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SUCCESS STORIES |
Do you have a Blue Ridge Border
Collie Success Story?
Click here to submit it! |
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 | "When we were looking for a companion for our Icelandic Sheepdog, he found himself a very pretty, but shy, girl named Terra amongst the dogs at Blue Ridge. She was very shy and scared, sitting in my dad's lap the entire way home from the kennel, shaking. We got her home and she was still very timid around our family for a long time, but she saw how much Kodi (our other dog) loved us, and how nice we were to him, and she slowly began to open up. He taught her how to play with dog toys and how to trust. Now they are inseparable. They run and play in our yard for hours at a time. One of their favorite games is tag. And when he doesn't want to play with her, she will throw a ball for herself and bounce around the house, happy as can be. It is amazing to see how she has changed and opened up. Someone in the past had shown her the horrible side of humanity, but we taught her to trust with unconditional love. Now, she is a bundle of love, who will bump your hand or leg continuously until you pet her, whereas before she barely let anyone touch her. One of her favorite things to do, is lay on the living room floor with my dad and have her belly rubbed for hours at a time while he watches TV or reads a book. Thank you so much for allowing us to bring Terra into our lives, we are all very grateful (especially Terra!). She has taught us so much about how to be better people, and how far a simple kind touch and act can go."
-- Kelsey Glander |
|
 | "Thanks to a friend of mine, I was introduced to BRBCR. After looking at all the dogs available, the family became interested in Feebee. It was love at first sight. She has been a great addition to the family and has become well adjusted. She is extremely friendly and has a sweet personality. She is full of energy and loves to interact with other dogs and people. Thanks for rescuing her BRBCR."
-- Jim McCarthy |
|
 | "I just wanted to say thank you for bringing Grace into our family (the kids love her), she is the sweetest, and most loveable dog. We've only had Grace for 2 weeks but it would be hard to imagine our home without Grace, she fills it with so much love. When I get home from work Grace meets me at the door, sits down and shake my hand to welcome me home (I believe that she just wants the treat I have in my suit pocket). Thank you Sue."
-- Walt Griffin |
|
 | "We are so glad we gave Sally a look over. She has been with us now for two weeks and has bonded with our 2yr. old huskie mix so well you'd think they were together from day one. The first day we brought her home we couldn't wait to see how she would do with our son who is in a wheelchair and has special needs, There was nothing to worry about though for as soon as he got home and came in Sally went to him and layed her head in his lap and licked his hand. We took her to visit our vet for a meet and greet and they all fell in love with her immediately. She showed off for everyone, showing them she knew how to sit,lay and shake hands.We've had several people speak up and say how well she does. Thanks to Melissa,Partners! canines,and BRBCR."
-- Ricky Lambert |
|
 | "My parents adopted Kelsie almost 9 years ago, when she was about 2 years old. She was shy and a little on-edge at first. She wouldn't eat much for the first week, because she was homesick, but she warmed up to us quickly. She has made such a great addition to our family, and I'm so glad that my parents adopted her for us. I don't get to see her often now, because I'm away at school, but she always gives me a warm welcome when I come home. I don't think we could have asked for a better dog. She is so beautiful (always receiving compliments on our walks through the neighborhood), and she has such a loving heart. Thank you BRBCR!"
-- Heather Chapman |
|
 | "Just wanted to let everyone know that our family is morning the loss of our beautiful Cookie. She passed away a little over a month ago just after her birthday. It was very sudden and we were able to be with her until she passed. Cookie was a very loving border collie that not only kept us busy, but protected our home, loved our children, and always greeted us with wagging tale and a kiss. She did her job beautifully, and there will never be another like her in our eyes. I want to thank BRBCR for giving us the opportunity to adopt her, and would love another if we choose to do so. I would also like to say to Melissa Thomas that I'm sorry for your loss of Champ. Champ, AKA: Flynn, was Cookie's brother back in early 2002."
-- Chris Hunter |
|
 | "Nellie was a young puppy who was found abandoned along the side of the road. She is such a sweetheart that I can't understand how anybody could be that cruel but their loss is my gain. She was almost completely housebroken when I got her and now 2 months later is completely housebroken. She is a loving companion who likes to be with me all the time but has adapted to being left alone in her crate when I need to go out and at night. Christina did a fine job fostering her and preparing her for adoption. Thanks to Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue League for all you do for animals without a home. "
-- Betty Dodge |
|
 | "How can I say this, but Joey has and continues to be a very great part of our lives. We had a Border Collie before Joey and knew what to expect. Joey early on learned who grandma is and he still in 2012 grins for her when she comes. Joey herds the basketball all around our property until he gets it into anything he determines is the pen. We have family that has chickens and he goes to the fence and he and the head rooster follow each other up and down the fence. Joey has always been very low-keyed inside but when it is time to go out for playtime and walks he verbally lets us know as well as happy wiggles with anticipation. I cannot imagine life without him, Joey travels everywhere with us he has been west and loves Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado very much...SO MUCH ROOM TO RUN! What a joy our boy has been, it is a special blessing to now help our boy as he is getting a little older, and in great Border Collie fashion Joey will certainly age with integrity. Yep, we love our Joey!!!"
-- Karl and Cathy Steudl |
|
 | "We adopted Max about a month after the death of our beloved beagle mix Tommy. Max is a great dog! He loves to ride in the car (just like Tommy) and gets along well with our other two dogs - Wally (also a BRBCR rescue) and Liza (a german shepherd mix from the German Shepherd rescue). He is a goofball who loves to play. We have signed him up for agility training in 2012. Go Maxie! "
-- John & Dorothy Gudgel |
|
 | "Nellie was found abandoned on the side
of the road. Thanks to BRBCR she was rescued and found her way to me. She is one of the calmest, sweetest puppies
I have ever seen. She was almost completely housebroken and chews only her toys and then only to play. She has not chewed any of them up. She already knew sit, shake, lay and come
and was leash broken and loved to ride
in a car. Crate training came quickly to her. I really appreciate the fine care her foster Mom, Christina, gave her. It's hard to believe anybody could have dumped such a sweet, well trained dog but their loss is my gain.
"
-- Betty Dodge |
|
 | "Thanks to the league for rescuing Nellie from the side of the road and to her foster Mom, Christina, for the excellent care she gave. Nellie is one of the calmest puppies I have ever seen.
She was estimated to be 6 months old so I was expecting to go through the chewing stage as well as housebreaking with her. She doesn't chew anything but her toys and then does not chew them up. It only took her about a week to stop pottying in the house and even then she was using puddle pads. She already knew sit and lay and loved to roll over on her back to get her belly rubbed. Now she will give you her paw
to shake. She loves to be outside and
will shoot in and out the dog door and stay out for long periods of time just playing with her toys and leaves. My grandchildren and the kids next door love her. They come almost every day to play with her. When they leave, she
whines after them. She has adapted well to crating at night and when I need to leave her alone for a period of time. She is such a joy and I am so glad I found her on the website and was able to adopt her. "
-- Betty Dodge |
|
| "We got Remy a few months ago. My husband really wanted an Australian Shepherd and luckily, she was available.
Her foster mom Mandi was so helpful during the whole adoption process. She gave us such great information about Remy and was willing to answer any and all of our questions.
Remy is super sweet, smart, and eager to please. She has taken to obedience classes very well. She has adjusted to living with us nicely.
Thank you all again for rescuing her."
-- Lee Braddock |
|
 | "My mom, dad, and I had been looking on this webiste for a month and wanted to get a dog when we came across Judd. he looked like the pefert match(and he is!)so we adopted him. He is great with children our only worry was our cat. Our cat bossed him around,and now our cat LOVES Judd. We are so glad we adopted from Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue. The Beltrans"
-- Leah Beltran |
|
| " We wanted to let you know that Flick passed away this past week. We adopted him from Sandra Wright 11 years ago when we lost another dog and needed a companion for another. He came from a shelter with his brother. We knew we would keep Flick when our baby at the time crawled over and took a bone out of his mouth! He was so mischevious and loved to get in the trash, etc. but was a great friend to us an dour other dogs and the best guardian of our farm! we agreed years ago that he wanted to sleep outside (except during storms) and he patrolled our farm, keeping predators away all hight! He was always on duty and we all slept well knowing he was out there!
