SUCCESS STORIES

The following are letters we have received from the wonderful people who have adopted our rescue dogs.  It is so rewarding when we bring together great dogs with great people!

  

  

 
This is the latest on Flynn, who we adopted just over a year ago.
Our little boy is not so little anymore!  He's gone from hating water to loving it- he's a great swimmer!  He rides in the car like a big boy and has been cross country 2 times. (this is especially important as he hated the car when we got him - he was terrified)
His many travels include San Francisco, Sarasota, Florida, Joshua Tree National Park and everywhere in between. 
He has his 2 big hikes every day and 2 small walks in between; he stops to say hello to everyone!  He's just not getting good with letting out a "woor!" when he says hi!  He puts a smile on our face and in our hearts every day!
Flynn has fun with his dog buddies in the neighborhood, and often has them over to play in the afternoon after their walk;  Flynn's neighbor LadyBug the cat just sits by with a confused look wondering what they're doing throwing stuffed animals, balls and woobies around.
Can't tell you how happy we are to have Flynn in our family, he loves everyone!  Dog, Cat, horse, and people, too!   Thank you so much for letting us be Flynn's forever family.

 
June 6, 2010
 
Jazz (formerly Elwood) has had such a good week that I wanted to write and tell you about it.  He is now so much more sure of himself at our big dog park and loves his outing there everyday.  There is a stream and a pond and a lot of walking trails in the juniper and sage -- very pretty place and Jazz knows all the trails by now.  Jazz also knows the big open area where many owners congregate to throw things for their dogs, and he prances as we get near there to see who has showed up on that day.  As you know, he is easy with other dogs; he is particular about who he really likes, though, and makes it clear when he finally finds a dog who meets his standard for a friend.  He has selectively singled out a couple of dog friends by now, and he runs and plays with those dogs like a puppy. 
 
His favorite dog is Maggie, who is a 28 pound 2-year-old Cocker Spaniel.  We were invited over to her grandmother's house last night for dinner so Jazz and Maggie could play again (they had already had a play date at the park in the morning) and they had the best time.  They wrestled and played so much that they both were tuckered out by the end of the evening.  And Jazz tried out Maggie's "Sof-Crate," and liked it, so I bought him one today.  He already has a wire crate in my bedroom (which I just keep open for him) and likes that a lot, but he really took to his new soft crate, too, and thinks having a crate for him in the living room is a great idea.  He has a nest-bed in my office, too, where he is now while I write to you. 
 
You were so right about him, -- Jazz is the best dog.  People at the park comment on him all the time -- he is so good and such a gentleman.  He has that beautiful extended trot which is so pretty to watch and all the regulars there know his name and enjoy him.  
 
I haven't done anything yet with formal training, but our daily outings provide many opportunities and Jazz learns so fast.  I don't think he had training on how to heel, but working with him off-leash he already will stay right at my side when I tell him.  I don't ask it for long, but he got it within a couple of days (!) and I am amazed at how quickly he learns.  His recall is perfect and his "wait at the gate" is, too.  He is so smart and biddable. 
 
Thanks again for recognizing his great potential and for saving him for me.  I sure love him. 

 

                                    June 5, 2010

Cash (formerly Dash)

He's getting vigorous ball-chasing at the dogpark every morning, plus
three walks around the nabe. He has made huge strides in his
confidence with strangers, ESPECIALLY at the dog park, and is a lot
more confident generally. He has a platoon of fans around the
neighborhood already, human and canine.

Obedience school starts next Friday and I'm looking forward to it, though I am
already delighted at how much he knows, how quickly he learns, and
how good his instincts are. Unless he's doing victory laps with a
ball, at which time he cares for nothing else! But that only lasts as
long as he remembers he has to give me the ball if he wants me to
throw it.

He's a GREAT dog. I'm really sorry he had to wait so long to get adopted, but I feel
very lucky that he's here.
 

