to me the entire time. Doll looked tired of this apparently ingrained herding behavior, so for the second half of our run, Prion was back on the leash, happily trotting beside me as if she had no herding desires at all.

Day 2

I took both girls on a four-mile run with my border collie Brio and our trusty family mutt, Blacks. I kept them on leashes since they have yet to come when called and practiced recalls periodically on the run. They are much happier today! Both dogs stretched out for belly rubs from our young daughters after the run.  They are mildy tolerant of Brio and ignore Black Dog. They seem to be very closely bonded with each other and have no interest in adding other canines to their pack of two.

I brushed and cut matts out of both girls' coats. They had been kept in a garage at night and have very thick fur. Since they are now staying in our bedroom at night (away from the too hot wood stove!), I had to give them a bath ASAP. They were very dirty, so it took me three lathers to get them really clean. Both stood patiently in the tub without incident.

Day 1

I met Doll and Prion's owner at the half-way point, forty-five minutes between each of our homes. I couldn't help but feel sorry for this family who not only has met with very unfortunate circumstances that are forcing them to move from Alaska later this month, but also the fact that they are unable to bring their dogs on the move and clearly wish they could. Both dogs jumped right into my car and licked their owner's face as she hugged and kissed them good-bye.

They were great travellers for the drive home. When I parked the car in the garage, they hid in my car for three hours before I could coax them out (food worked for Doll but not Prion). They were definitely frightened and nervously watched me as I attached leashes to their collars. To their credit, they did not growl or threaten me, although they were clearly distressed. The walk was uneventful. When testing their recall on a leash, neither dog felt comfortable coming to me when I called them. Hopefully tomorrow they will feel more relaxed.