He passed away peacefully and naturally and his presence is really missed. Thanks for saving him and giving him to us for a time, keep up the good work!"
-- LeaAnna Miller |
|
| "Just wanted to say we just this morning lost our dog champ. We adopted him from you. He was the best dog we could have ever had ! He loved our 5 girls more than anything ! He was the most loyal , loving , obedient dog in the world !!! He will be missed so much !
He was found this morning struggling to breathe . His gums were pale and cold. We rushed him to the vet . They did all they could to revive him .
He was loved more than you could imagine . He lived like a king in our house !! We will miss you buddy . "
-- Melissa Thomas |
|
 | "Leo has become my best friend. My girlfriend even insists he has taken to mimicking my behavior in his mannerisms. He was unsure how to play with me when I first got him but that has drastically changed. If Im willing to throw or tug with an item, he is all over it. He has adapted to my life and schedule very well. He howls-growls good morning as soon as my alarm goes off every morning, and he does the same thing as soon as I walk in the door from work. He has been a wonderful addition to my life and I look forward to many happy years with him."
-- Jason Glei |
|
 | "With the help of Scott Wiskowski and other volunteers from BRBCR and Carolina Border Collie Rescue, we learned about a 4-5 month old female red and white BC who was being called unadoptable by animal control in Gaston County, North Carolina. Someone took a picture of her and posted it, and my husband fell in love with her and the way she could look dignified while clearly conveying she knew she belonged somewhere else. Michael Strauss fostered her until we could pick her up in Charlotte, and she has been with us for almost 4 years now. She is beautiful, funny, affectionate, photogenic, and a great companion, with many friends in our neighborhood. We would like to thank everyone who helped bring her to us. "
-- Margo Edmunds |
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| "What an absolute joy it is to have Andy in our family. He is so loving..so very good with our grandchildren...they call all the time to see what Andy is doing. He is mannerly, smart. Already knows to sit, come when called, learned quickly where the treats are. He loves to walk with us on his leash..but we can allow him to run free in the woods, with us walking along with him and he returns quickly. He crates up ats night without fail and sleeps all night...fready to get up when our alarm goes off.
We feel truly blessed to have Andy and love him with all our hearts. His coat is looking good...had him groomed and keeping him brushed. He eats well.
He still had not made friends with our cat but we are working on it. He loves the chickens and they are is a safe place Hopefully he will enjoy herding them someday.
He is just AWESOME!!! thanks so much for allowing us to adopt Andy. Who knows we may look for a playmate in the future."
-- Linda and Jesse Atkinson |
|
 | "We adopoted Bishop just a few weeks ago and this has been a great experience. Bishop was a bit reserved when he first visited us. We have two daughters, 16 and 11. He loves to go for long walks in our suburban neighborhood and plays with his toys. he does great in his crate during the day. We couldn't be happier with our new addition."
-- Page Bethke |
|
 | "Hello!
I thought you might like to hear a long-term success story with long-term positive affects.
We adopted Meg in April 2002 after she was found in a junk yard. We have never understood how anyone could discard her that way because she is a sweet, smart and loving dog. She has been a wonderful and valued part of our family!
In 2004 I was diagnosed with cancer. While I was recovering Meg was my constant companion, never leaving my side unless she was forced to! She gave me such comfort and unconditional love...I wondered about her being a therapy dog to share that with others.
When we moved to Texas in 2006 I found a therapy dog organization and she was certified within 6 weeks. We have worked with special needs adults and became part of a reading program in the San Antonio city schools where many children have poor reading skills and are at risk of failing. When they read to the dogs over a period of time their test scores are remarkably improved. Meg and I have helped many children become much better readers... a skill they will use their entire lives.
Everyone at the school loves and appreciates Meg. She has been a very popular guest in their classrooms where we talk about adopting pets and about taking care of them.
This year she finally retired - she is about 11 now, but still has bursts of energy and plays like a pup sometimes.
She is the perfect example of the kind of wonderful dog that ends up in rescue but have so much to offer. I periodically volunteer with a couple of rescue groups in San Antonio to keep educating more people about the benefits of rescuing or adopting a pet. Meg has been the perfect ambassador.
Thank you again for helping us locate a beloved member of our family.
Kind regards,
Michelle"
-- Michelle Kobell |
|
| "Four years ago when Beeja came home with me, she was terrified of everything... and I was a little apprehensive myself. When guests came in, a scared Beejie ran to the bedroom and slid under the bed. Outside, any noise would send her into a frenzy. Now she is Miss Congeniality. She loves having two dog friends who visit each day, and she insists on meeting all my guests and making friends with them. She goes everywhere with me -- even to vestry meetings at church -- and I can count on her to behave beautifully. What a joy! Thank you, Sylvia."
-- Julia Shields |
|
 | "Cookie was 1 of 4 pups that my Wife and I were matched with. Trixie, Lark, and Champ were the other 3 pups that were 10 weeks old at the time. Cookie has been a blessing to our family and is the most gentle dog I\'ve ever owned. She is great with our 6 and 2 year old, but she lets the cat beat up on her. The cat, which is afraid of mice (go figure) is boss over the sheep herding border-collie. When it comes to herding sheep, she\'s a natural and we had her in some training for awhile. These dogs are truly amazing, and I\'d recommend a border-collie for any family with lots of room to roam. "
-- Chris Hunter |
|
 | "I adopted Skylar from Sylvia around July 2009, who I must thank for all the help, advice and time she has given the both of us! As a Preceptor at the WCV, I visited often to help socialize the couple groups of puppies that had just arrived while I was there, and this one particular fluffy little puppy decided to escape the pen during a photo-shoot and get lost in the nearby cornfield for a few days. After a variety of searches involving 4-wheelers and chases on foot, Dan helped catch the escapee with a live-trap. And, it wasn’t too long after that which I fell in love with the quick little pup.
With Sylvia’s help and advice in training, we began on a long and challenging first year of getting him over a great deal of skittish and difficult behaviors, and even though he still has quite a few challenges before him, we have made leaps and bounds together. After many, many classes from manners to agility, and plenty of for-fun training at home, I’ve never felt closer to a dog in my life. He is my best friend, and a perfect match in every possible way.
I recently began veterinary school, and he has fit in perfectly with this entirely new way of life. When we can’t go out for a hike or play agility in the fields next door, he is the perfect study buddy- perfectly content to chill out beside me. He is quick to remind me when it is “Sky-time” though, as he begins piling his toys on my back while I’m reading, or continually nose-bumps me with Sky-kisses until I’m ready to play again.
Although we may never come to the point where we compete in agility, it is certainly a wonderful hobby. He’s my first bc, and is such a loving, sweet and often-times goofy troublemaker. I can’t imagine what I did before I met him! He keeps me smiling. Thank you Sylvia, and BRBCR, for bringing Sky into my life.
"
-- Melanie Tarosky |
|
 | "Sylvia, Magnolia will be 4 12/23/2010 (brown/white, no tail, heart murmur)...what a joy she has been to our lives. All she wants to
do is fetch a tennis ball and play tug-o-war. We run off leash on a golf course and she loves to chase geese..trying to get her a job, but she tends to be she gets tired fast. I hope the pic goes though.
Thank you very much and we will try and keep in touch. I wish you had the origanal pics and write-up about Red Sis. If you find it, please send it to me.