 

The quick update is that Coltrane (formerly Mikey) is just a phenomenal friend and family addition! He has the sweetest temperament; he believes the whole world is his friend, and I'm sure he doesn't understand the word malice. I'm pretty sure we've never even heard him let out a growl. He has grown quite a bit, which surprised us, as I thought he was close to full size when we got him at around 6 months. However, he just weighed 57 lbs. today! I'm pretty sure he's not heavy: the vet hasn't said anything, and he has been running anywhere from 4-10 miles a day for quite awhile. He definitely lets us know when he hasn't been for a run in a day or so! Of course, he loves the water, and we run on a levee, so he's usually down to the shore once or twice for a quick dip before resuming his run!
 
Since acquiring Coltrane, we have "adopted" a friends Border Collie mix. Unfortunately, he and his wife divorced, he had to move into an apartment, and after 6 months, he realized it was too cruel to keep the dog there. So we said we'd watch her (Lily) until he found someone who could give her a home. Well, after about a week of that, Lily just sort of adopted us, and she's been with us ever since. She's about 8 years old, and is quite a bit more mellow than Coltrane. I think she's been a good calming influence on him, and she definitely 'mothers' him — it's very cute to watch. 

Anyway, I know we've said it before, but thanks once again for molding and shaping Coltrane during his formative time of life. It definitely shows, and we couldn't be happier with him.

 

  

February 22, 2010 

Reba had her best day yet today, she spent the whole morning before the rain playing with Maverick, Dallas and Jessie, she runs like a crazy thing all over the ranch and is happy as a clam !! My horse vet was here today and she saw her a couple of days ago and couldn't believe the change in just a couple of days, she was truly waiting for me to come get her and I am so glad I did !! She is wonderful, although for some reason I keep calling her Bella !! Who knows why, she knows Reba so well but I guess something in her is a Bella to me, one of my very close friends in England is Bella so maybe that's why !!  Anyway just wanted to let you know how well she is doing and to thank you and Border Collie Rescue for her !! She has a new pink collar and her name tag as well as the other tags which I transferred, and actually went to Petco with us to get them and handled that quite well. I can  open the door to the ranch and let her go out as she pleases when I'm working in my office and when I call her she come full pelt to me every time. She has also discovered the creek and, although it's a little chilly, has been in a couple of times. Great dog, thanks again!

Dakota

Dakota (Border Collie)

Dakota was adopted at age 8 weeks from border collie rescue. She was a bright and healthy pup with a brilliant future in training. No one would have known or even suspected the health issues to come. She was brilliant in puppy training (foundational/groundwork in agility and sheep herding) and showed an extremely promising future in any performance sport.

By 4 months of age, it was apparent that something was wrong. Dakota had lost a substantial amount of her fur on her eyes and legs; she didn't appear is if she felt well and she appeared uncomfortable a lot of the time. Despite very good nutrition, she was weak, sickly, thin and did not appear healthy. She was initially treated for an array of skin issues, however, the fur continued to fall off. Vet appointment after vet appointment provided no cure for her skin issues. Once the issues were really out of control, and her skin had opened up into oozing, bloody sores all over her body, she was diagnosed with dermatomyositis (DM), a genetic collie disease affecting skin and muscles. At this point, I began consultation with Texas A and M DM lab, in conjunction with Dakota's own vet. Dakota was placed on a very heavy cocktail of supplements and a human circulatory medication, Trental. While showing marked improvement over the next 11 months, Dakota still has small patches of hair loss and small patches where the skin follicles died from the disease and will not regenerate.

