herding

Meet some of the new arrivals at the Border Collie Rescue centre near York, UK, who came in to our care between Sept 16th and 19th 2007.

The 5 members of the Border Collie clan featured in this video are from varied backgrounds and circumstances but have one thing in common – they are all BIG – between 29 and 37 kilos in weight.

Meet Sam, a Merle from a farm who’s owners tried for a long time to train him as a sheepdog, but he had other things in mind and showed little or no interest in his sheep.
A fit, strong, enthusiastic and affectionate dog, his previous owners thought a lot of him and eventually came round to the idea that he may be better off in a home where his qualities were put to a more appropriate use and so contacted us to take him in and re-home him.

Next, Nell and her son Bill who came to us after a vet, called in to put them to sleep, advised their previous owner that there WAS an alternative.
Their common problem was that they were too enthusiastic around livestock and could not be stopped or called off and had become a serious liability.
Their previous owner, a kindly man, had looked after them well, perhaps too well, as they are both overweight due to a combination of good diet and restricted excersise.
Eventually, he had been obliged to consider the position of his neighbours who’s sheep were also at risk from their attention and they had to go.
When told about us, he was pleased to be able to pass them over and arranged for their initial vaccinations before they came into our care.
We will have to see if their ‘problem’ has a cure!

Last, but by no means the least, are The Boys.
Two dogs that have come in from the Hambleton Dog Warden Service, Names Unkown.

These two Border Collies, possibly brothers, are the largest and most overweight of all being 33+ and 36+ kilos respectively.
The were abandoned by their previous owner/s near a caravan site and held by the dog wardens for two weeks instead of one, to give these previous owners a longer time to feel remorse and seek to reclaim them. It didn’t happen – they’ve been ‘dumped’.
Another two good natured and affectionate dogs, well looked after, well fed, well socialised and well meaning.
It is difficult to understand why they were dumped but sometimes people are more unpredictable than animals and can justify any action without concience.

We are pleased to be able to offer these Border Collies a new start and a new life and having met them – priviledged to have made their aquaintance and had the chance to have done so.

This is a video of how they came to us.

The Border Collie is designed to be a sheepdog and was originally used for herding livestock in the English and Scottish Borders. Border Collie Rescue assesses all dogs coming into our care for herding ability and will rehome them as stockdogs if that is what they need to do but we also assess and rehome for scent discrimination skills to the Police, Prison Service and Excise to detect drugs, explosives and firearms — to SARDA and other rescue organisations for mountain rescue and search and rescue work — to help deaf, blind or otherwise disabled people as well as for working trials, flyball, agility, obedience and other interactive sporting disciplines and many of our dogs have qualified for Crufts in these disciplines. Those that show us they do not need or want to work are rehomed as PAT dogs, pets and companions.

Duration : 0:9:56

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