Thanks again,
Thomas & Laurie"
-- Thomas & Laurie Patafio |
|
 | "We found Crash (then known as Ash)here on the brbcr.org website. He and his sister (now a certified Therapy dog) survived the deadly Parvo virus. When we adobted him he and his new older brother became inseparable. They are the best of friends. In my first up letter I wrote the following about Crash; quote He has successfully learned how to strip a bed of all its sheets, pillowcases, bedspreads. Also he is learning how to seperate whites and coloreds out of a laundry basket, but has figured out where the washing machine is, so laundry is strewed about the house. He knows how to find one left and one right shoe and bring them to me, they do not always match but he has found out where they all are hidden. He and Tek get along fantastically and are constantly playing. Crash is up to about 32 pounds but still a little small, but he is stretching out. unquote We have moved from D.C. to an Island off the coast of Rhode Island where they both run the beaches just about everyday. Crashs personality is just LOVABLE!! Next year I hope to certify him as a therapy dog, just like his sister. He has been a wonder and a joy to be with!"
-- Robert Perry |
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| "i would like to adopt a pup as we lost our loving dog shep some years ago.we, are in another house with a low down garden and would love to take care of a pup to grow to know the children of the family we loved our collie hope to hear from you soon as possible.lots of love to give another puppy "
-- catherine robertson |
|
 | "We adopted Tucker from Sylvia Labor Day weekend of '08. We love dogs and already had a 6 year old dog. We wanted her to have a playmate. We got Tucker at 8 weeks old. He is such a great little dog. He looks like a miniature border collie and has a very calm energy level. Tucker and Kinzee had 2 wonderful years together and she taught him everything. Kinzee passed away yesterday very suddenly. We now are left with Tucker and he is such a blessing to us. We plan to get him a playmate later in the summer because he is such a dog's dog. We are so glad to have him."
-- Kim Winkler |
|
 | "We adopted Foster (formerly Rooster) in November 2005. We were warned by Emily Howard, that Foster was a escape artist and did not like men. All we needed to do is love him, he quickly adapted to us, my two daughters and myself enjoy playing in our backyard with Foster and Nina, our female border collie. Foster also loves to go to the park for long walks. He is so smart and spoiled. When we first got Foster he seemed sad but now he is a happy and loved dog."
-- Mercy Hernandez |
|
 | "I just wanted to thank BRBCR so very much for rescuing this wonderful Callie!! And a very special thanks to Janis, Callie\\\'s foster mom. Callie is a very (very!) spirited senior who is not only bringing a great deal of life and joy into my home,...but she is also making sure I stay in shape!! Although she already had a list of talents, she is very smart and learns most new things in one or two lessons. She does not subscribe to the theory that you can\\\'t teach an old dog new tricks and informed me that I should apply the same philosphy in my own life!! See how smart she is?!!!!! Besides all of that, she gets along just fine with David my cat & sometimes catches herself almost playing with him.
Some folks might have had reservations about Callie, but she is just a wonderful, loveable, loyal, huggable, calm border collie/lab mix. I am so thankful that she is sharing her life with me and very grateful to BRBCR for bringing us together!! Thank you! "
-- Sharon Novalis |
|
 | "I would like to give an update on Cleo(patra) formerly known at Wink. I would like to thank Sylvia for doing such a great job of caring for her till we were able to adopt her at 12 weeks. Before being blessed with Cleo, we had had to other Borders that we had rescued from the pound (Sydney and Sammy) who were with us for 16 years and I didn't know if I could ever love another dog as much I could them. Then along came Cleo. What a sweetheart. So very high energy and snuggly /cuddly all rolled into one. I run a lot and she is always with me when I do. We've recently gotten her involved in agility and hope to let her try fly ball this summer.
We are so thankful for loving fur ball. Thank you BRBCR!"
-- Stacey Wooden |
|
 | "The great Dakota (formerly Bette) has been a member of our family for more than a year now. We adopted her from BRBCR when she was only 14 weeks old, She fit right in and we all adore her. She is the most loving and affectionate little girl in the evenings and full of energy during the day. She enjoys daily visits to the dog park, herding geese at a local park, flyball training and romping around with her canine brother JoJo. Thank you Sylvia and BRBCR for matching us with the most perfect little girl."
-- Richard Singletary |
|
 | "We adopted the great Dakota (formerly Bette) more than a year ago and she is a wonderful addition to our family. She loves her daily vists to the dog park, herding geese, swimming at the lake and flyball training. She is the most loving dog that we have ever had and we adore her. She gets along great with her lab brother JoJo. Thank you Sylvia and BRBRC."
-- Richard Singletary |
|
 | "I first saw Eli when he was the featured dog on the brbcr.org website. It was love at first sight. Eli was definitely afraid of almost anything when I got him. Dogs, people, noises...the list was long! But as he settled in to his new home and routine, Eli proved that once he gets to know someone, he is a loving friend for life.
Shortly after I got him, Eli injured a growth plate in one of his front legs. He bravely and stoically endured surgery and an external fixator attached to his leg for months so that we could be sure the bones in his leg would grow properly, and the joints would not suffer damage. He amazed all who met him while going through this process with his sunny demeanor and patience.
When Eli is not out playing his favorite game of fetch, he is my constant companion, going to work at the office and out at the farm. He is still a little shy of strangers, but he has proven that he can continue to make new friends, and makes every one smile."
-- Sarah Gorman |
|
 | "We adopted Bridgette after our beloved Jake (rescued border from SPCA) passed away. She is so wonderful--she takes the kids to the bus every morning, and picks them up every afternoon. The neighbors marvel at her skills at knowing the time. We thought she would be happiest in a one dog house until we rescued a Beagle. Turns out she needed someone to boss around besides the kids. Bridgette is our princess! "
-- Mary Vail Ware |
|
 | "This week Beeja and I celebrated three years together. What a joy she is. Full of energy, but she knows how to relax, too. She gets along with almost everyone -- especially her best friend Louis, a tiny white designer dog. She communicates better than any animal I\'ve ever known, leaving no doubt about whether she wants to go out or take a walk or eat her dinner. Thank you, Sylvia, for giving this sweet girl a start in life. "
-- Julia Shields |
|
 | "This week Beeja and I celebrated three years together. What a joy she is. Full of energy, but she knows how to relax, too. She gets along with almost everyone -- especially her best friend Louis, a tiny white designer dog. She communicates better than any animal I\'ve ever known, leaving no doubt about whether she wants to go out or take a walk or eat her dinner. Thank you, Sylvia, for giving this sweet girl a start in life. "
-- Julia Shields |
|
 | "MACH, NATCh Westley XF, MAD, SAM, JM, GM, RM, SCh, TNE, TGE, WVE, HPE, VerZ, CL3, RA, CGC
Westley is not only Gill\'s first agility competition dog but her first dog period. He is a rescue from Virginia where Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue saved him from a local kill shelter. We often joke that West is 3.5 years old going on 150! He is funny and quirky an atypical BC who hates exercise, most toys, and water. His happy place is his crate alone without all the activity of his brothers or lying on the old ottoman from Jeni\'s couch. If he were human his favored activity would likely be doing the Sunday NY Times crossword and drinking a nice shot of single malt scotch.
West has taught Gill the joy of success when the road is completely uphill, rocky, and perhaps a quagmire. All his issues, all the demotivating things in his world, all the challenges just make victory so much the sweeter. He along with Marley have made the Red Hots learn how to achieve success with soft dogs which we have passed on to our students.
West has just finished his third competition season. Our first year on the circuit was good to us. He earned many titles, and progressed smartly through the levels. But he was not getting any faster and at the end of the season when it got hotter we were having trouble making time. So we started swimming him 4 times a week and he lost the extra weight and got some muscle tone and during seasons two and three, he was not just making times, but he was winning classes! He is really starting to enjoy the game!
West is not the fastest out there, but he is VERY consistent. He often runs at a 75 to 100 percent Q rate across his 4 venues AKC, CPE, NADAC, and USDAA. This is a dog who we were told would never be worthwhile in compeition and should be retired so Gill could go get a real dog.