In the meantime, at about 5-6 months old, Dakota went lame on her front leg. She had had an accidental jump from a deck which was attributed to the cause. She was placed on 6 weeks bedrest, which is always a challenge for a young border collie. She was also placed on sedatives to help facilitate this process and she instantly had a very adverse reaction to the sedatives, kicking her dermatomyositis into high gear again, and thus losing large amounts of fur again. After 6 weeks of bedrest, Dakota seemed better for a few weeks/month, however, she later went lame again. Her condition was such that she could not stand, could not get herself up from a down/seated position, and needed stairs to get onto the bed. It was suggested that her condition might worsen to the inevitable. A whole panel of x-rays was conducted and Dakota was diagnosed with shoulder osteochondritis and hip dysplasia. At this point, because she could barely move, but really wanted to be a young border collie, I sought consult after consult with professionals to determine what to do. Dakota was seen in numerous places and began hydrotherapy to provide her with exercise. It was later determined that she needed surgery for the shoulder osteochondritis, however, she was unable to undergo anasthesia due to the state of her dermatomyositis. It began to be a race for her health as the longer the surgery was prolonged, the worse arthritis could set into the joint, however, rushing to surgery could end fatally if the dermatomyositis was not at a stable state. Hours of consults, xrays, diagnoses, treatment, trips to specialists, research and thousands of dollars later (8K to be exact), Dakota's dermatomyositis was improving and it was looking like she might be able to undergo surgery, however the least invasive, most state of the art surgical methods were imperative due to her weakened condition. Many miracles were then to follow, including Dr. Andrew Sams of Mill Valley, an orthopaedic and arthroscopic surgeon, who completed Dakota's surgery with huge success....Sarah Johnson, who helped tirelessly towards Dakota's rehabilitation....the Starfleet Canine Aid Foundation who contributed generous assistance towards the cost of the surgery.....Dr. Carol Jean Tillman at Geary Veterinary Hospital in Walnut Creek who gave countless hours of consultation and assistance, the Canine Rehabilitation Center in Walnut Creek who tried to help Dakota through hydrotherapy prior to surgery...the list goes on...for miles.... Today, Dakota is one year post surgery. After months of rehabilitation, exercises, retraining muscles, teaching jumping, etc., Dakota is finally competing at the novice level in jumpers, predominantly NADAC at thist point, with high hopes to also compete in AKC and USDAA. Although 2 years and 2 months old, developmentally and muscularly, she is a very young pup still due to all of the health problems, and often struggles to find the coordination to make it all happen. The perseverance, dedication and love for what she does is unparalleled in this pup...she is a daily inspiration to myself and my other dogs in our agility endeavours....and there is a not a night that goes by, that we don't all give thanks to the stars...and wish on one more, for Dakota.

 

November 9, 2009

Just wanted to say thank you so much for allowing us to adopt Bugsy (now Scout).  He is a joy--happy, full of fun and anxious to please.  He starts puppy class tomorrow, but already knows how to come, sit and follows us everywhere.  He is so sweet, a real cuddler, and full of energy but not at all hyper.
 
It took about 5 days for our 6-year-old border collie Ben to stop ignoring him and show some interest, but then they quickly became best friends and constant playmates.
 
Thank you for fostering Bonnie and Clyde and doing such a good job of getting the litter off to a great start.  We are so grateful to you and Border Collie Rescue of Northern California for making it possible to add Scout to our family!  Thought you would enjoy these pictures. 

Just letting you know how well Bodie is doing now.  We are an active team with Lend A Heart in the Sacramento area and he is perfect for that!  I have taken him to places and he has warmed everyone's heart, as he has done with me and anyone he meets. 
 
A success story for you....as a Lend A Heart team, Bodie and I were at a tour for a new facility that we are going to be Team leaders for.  As we entered the memory care unit, a lady came up to us and began talking to Bodie.  He of course gave his nose to her hand, licked her and gave that BC look that nobody can deny.  She talked to us and smiled and life was good.  As we left our visit, a nurse came to me and said that lady had never spoke a word since she entered their home 8 months prior.  My Bodie had that look that warmed her heart and made her feel comfortable enough to talk to us.
 
I can't tell you enough, how every day, I thank God Bodie came to me and I know as he is aging, my days are numbered.  When that time comes, I will be back for another BC to fill some VERY BIG PAWS.....

Just wanted to give you an update on Eddie Green.  He's a wonderful, active, confident, friendly, intelligent puppy.  He's almost mastered "sit" and is doing very well with house training.  He watched Moksha playing frisbee and learned very quickly that the frisbee is a wonderful thing.  It might be hard to keep him from playing frisbee until he develops.  In 2 meals he learned where his food is kept and cries at the cabinet when he's hungry, despite being fed on a schedule.  Moksha is adjusting, and I'm sure they'll be buddies before long.  I named him Rishi, which means "sage" in Sanskrit.