West got his NATCh 12 14 2008 at a NADAC FunRaiser. He needed jumpers and he Q\'d his last run by about 0.2 seconds! It was very nerve wracking, but the party that followed was great! He is only 3.5 years old and this first Championship title came about 2 years after his first ever trial Oct 2006! Quite a distance he has come since in 2006 he could not make Novice times.
West has now retired from NADAC after earning his Elite Versatility 1 25 2009. He did not Q it by much, but that last Weavers title marked his 21st NADAC title bringing his total up to 42 titles total. He is also the 7 BC in Hoopers in NADAC nationally.
West got his MACH 12 5 2009 on a really hard standard course. He needed 18 points. Not only did he get exactly 18 points but he also got a second place! He had a great weekend, 3 QQ and a total of 79 points which is great for him!
For season 4 we will be focusing on his ADCh and CATCh. He is not going to be running anymore NADAC but instead perfecting his most covened title of Ottoman Warrior!
West ran DACOF 2009. He was the runner up for 20 inches Excellent dogs High in Trial. He also got 3rd in FAST and a couple 4ths.
Our favorite courses are really tight AKC standard courses that require at least 5 front crosses and me handling him in handler focus for the majority of the obstacles.
We might not get there first but just keep a weathered eye out, we are always on the horizon blowing steadily ahead.
"
-- Gill Chapman |
|
 | "Update on Always Right On Annabelle, Annie: It is difficult for me to imagine that my Annie will soon be celebrating her eighth birthday. I still see that puppy exuberance gleaming in her brown eyes that I first noticed when I met her in early 2002. She has continued to be my agility star as she is close to earning her Fifth AKC MACH title, plus earning numerous other agility venue titles along the road. She is a dream to train and compete with! It has been a gift to run her at two AKC Agility Nationals--two of the many nationals that she has qualified for. Over the years, she has blossomed into a beautiful confident, and sometimes a little goofy, girl. Annie is the dog in my home who is always right beside me just wanting to stay close; she is truly my “Once in a Lifetime” dog! --Judy Katzwinkel"
-- Judy Katzwinkel |
|
| "I waited 22 years to find this dog. I had always wanted a BC but was apprehensive due to people telling me they are crazy. I was thrilled when one day, I recieved a call from someone who had pups which were turned in to rescue. Afer speaking to the foster mom, I knew my search was over. She assured me we were perfect for each other and she was right! Although I have trained dogs for obedience, rally, and agility, I never did any herding. After 20 herding lessons, we went on our own and finished 3rd in the state in the NN herding class at the young age of 3 years. Ben is the first dog I have ever owned to give me a ribbon.He is my right arm now. Ben is a quick learner and right now, he is learning the ranch class. Ben is the BEST partner I have ever had the pleasure to work with."
-- Tonya Fouch |
|
 | "I got Ally the day before Easter, 2007. She is COMPLETELY obsessed with fetch...frisbee, ball, stick...anything she can find! She has since gotten a little brother named Simon who is also a border collie. They are best buddies and my life is better every day because of the joy they bring me. I now volunteer with the Carolina Border Collie Rescue so that I can help more border collies find the perfect home for them! "
-- Heather Hart |
|
 | "Layla is my second rescue Border Collie – my first from Blue Ridge. When I saw her picture I fell In love with her and new that I had to try and adopt her. I had one Border Collie at home and my daughter was going off to college – so the timing was perfect. I filled out the application, had my home inspection, and then waited to see if I would be approved. Finally, the wait was over and she was mine!!
The first few months were difficult until the two of them got adjusted to the new pack, but after that life seemed to just get better and better.
Layla earned her Rally Novice title in just three tries with scores in the high 90s, placing all three times. She also has earned her Pre-Trail Herding tested title in two tries. We are entered in Rally Advanced and Herding Started to begin working on those titles as well. We have also been working on agility. She is very motion sensitive so I think it will take a little more time before we start our agility career.
Layla loves to learn and work with me. She is my wife’s favorite and gets along great with everyone – human, canine, or feline. Many thanks to Sylvia and Blue Ridge Rescue for placing her with me!
John Yaquinta and M-M Chase My Blues Away, PT, RN (Layla)
"
-- John Yaquinta |
|
 | "Hi there! Rhyan is doing just great! As a matter of fact we just finished giving him an bath. He loves water and loves to get wet, including mud puddles. So he needed a good wash down after the rains we\\\\\\\'ve had in the last week. We bought him a big plastic kiddie pool to play in and it serves double duty as a wash tub. He and Fanny a getting along just fine. She loves having a little brother around. He loves to play fetch in the rec room. Although keeping his attention outside to play fetch is a bit more difficult, too many squirrels to chase! He thinks that anything that moves up in the trees is a squirrel, even at night. He and the cats have come to accept each other and they know not to run downstairs where he is, so no chase issues have arisen. We did have to put up a baby gate in the rec room hallway to keep him from raiding the cat box that is down there. He loves to ride in the truck and has had a blast going for ice cream several times as well as other places. He is the sweetest boy and loves to come put his chin in my lap to get petted and have his ears scratched. He has been a wonderful addition to our family. We couldn\\\\\\\'t have wished for anything better than Rhyan! Thank you, Sylvia!
"
-- S Sinx |
|
 | "We wanted to send you a note to let you know that Jax is really doing well with us. He has fit right into our family. In fact it feels like he’s been with us forever (even though it’s only been about three weeks). He is truly a sweet and loving dog. He loves attention from people and is very affectionate. Whenever Bill is in the house he stays very close to him. He hangs out in the office while he is doing his work. He also likes to ride in the car and is a great companion.
We go for long walks at least twice a day (and usually three times) and he loves to run loose on the golf course next to our house. He really takes off after the squirrels – he’s one fast dog! Hopefully he never catches one. When the Canada Geese show up we’ll see if he can chase them off the golf course. If he can he’ll be a real hero to the golfers. Jax really minds well and is pretty obedient off the leash. Sometimes he gets distracted and doesn’t come right away but we’re working on that.
We took him to our vet last week and he got his rabies booster and the vet really liked him. We get compliments from everyone on how “beautiful that dog is”. He really is a good looking boy.
Thank you so much for your help bringing Jax into our lives.
Best Regards,
Bill & Winnie McGill
"
-- Bill McGill |
|
 | "We lost our dog, who was almost 15 yrs old, in December. We were not sure when we would be ready for another dog until we by chance ran across your web page and immediately fell in love with Babs. We love France, so we changed her name to Amelie and are training her in two languages. She is an energetic, loving and protective puppy. A special thanks to Sylvia, who did a fabulous job of fostering, training and caring for our Amelie. "
-- Doug and Eve Key |
|
 | "Bodie has been a joy for us. We got him when he was approximately 6-7 months old. He had a great foster mom who obviously had great patience in teaching him to be quite a gentleman. Bodie is very smart. He quickly adapted to being with my husband and I. We were able to teach him in one afternoon to ring bells hung from the doorknob to tell us when he wants to go outside. We are fortunate to have been given such a wonderful opportunity. "
-- Julie Palamara |
|
 | "My husband and I adopted Jane now known as Molly a few days before Halloween 2005. She was one of Panda's many puppies. In August, Molly will be four years old. I just want to give a great Big Thanks to Sylvia King, her adopted Mom, for rescuing Panda and all of those pups and giving us the opportunity to own our precious Molly. She is a wonderful, good natured, intelligent, beautiful and obedient dog. She has really blossomed. She loves her walks and also her bunny toy and of course, her sheep, (unfortunely its stuffed). Thanks again, Sylvia, she is doing awesome. "
-- Marcia Shepherd |
|
 | "This is a picture of Jigs. You don't have one posted and I want his pretty, smiling face posted for everyone to see."
-- Karen Fried |
|
 | " skittles has been a joy to our life he loves the out doors he also loves to snuglewhen he is tired gets along good with sons 5 bear dogs thanks "
-- sandra kennedy |
|
 | "Jigs is loving his new home. He enjoys playing Frisbee with Cayla, our Border Colle mix, or Soccer with his human papa. He sleeps in bed with me every night. He is a bit of a couch potatoe as he will curl up on the couch for TV, unless a dog runs across the screen, then he's up trying to get the tv doggies. We truly adore him. He has brought so much happiness to our lives. "
-- karen fried |
|
 | "We adopted Mickey the day after Thanksgiving two years ago. Now Mickey is almost 3 years old and has no idea that he's a dog... he's one of the family. He loves to snuggle on the couch and the rope toy is his favorite. He's a very smart dog who knows all of his toys by name. He is so well behaved that my parents ended up getting a dog of their own, so now Mickey has a friend to go and visit. When we go to see my in-laws, Mick gets so excited because he knows he's about to have all the room in the world to run and play and check out where the deer have been. He may not have turned out to be a border collie as thought, but he has turned out to be a wonderful source of joy in our lives. Thank you Sylvia and BRBCR!"
-- Kelly Miller |
|
 | "MACH ADCH Blue Ridge Mountain Flow
Proud, confidant, happy is what my Flow has become...it was an eventful journey...one that taught me to NEVER give up, be patient to the max, give unconditional love and above all, enjoy watching this dog flourish into one of my best buddies....Flow will be seven New Year's eve...it was 5 1/2 years before she gave me her total trust and love...she has taught me anything is possible given enough time and creativity....Happy Holiday season to all and thank you Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue for allowing Flow to be adopted so far from home!
Andi Bower
MACH ADCH Blue Ridge Mountain Flow, XF
MACH ADCH Hob Nob JJ, XF
MACH Sunkisd EZ Love"
-- Andi Bower |
|
 | "I would just like to thank Sylvia King for fostering first West and then Cooper. She made it possible for me to drive up from Florida twice and have total confidence that I was getting the perfect dog each time. Not only has she continually answered each and every question, but she introduced us to agility which has been a wonderful thing for all those involved. Blue Ridge is an excellent organization, and I personally thank you for enriching my family again and again. Thank you.
Gill Chapman
"
-- Jill Capman |
|
 | "Pixel was surrendered as Sammie to BRBCR in 2004 at the age of 4. Sue Weiss contacted me about her sport potential, and I came down to visit. We saw that she was somewhat intense, but little did we know back then just how obsessive/compulsive she really was! Training her was easy but getting her attention first was definitely not! Still, her heart is so big that she managed to overcome this mental disability and in Sept 2008 became a USDAA Agility Dog Champion!!
I am so very proud of my now 8 year old girl, Res-Q's Pixelated Panic! Would not have missed a minute of the journey, and looking forward to many more happy miles with this silly BC!
"
-- Devora Locke |
|
 | "I adopted Gina who is now Mia November of last year. She has grown to be such a wonderful, loving, sweet companion for me. She is still really shy around new people (especially men) but she warms up to them if she has to once she gains their trust. She sleeps under the covers with me every night and lays next to me when I'm sitting down and walks next to me when I'm walking around. She is very dedicated to making me happy and I am extremely dedicated to making her life a better one than whatever she had before. She wags her tail constantly now and is more confident than she was when I first got her. I'm pretty sure she understands English and I've had to learn how to become smarter than her! Thank you Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue for giving me the most wonderful dog I could ever possibly find!!!!"
-- Amanda Kirkendall |
|
 | "Just an update on Misty - adopted from Sandra Wright in 04. Misty is fantastic and has a companion, a Katrina rescue, of all things, a Chinese Crested Powder Puff named Pogo. They are fast friends and love each other. We have a house at the beach in NC and Misty has learned to like walks even in the water (she admonished us that she was NOT a retriever the first time she saw the ocean!) and is a great traveler, sings with my husband, will do anything for a treat and will eventually hunt down every squirrel in our 2-acre yard. Thanks again, BRBCR and Sandra!!!"
-- Karen Widmayer |
|
 | "Miss Fire has been part of our family for over 4 years and is a wonderful pet. She gets along well with Slingshot, who was a 6 month old Border Collie wanting a companion when she came to live with us. She is very affectionate and loves the 1.5 to 2 mile walk she gets most days. Everyone who visits us falls in love with her. Our dogs have about an acre of ground to run in and she loves to patrol the woods and protect us from deer and squirrels.
Her behavior from day 1 has been flawless, a testament to the care and training she received at her pre rescue foster home. We can't praise BRBCR enough for how well they prepared her for rescue. We also believe that her presence in the house helped Slingshot adapt well. Neither dog has ever developed any troublesome or destructive habits."
-- Don Sanders |
|
 | "My husband and I adopted Ben a little over 2 years ago. The moment we saw him we knew he was the dog for us and it has been a true pleasure to have him in our lives. Ben is very smart, fun and great with our cats! I think sometimes he forgets he is a border collie though, as he can be quite lazy!! We love him and are very glad we found BRBCR.
"
-- Sybil McDowell |
|
 | "My husband and I adopted Ben a little over 2 years ago. The moment we saw him we knew he was the dog for us and it has been a true pleasure to have him in our lives. Ben is very smart, fun and great with our cats! I think sometimes he forgets he is a border collie though, as he can be quite lazy!! We love him and are very glad we found BRBCR. "
-- Sybil McDowell |
|
 | "Tessa Lou – the singing dog
Tessie had a rough start in life. She was among a litter that was dropped off the side of a road in North Carolina. Several puppies were killed by traffic, but three were rescued…all with Parvo. One died, but Phoenix (now known as Tessie) and her brother, Ash survived and found their way to Williamsburg into the loving arms of their Foster Mom, Cathy. After a few hundred website hits and too many applicants, my family was fortunate to be chosen to adopt this little girl.
At first she was a little tentative about being in yet another new place. Meeting Trevor (Jack Russell Terrier) and Maggie (Border Collie) was probably a little scary for her, but soon she settled in. In about three days, we noticed some unusual behavior. She would pick up one of her numerous stuffed toys and carry it through the house, tail wagging, looking all happy, but growling. Now having always associated growling with aggressive behavior I admonished her for it…but it continued every morning and just was not the typical, “I’m boss or get out of my way”, type of growling. I happened to mention it to Cathy and soon found out that one of Cathy’s Border Collies exhibits this same behavior and she taught it to Tess. Cathy calls it “singing”, so now we do too. She “sings” for her Dad every morning. It’s become their little ritual and she is now the darling of the household.
Tessie is my third rescue dog. There is something very special about them. They almost instinctively know in a very short time that you are the “home” they desperately need and want. My heart was broken after the loss of Kelly, my first BC rescue. But Maggie needed a companion and I needed to fill the void left by Kelly. No matter how hard the blow from losing one, there’s always room for one more…and our Miss Tess fits our hearts perfectly.
She’s grown, but at 10 months, I don’t think she’s growing into her feet. We tease her that she’ll not get to go to the ball because the glass slipper simply won’t fit! So Maggie is the princess, and Tess has to pull the pumpkin. She also has very unusual fur. Beautiful and red, but she has a 4 inch wide streak of copper and red fur that runs straight down the middle of her back that is about 3 inches longer than the rest and has lots of waves and curls…just like a long haired guinea pig. So at adolescence she has big feet and unruly hair…typical teenager!
She graduated basic obedience at the top of her class. We will be attending classes after the first of the year so that she may gain her “Canine Good Citizen” designation. Then it’s off to our local Assisted Living facilities and specialized day care programs.
She’s very soft hearted and loves to snuggle up close when you sit on the floor. She’s great with the grandchildren and our neighbor dogs as well. We couldn’t love her more if we tried…I am so grateful for her presence each evening and she is the first to greet me each morning….a cold nose and wet wolf kiss….it never gets better than that!