Good luck finding homes for all of those other puppies, and thank you again for all you do.

It's been 2 weeks since Rishi joined our pack, and he is doing well.  Moksha is still not entirely on board with the decision to bring a puppy into the pack, but he's trying.  Rishi is in the phase of experiencing the world through his teeth, and Moksha is being very patient with him, or at least trying to be.  Rishi is very smart and much more bold and outgoing than Moksha.  It's fun to have him around.  He likes fetch, understands "sit" and "come", and is working on "down", "stay", and "leave it", and he doesn't even start school for another few weeks.

 

I adopted Red from you guys  just a little over a year ago and have been wanting to let you know how well he is doing.  He continues to be a most wonderful dog and adores me and his Golden Retriever "brother" Bentley.  Red had been given the name of Rob-Roy when you guys got him in but never responded to that so I changed it back to his original name Red.  Anyway, I just love Red and he is so happy and very adjusted to everything in his life.  Attached are a few photos.  I wish there was some  way of letting Red's original owner know that Red is loved and thriving!  Thank you so much for Red!

I just wanted to let you know how much we love sweet Tulsa (formerly Camille).  She is such a joy!  At first she was pretty shy and timid.......but now she is confident and goofy.  She is low energy for a Border but that is just fine with us!  She does a lot of camping with us and enjoys hiking and hanging out.  As long as I am with her she is happy.  While I'm away she is patient and content.   This summer we started beginning agility and she loves it! That is everything but the tunnel! She bucks like a bronco horse whenever I try!  Oh well I'll be patient and she'll do it in her own time.   When my daughter brings her Aussie puppy home from college playtime is on!!  Tulsa and the pup tumble, wrestle, dunk in the pond and run until they drop and then start all over again!  Thank you so very much for rescuing are precious girl!!

   

 

Just wanted to check in with you and let you know how Jake is doing.  We are all having a blast with him.  It's as though he has been a part of our family for a long time. 
 
So far, Jake has gone to the beach, many dog parks and camping in the Sierra Nevada mountains.  Our other dog Chloe had to show him the ropes in the mountains as it was apparent that he had never been camping before.  However, he caught on quickly and came home exhausted! Jake is not a wanderer at all and stays very close to home and his family.  He is such a joy to have around and he and Chloe are now buddies (except when it comes to dinner time!). 
 
My kids are so thrilled to have him as a buddy and he gets lots and lots of attention (as you will see in the photos).  He has made himself at home, now stealing naps on the couch, much to our dismay :).  He is such a cuddler and wants nothing but to curl up on our lap, laying on his back with all four legs up in the air! 
 
My apologies for the rambling but as you can see we are thrilled to have Jake as a part of our family and wanted to share our happiness with you.  Thank you for what you do in helping these animals find homes again.  We wish you well.

 

Just thought you might be interested in seeing how Ellie Mae is doing.  
Just a bit of background.  The summer of 2006, 3 year old Ellie was
surrendered to the shelter pregnant with heartworm.  She was due to be put
down due to the expense of heartworm treatment when BCR rescued her.  
Within 24 hours of being rescued she littered.  After weaning all of
her pups (they were pure BCs and all were adopted), she went through 6
weeks of heartworm treatment and was then spayed.  We adopted her 1
week later.

Ellie was very timid and insecure, a real Velcro dog.  She didn't know
how to walk on a leash, afraid of cars, didn't bark, etc.  Within a
month (Jan 2007) we started agility classes.  The agility instructor
had her doubts about how far Ellie would go in agility due to her
insecurities.  Ellie started slow, but about 6 months later it clicked
and she really started excelling in agility.  Jan 2009 she participated
in an agility demonstration at the Cow Palace.  In Feb 2009 we started
competing in agility.  She is doing so well.  After only 7 trials, she
earned 2 legs towards her Open JWW and won her Open Standard title.    