"
-- Jackie Good |
|
 | "My fiance and I had decided we wanted to get a dog that would fit with our fast paced/outdoorsy lifestyle and we loved the border collie personality. We contacted BRBCR and within days they called us needing a home for a dog named Foxy who was going to be put down at a shelter because no one wanted her. Of course we wanted to meet her and the minute we did, we imediately feel in love. Even though we have only had her 3 months, she is a part of our family! She is so smart, pretty, nice, and loves to go everywhere with us! We are constantly getting compliments on how obedient and beautiful she is.
Thanks for getting us such a nice dog so quickly!"
-- Micah Murphy |
|
 | "Shep is now known as the 'dream dog,' loved by family, friends neighbors, and a tail wagging greeter to other dogs, and people he meets. A fellow dog owner explained that when encouraging his neighbors to keep their recently adopted resuce dog, he invoked Shep as an example of how great these dogs could become. We adopted 'Shy Shep' from BRBCR back in 2005, where he was being fostered by Emily (and with his mother, brother and his two puppies, the cutest I have ever seen). He was so timid for the first year that he was spooked of almost everything: rustling plastic bags, funny looking pugs, any stranger,or any loud noise. What a difference a few years make, and what a fantastic dog he has become! We have since moved to Minnesota, and this southern boy LOVES the snow. Thanks again BRBCR and Emily for helping us find this great companion."
-- Elizabeth Wilson-Jackson |
|
 | "I just wanted to add a picture of my beautiful rescue - Beeja."
-- Julie Shields |
|
 | "I am so grateful to Sylvia and others who took part in rescuing wonderful Beeja. She was initially frightened of everything -- mailboxes and recylcing bins being particularly threatening. But she develops more confidence each day. She loves playing with other dogs, and she loves showing off her training. I cannot imagine a sweeter dog; she is so eager to please. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
-- Julia Shields |
|
 | "We adopted Buddy Boy from Sally Williams foster home. We greatfully thank Sally and all the BRBCR folks for their dedication to Border Collie rescue.
After the death of our dear 18 year old Mac, a tri color mix, our house was just empty. Then one day I saw Buddy on the internet, and we drove down to Sally's house to meet him. What a joy Buddy is to us! He has brought so much fun and laughter into our home. Buddy's whole story is too long to cover here, but Buddy was a very shy dog. His recovery from shyness has taken a lot of love and work, and isn't yet 100% complete, but Buddy has come so very far in the 4.5 months that he has been in our home. Buddy is so quick and agile that he just amazes us with his speed and energy and we hope that someday he'll be recovered enough for agility training.
Buddy Boy is a treasure and we're lucky and blessed to have him in our lives.
Thank so much Sally and BRBCR!
Duane & Valerie Mitchell"
-- Duane Mitchell |
|
 | "I would just like to thank Sylvia King for fostering first West and then Cooper. She made it possible for me to drive up from Florida twice and have total confidence that I was getting the perfect dog each time. Not only has she continually answered each and every question, but she introduced us to agility which has been a wonderful thing for all those involved. Blue Ridge is an excellent organization, and I personally thank you for enriching my family again and again. Thank you."
-- Gill Chapman |
|
 | "It has been almost 2 years since Radar joined the Family. And has he ever.He fell in love with his big brother, Kayak a 14 yr old Alaskan Malamute and
Kady a 7 yr old All American right from the start. They love him too.There is never a dull moment with these three. He is such a fun little guy, very loving and is spoiled rotten.
He has done very well in Agility these past 10 months. In AKC he is in Excellent A in Standard and Jumpers with Weaves. Only needs one more Q in
Standard for his AX. In USDAA needs one more Q in Starters Standard for his Agility Dog title. All other classes are in the Advanced level.In Advanced
Pairs and Snooker needs one more Q then on to Masters ! He loves Agility.
I want to Thank BRBCR for such a wonderful organization. I wish to particularly express my gratitude to Sylvia King, Carolyn Shelbourne and Emily Adham for getting my baby to me. They made the Adoption Process go quickly and efficiently. THANK YOU
I am adding a Photo taken at his first Agility trial October 2005 by Diane Lewis who graciously permitted me to use the picture. She well remembered the
little border collie with half a tail.I guess because he is so adorable.
(http://www.DianeLewisPhotography.com)
Jo Ellen Emswiler
RADAR TIRE.jpg (615k bytes)
"
-- Jo Ellen Emswiler |
|
 | "It has been almost 2 years since Radar joined the Family. And has he ever ! He fell in love with his big brother, Kayak a 14 yr old Alaskan Malamute and Kady a 7 1/2 yr old All American right from the start. They love him too ! There is never a dull moment with these three !
He is such a fun little guy, very loving and is spoiled rotten.
He has done very well in Agility these past 10 months. In AKC he is in Excellent A in Standard and Jumpers with Weaves. Only needs one more Q in Standard for his AX. In USDAA needs one more Q in Starters Standard for his Agility Dog title. All other classes are in the Advanced level.In Advanced Pairs and Snooker needs one more Q then on to Masters ! He loves Agility !
I want to Thank BRBCR for such a wonderful organization ! I wish to particularly express my gratitude to Sylvia King, Carolyn Shelbourne and Emily Adham for getting my baby to me. They made the Adoption Process go quickly and efficiently ! THANK YOU !
I am adding a Photo taken at his first Agility trial October 2005 by Diane Lewis who graciously permitted me to use the picture. She well remembered the little border collie with half a tail...I guess because he is so adorable !
(http://www.DianeLewisPhotography.com)
"
-- Jo Ellen Emswiler |
|
 | "Our Family adopted Wayne the puppy (now known as Spike, thanks to my 3 year old) from Sylvia King. We have had Spike only about 1 month but he has become such a big part of our family. He is full of energy and loves to play, this makes the boys happy! Spike is such a wonderful and loving dog. I am so glad that we got the chance to adopt Spike and give him a loving home. He is going to be the most loved dog around. Thanks BRBCR for giving us this opportunity to have our first family pet."
-- Jessica Cunningham |
|
| "My husband and I adopted Chase in March 2004. Since then Chase has become a huge blessing not only to us, but to others as well. He is now a certified therapy dog that works with children and senior citizens. Chase has been an enthusiastic volunteer with the Pets-on-Wheels Program in our county and we are hopeful to have a children's reading program at our local library established by this summer.
Chase's willingness to please people and his absolute teddy-bear personality make him a crowd pleaser where ever we take him. We wouldn't think of ever getting another dog except through the BRBCR program. We have been completely thrilled with Chase and couldn't ask for a better dog!"
-- Ruth Keen |
|
 | " We adopted Chipper (formerly Chip) from Emily Adhams care with BRBCR in January. He was 4 months old. Now at 6 months he a true member of the family. Our older mixed boarder, Hogan has taken him under his wing. Abby, our orange tabby is still teaching him not to approach her too quickly (:-), but they are friends. Chipper is wonderful with our two children. Ethan loves to take him on walks and play ball with him. Our handicapped daughter, Kacie just lights up and smiles when he puts his head on her lap or kisses her. Thank you Emily Adhams and BRBCR for offering a sancutuary for this wonder breed of dog, and an opportunity for people to adopt Boarders. "
-- Lora & Lin Howerton |
|
 | "Jake,(aka Hank to his foster Mom, Emily Adham),became a member of our family three weeks ago. He has stepped right into to the paws of the two great dogs who preceded him with grace and with actions that mimick both prior dogs, endearing him even more.His desire to please and give back ample amounts of love is plain to all who see him with us. It's as if he's been here his whole three years. He lies on my foot as I type this patiently awaiting any adventure to come. Thanks to BRBCR, we were able to complete our family with Jake, the perfect pal!!!"
-- Mariah Custalow |
|
| "We adopted Lexi from Sandy Wright with BRBCR and from the minute I saw her at Sandy's I knew she was the dog for us! She is a SWEET gentle border collie that loves to play but is calm indoors, perfect combination. She is great with my older dog and two young children. We have since adopted another young border collie from our local spca and they quickly became best friends. We have had several border collies, Lexi is the sweetest ever, and she has had some stiff competition!!
Thanks for all you do, BRBCR!"
-- Karen Flikeid |
|
 | "Riley came to us as our first dog! After a lengthy search we had almost given up finding the right Border Collie when I logged on one more time to BRBCR and a brand new picture had just been added. Riley. Flash forward to 2005 and Riley is firmly entrenched as a member of our family. Although Riley came to us hating car rides, he recently made it all the way to our vacation home in Cape Cod! He was living large on Nantucket Sound. (great photo eh?)
Bill and Lisa Evans"
-- Bill Evans |
|
 | "We adopted Lucy from BRBCR when she was just a little 12 week old puppy. It was fate that she entered our lives. I was looking for another Border Collie to keep our male dog company and we wanted a female B.C. I was looking locally for a dog that someone might be giving up and happen to come across an ad in The Valley Trader that someone was giving away 7 Border Collie mix puppies for free. I contacted the # and was told by the dog owner that the dogs were just taken to the nearby dog shelter in Luray, Va. I was so sad to hear that! I then contacted BRBCR and was searching the website when I came across the listing that BRBCR just adopted 7 puppies from the same shelter! What are the chances! I found out they were the same puppies I was interested in! That\'s when I knew Lucy was meant for us and we were meant for her! She came into our family on 3/1/03 and the next day I found out I was pregnant with our 2nd child! She has adjusted beautifully as you can see! Thank you BRBCR!"
-- Sandra Stickovitch |
|
 | "Well, Buggs has been part of our family for a little over a year. We feel like he has been with us forever. Every aspect of our adoption story has been a positive one. We still stay in contact with Buggs foster parents, Dan and Sylvia King, we like to keep them updated on his progress. Our other dog child, Piper, a female border would not know what to do without her little man. They are inseperable. When time permits and life has settled down a little, we are going to try some agility classes. We encourage all our friends and family to adopt. Thanks for the great addition to our family."
-- linda and neil dunkle |
|
| "It was so hard finding a replacement for our border collie mix after he passed away--and only 1 week after my husband left for Iraq. I'm so happy to have found Bear at BRBCR. He is so happy and so loved by everyone. My parents, who never let our other dog sit on their sofa, now have the sofa reserved for Bear! We are having a wonderful time and counting the days until he meets his daddy! We've been sending pics to Iraq all year and my husband is looking forward to wrestling with Bear and playing fetch in the back yard. Thank you BRBCR and Sandy Wright!"
-- Rhonda Gilbert |
|
 | "Exactly 2 years to the day from when we adopted Duncan from BRBCR we added Miles to our family. Miles O Smiles is aptly named. He has the cutest smile and will do it on que. He is our 3 year old border collies constant companion and my love bug. It was love at first sight. Thank you to all who were responsible for pulling him from jail, transporting, fostering and letting us adopt him. We love him!"
-- Susan and Neal Merchant |
|
 | "It is hard to believe that August was a year that I adopted my baby boy ! !
He is such a sweet little thing that my Vet set his birthday on Valentines Day ! !
From the first moment that he met my other two dogs(Kayak 13 1/2 yr old Alaskan Malamute and Kady 6 yr old All American) it was love at first sight !
This past year these three have romped around the yard and played with each other like crazy dogs ! !
Radar has come so far in his agility training too ! ! His first Agility Trial was with AKC on Oct 8th and 9th in Weyers Cave, VA. He got first place and Q'd all four of his runs ! ! He completed his Novice Jumpers with Weaves Title in Leesburg,VA Nov 12th. He has been to two USDAA trials and has two Q's in Novice Jumpers, Pairs Relay and Snooker ! ! !
He is such a fun little guy ! Never a dull moment ! And very loving ! Even though he hogs the bed ! !
I am so very grateful to Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue ! I also am very grateful to their members: Sylvia King, Carolyn Shelbourne and Emily Adham(His Foster Mom)for their help in my adoption of such a fine little guy ! !
I have a lot of photos of him but have no way to scan one currently. But take my word for it ! He is very very Adorable ! ! !"
-- Jo Ellen Emswiler |
|
| "My wife and I adopted this wonderful dog in August. At first I was skeptical of adopting an older dog because as a child we had always started with a puppy. Can he be retrained? Can he adjust to the difference in our lifestyle compared to his foster mom's? The answer is a resounding yes. Travis has behaved exactly as his foster mom, Cathy Dodgen, described to me over our first phone call. Perhaps the most pleasing thing about working with BLBCR is that we got the dog we thought we were going to get. There have been no unpleasant surprises whatsoever. Having never owned a border collie, we were looking for one that would be a better fit in the city (Morning and evening runs, dog parks, negligible yard, etc.). Based on how Cathy described him, Travis seemed to fit the bill. Though he is bigger than we initially wanted (at a hefty 55+ lbs) it hasn’t mattered a bit because his temperament is so laid back (for the breed). Since we’re looking to start a family in a few years, we needed a dog who liked children. I’ve watched him, nervously at first, around small children at our local dog park as they run around and am pleased to say he’s been perfect and always visits each person there. He won a small competition at his beginning obedience class this past month and we’re slowly working our way up to the advanced level. The foster parents in this organization do a wonderful job taking care of and in some cases rehabilitating animals that never got a first chance. I hope you take the plunge and can find an animal as wonderful as the one we’ve gotten."
-- David and Erin Lemon |
|
 | "Update on Lark: We adopted Lark from BRBCR in March '02. She was 3 months old. She has grown up to be a sweet, gentle, loving dog. I have trained her to compete in Agility and she is doing very well. In just 2 years of competition she has earned Masters titles in AKC, Elite titles in NADAC, and is at the Masters level in USDAA. This year we went to the State Fair to participate in the Classic K9 dog show. In the High Jump competition, Lark jumped an amazing 48 inches. A friend of mine took this picture. "
-- Paige Port |
|
| "I wanted to give an update on Ari a beautiful sable boarder collie that we adopted from Sandra Wright.
Our pooch has been described many times as everybody's best friend and the best dog in the whole world. He is polite and loving, he has had enormous success with training and sport. He is also a very loving and loyal pooch and will stay by our side without a leash even when there are many distractions. I am so proud of the intelligence he demostrates and more importantly how loving he is toward all of our friends and family and strangers alike. The only concern I ever have is that someone will fall in love with him and steal him. Thank you "
-- Sara Wise |
|
| "Annie (formerly called Arwen) joined our family in February 2002 after being fostered by Melanie Mecca. I met Annie while attending a “Show and Go” at the training center, “A Click Above”, in Leesburg, Virginia. I had been training my Cardigan Corgi, Lucy, and competing with her at agility trials for about a year; my husband and I had been thinking about adding to our Cardigan family when I first met Annie. When I looked into her eyes, I saw a very special spirit and knew that Annie had found her family.
Melanie shared with me that Annie showed natural talent when it came to agility. My first clue confirming what Melanie said was that she was weaving six weave poles after one very short training session at our home. I enrolled her in Puppy and Obedience Classes followed by Agility Contacts and Weaves and Handling classes at A Click Above. She debuted at a local NADAC Trial and earned both her Novice Standard Title and Jumpers Title during that weekend—it was a great beginning! I dubbed her “Always Right On Annie”. Since that first trial, she has earned 24 agility titles.
On July 22, 2005, Annie earned her first MACH at the young age of 3—not quite two years after her first agility trial. It was quite a moment for both of us. Just to put a little icing on the cake, she has qualified to go the 2006 AKC Nationals.
We still have many goals we are working toward, but the journey is a joy for me. She still loves to play Frisbee, chase her Cardi sibling Lucy, and goes into complete play mode when she spots a cat.
I think my husband, Ernie, has summed Annie up the best—The Tender Little Puppy with the Heart of Champion.