We wanted to find out if she had any herding instinct, so we had her
tested the first month we had her.  She failed the first instinct test
as well as the second test a month later.  After building up her
confidence with 2 years of agility, we tried herding again and she did
just great!

We thought Ellie would make a good therapy dog, so after having her for
about 6 months we had her tested and she became a therapy dog (visiting
convalescent centers, etc).  She tolerated it, but didn't seem to enjoy
it, so after only a few months we stopped.  Agility and herding is what
she loves, so that is where we are focusing.

Ellie is a very happy dog.  We are so glad that she was rescued and
part of our family.

  

We got Taylor on June 29, 2009 from Northern California.  We decided to change her name to Annie!  This is due to that We got her on our 19 Wedding Anniversary. She is an amazing family member!  We love her so very much!  She loves her new home and runs and plays with my other border collie.  I would say for sure she is MY dog! We have taken her camping and we take walks every morning.  Our family is complete with Annie in our life!
Thanks for letting me share Annie!
 


 

     


 


 

Just what would life be without Katie (originally Lizzy) or Tucker?  We can’t imagine! 


 

 The first two months were really trying, I think it was trying for them too, but we all hung in there and the rewards are beyond anything we could have imagined! That it has been four years now, tells you what a busy, full life we all have had together!!


 

Katie was renamed as Gregg felt under that black coat was really a redhead  and so she just had to be Irish!  He began calling her Katie O’Leary.  She was definitely the wild child!  We are sure her exuberance (what we love) is the very thing she was beat and abused for. She is now our clown!  We are so proud of her changes and she has proved that love and stability can overcome some really big odds!!   She is all girl, plays ball but there will be no dirty sheep in her life!!!


 

Tucker is a “soft” dog.  He was 3 days past his kill date (lost paperwork) when he was rescued!  His foster mom, Jeanne, told us he was special but we had no idea how special!  His issues were from neglect along with some major health problems.  By continuing the care that BCRNC had started, we began to uncover the dog he was meant to be. His groomer kept encouraging us to test him for herding instinct. It was instant love.  He now trains at Herding 4 Ewe in Vacaville with Debbie Pollard.  Tuck’s biggest issue now is waiting for his Dad to catch up as his herding handler in the field!   


 

Last weekend at an AKC trial Tucker qualified and placed first in Started Course A (sheep) and as if we couldn’t be any prouder he was also High in Trial!  The feelings that well up in us each time this dog runs and works sheep is more than we can put in words.  Katie is always there, too, as the cheerleader!


 

Tucker has been such an ambassador for Border Collie rescue as he is right up there with purebred, papered and pedigreed dogs, holding his own!  People are so surprised when they hear his story. We travel and camp with these two and every one falls in love with them too.  


 

We are so grateful you chose us to be the forever home these two wonderful dogs so deserved.

    

Riptide and his kids are cool                              Riptide wine tasting at Mutt Lynch with Dad

 August 16, 2009                                                                           

We adopted one of your puppies - "Diesel" on July 4th.  We just wanted you and his foster mom to know that he is doing well, other than being loved to death!  He now answers to his new name - Riptide and can sit, give his paw, lay down and speak on command.  He is house-trained and is coming along on coming when he's called (he gets a bit distracted by other dogs and people) and not begging for food.  He is still a little "mouthy" with our son, but we think that will let up when we get our son trained!

Thanks so much again for your organization and also to his wonderful foster mom, who was clearly very good to him and worked with regularly.  He has already brought so much joy to our family and we are very grateful for him and for you.

August 15, 2009

Lizzie, formerly Demi, has started puppy classes at the SPCA. She is wonderful around humans, but is afraid of other dogs and we are working with her to overcome that. She is smart as a whip and knows sit, stay, down and beg. She's good on recall as long as there are no squirrels around :-)  Everyone tells us how lucky we are to have her!

Thanks again for saving her and for choosing us!

   

February 2009

This success story is long overdue, but well worth the wait.
I adopted Augie-Doggie (previously Laddie) in June of 2005. I think were both a bit uncertain about what our new lives were going to be like with each other. Due to Augie’s fearfulness and shy demeanor, we were given extra time to sort out our new arrangement. Augie was afraid of many things, including people, unfamiliar sounds, squeaky toys, and our cats. He is still fearful of squeaky toys (I think he must have been harassed with one in his earlier life), and he still keeps his distance from the 2 older cats. Since I got him I rescued 4 kittens, so he now lives with 6 cats and we’ve never had any problems. He has come a long way from being the timid dog I met in foster care. He is now so friendly with both dogs and people, that it’s an effort for me to keep him from rushing to meet anyone we encounter on the trails near home, or at the office when he’s allowed to visit. He absolutely LOVES other dogs, regardless of whether they’re likewise excited and sniffing, or growling at him. I get a lot of comments on the spot on his head, or his one ear up and one ear down, and what a good dog he is since he’s so obedient. One day I got two “what a well-behaved dog!” compliments in the same day, one from someone who isn’t that easy to please. I was so thrilled, and proud of my once-upon-a-time tail tucking, ear drooping Augie-Doggie. He fetches like a pro and drops his toy (usually a BALL) at my feet (in foster he wouldn’t retrieve). He’s also learned to catch and retrieve a rubber frisbee, which is a favorite toy in the snow. Oh, did I mention SNOW? He absolutely LOVES being in the snow. Augie is a very happy, wiggly dog. He doesn’t keep still for long, unless we’ve been on a long walk, he’s had dinner, and we’re both relaxing. Many thanks to Janie and Brett and the Northern CA Border Collie Rescue for bringing us together. One day I hope to bring another doggie into our home as a companion for Augie (and the rest of us). Who knows what awaits us. Right now we have a pretty big crew. Cheers, and many thanks!

We just wanted you to know how Epic, the wonderdog, has been since we adopted him in July of 2007.

Well, it's unanimous-he's been wonderful. He truly just fit right in with our family-and I do believe that he is a very fulfilled border collie.
A snapshot of his life with us is this: he loves his girls, dutifully laying under their chairs at breakfast to clean up crumbs, then sending them off to school, where often times he picks them up, wagging his whole body with excitement when he sees "his" kid.
He, and I think he would admit this, loves Shugga, the black cat, whom after several failed attempts to herd her, he submits daily to her affection, and they have even been seen rolling in the sun with her.
He loves the dog park, right next to our house, where he plays with Patty the Irish wolfhound, Luna the Cairn terrier, Buddha the Aussie among many others. He is a pal to everyone, and only raises his hackles if a big dog is getting too bossy with a little one.
He is beginning to learn a little agility with the park benches, and has learned over and under on them. (his other tricks include sit, stay, leave it, dead dog, high ho silver where he rears like a pony, and who are you voting for : answer-Oh-baaaa-maaa!)
He LOVES the truck, where he is a calm passenger and back seat driver.
He loves going to grandma and grandpas house where he once climbed the fence and herded their goats, and it is is deepest desire to do so again.
He loves getting his cuddles and baby talk and we even discovered that this big baby dog loves to be cradled like a baby in your lap.
He even likes coming to work with me as i have been training to be a vet tech and work for a veterinarian.
So, I just hope that you realize what a gift he has been to our family-and how much we appreciate the good work that you do every day so that other families can have the chance at completing their home with these almost-human furry angels.
Thank you again, and we wish you continued success with your endeavors of hope and help,
The picture we sent is Epic briefly as Harry Potter!

 

               

 

                            February 1, 2008

I thought you might enjoy this picture of Sunny and Star cuddling on the
couch.

Today I saw the sweetest thing I have seen to date between two dogs. We
got home from playing in the snow and were all soaking wet. Star 
(formally Argos) and I were cuddled on the couch, next to the 
woodstove, trying to get warm.
Sunny came over and ever so gently licked Star 's coat until he was dry!
He started on top of his head, even licked Star's eyes and then worked
his way down his back. Star seemed to really enjoy this kindness and
held perfectly still. Now Star has the softest, cleanest fur on his head
and back!