"
-- Judy Katzwinkel |
|
| "I adopted Emma (now named Stella) in February 2005 to be a companion for my then 2.5 year old Aussie mix female, Blue. At first I was wary of having two female dogs of almost the same age, but they got along perfectly from the first meeting, and are truly best friends. Having Stella is a wonderful experience, and she has overcome many of the not-so positive behaviors she apparently once had. Blue and I are so thankful that she has become part of our family. I am truly thankful to BRBCR for the wonderful work they do!"
-- Karen Dennis |
|
 | "Misty (aka Lindy when fostered) joined our family as a first dog for my husband and kids last fall. Rescued by BRBCR from a shelter in Va., and fostered by Sandy Wright, Misty has brought unbelievable joy to us. My 11-year old daughter and Misty have now passed their intermed. obedience class with flying colors. Misty sings with my husband and is the smartest dog Ive ever met. She adores our 3 cats, tolerating with grace the occasional whack of the paw from my 19 year old kitty. She loves the car and goes to all my sons baseball games, charming every person who meets her. Sweet, patient, silly in the best way, we cant imagine life before she arrived. Thank you to BRBCR and especially to Sandy Wright!! "
-- Karen Widmayer |
|
 | " We wanted to update people on Buggs progress. He is doing great, and we have had wonderful support and advice from Sylvia and Dan King. We Love This Dog!!! The longer he is with us the more his personality shines through. He is becoming more and more affectionate and secure. We are sending a photo this time. Make sure when you adopt to stay in touch with the foster parents, they are a great source of support and they love to hear how their kids are doing. Adopt a Dog Today, what a rewarding experience."
-- linda and neil dunkle |
|
 | "We adopted Buggs in early December because we had lost an 18 year old dog in May of 2004 and wanted a second active companion dog for our 18 month old female Border Collie, Piper. He was being fostered by Sylvia and Dan King who did a fabulous job of matching us with this dog. He has been a joy from the first day we got him. He had spent most of his young life chained to a tree and was not being fed.He weighed only 17 pounds when taken in by Blue Ridge and is a healthy 36 pounds today. His beautiful red and white coat is on it's way to recovery and he has an awesome personality. Sylvia and Dan did a great job with him and we will be forever grateful for the wonderful gift of this dog. Piper loves him and to see the two of them running full out is a wonderful sight. They even sleep together in her kennel sometimes. His life couldn't be better as he sleeps on our sofa in front of the fireplace or takes naps on our bed. He is great. We recommend rescue to all of our friends, is was very rewarding for us to give this wonderful dog the home he deserves.
Linda and Neil Dunkle"
-- linda and neil dunkle |
|
| "I adopted Feona from my neighbor who was fostering the pup. She has grow to be an amazing companion. She is every thing I\'ve have wanted in a dog. I recieve compliments all the time how pretty and nice a dog she is. We are very active and get outdoor quite often. The photo is a receint hike in the Blue Ridge. Thank you for the gift you have given me."
-- Brett King |
|
| "When we read Megs description and how she was found in a junk yard it broke my heart - we wanted to adopt a dog who had a rough start on life and give it a new beginning. Meg is no junk yard dog! She is so sweet, loving, and is smarter than some people! Everyone who meets her raves about how amazing and awesome she is! After some time to adjust to having a family who loves her and having a home to live in, I am happy to report she is soaking up the good life!! Thank you to everyone at BRBCR who helped us find the ideal addition to our family."
-- Michelle Kobell |
|
 | "(Here's a photo for the longwinded story I already submitted.)"
-- amy umberger |
|
 | "We adopted Lark in March of 2002 when she was 3 months old. She has been a delightful dog from the moment she arrived. Many thanks to Ann Sheets for her wonderful foster care of Lark.
I am an agility enthusiast, currently competing with 4 dogs. Lark loves agility training, and we have been competing with her since last May. She has completed her AKC Open Standard title and will be moving up to the Excellent level. "
-- Paige Port |
|
| "I grew up on a farm and we had always had at least one Border Collie at all times, so I knew that they were the breed for me. It took me a LONG time to convince my future ex-husband that we really needed a dog in addition to our two cats, but it finally happened. I started the application process and hoped that my dog would become available soon after grad school was over. Two weeks after I earned my masters degree, I met a wonderful lady named Jeannie Tidy after work and took Cisco home. His entire litter had parvo and apparently his parents had been severely neglected. I got Cisco when he was about 9 weeks old and he was absolutely terrified of everything and everyone since he had spent most of his life on IVs rather than getting socialized. Since I teach in the public school system, I had the option of taking my summer completely off and devoting it to socializing and training Cisco. I took him everywhere... downtown, to my school, to friends houses, to the drive-in teller at the bank, and even to Carls for some ice cream a time or two... It took awhile, but he has blossomed into one of the sweetest, most confident dogs Ive had the pleasure of knowing. He passed his CGC test when he was a year old and earned his therapy certification shortly after. Now hes my constant companion and guardian, even if he does stand behind me when he barks at the two Newfs across the street. Hes a socialite, visiting folks in the hospital and sometimes acting as a special guest listener when my first and second graders practice their oral reading fluency. Youd never know that he was so shy at first; he pranced through the Fredericksburg Christmas Parade as if all the people on the sidewalks were there to see him! : ) Because of him, several friends and acquaintances have gone through rescue groups to adopt dogs and have had experiences similar to mine. I dont know what I would do without him...he truly is my best friend."
-- Amy Umberger |
|
| "Not the exact date because kiki seems like she has been our dog forever.
We lost one of our two dogs, a border collie mix unexpectedly, and felt a deep void for the happy, although sometime challanging personality of the breed. Thank goodness for the internet. I spent hours looking at pictures and reading bios and as soon as I saw her picture, I knew she was ment to be ours.
Kiki isn\'t really a true border collie, she needs to lose some weight, she sleeps a lot and she doesn\'t really know how to play fetch. But she loves to walk with us, play in the creek by our house, dig in the snow, chase the squirrels, and kiss the barn cats. She truely enjoys a good stick and I swear she smiles when she is out side with us.
Kiki is very protective, I tell people it is the pretty little one you need to be afraid of not our hundred pound lab/ shepard male. Kik took about one day to adjust to the family and our routine.
I think she knew that we are her forever people and she is our forever dog. Kiki loves us and we love her. "
-- jen daley |
|
 | "Neal and I entered the wonderful world of border collies with our
border collie, Lacy's Jackson. Life was fulfilling, until I was
searching the internet---and it was dog love at first sight. We
met Duncan and his foster family, the Pritchards and knew we had
to add Duncan to our menagerie. So on August 11, 2003 we adopted
Duncan, a large, and unfortunately extremely overweight, 8 year
old border collie from BRBCR. In the short time in our home,
Duncan has dropped weight with treatment of a thyroid condition
and has had major surgery to remove a benign tumor from his jaw.
But the best part, is that with tender love and care from his
rescuer, foster parents and brotherly love (and exercise) from
Jackson, Duncan continues to flourish. He has recently graduated
from obedience class and is working towards becoming a therapy
dog. Thanks to BRBCR and its many dedicated volunteers for
saving this amazing dog and placing him with us. We love him!
-Susan & Neal Merchant"
-- Susan Merchant |
|
 | "Cookie was born sometime in February of 2002 (we think) and turned in to the shelter in Virginia along with her 6 siblings. She made her way to the Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue where we adopted her on May 11, 2002. We know that she is part Border Collie but are unsure of her other half. She acts very much like a Jack Russell at times and that trait seems more dominant than her Border Collie side. She loves our Jack Russell Ed and will romp around with him for hours in the yard.
Cookie's first Flyball tournament was at the St. Pat Pup Fest in Columbiana Alabama on March 15, 2003 where she earned her FD. Her second tournament was the Tarheal 2003 held in Charlotte North Carolina on March 30, 2003 and she earned her FDX. Her third tournament was the Hit Squad - Gateway tournament in Springfield Illinois on April 12, 2003 where she earned her FDCh. Cookie is progressing very nicely and has the best box turn of all our dogs.
"
-- Larry Worrilow |
|
| "Bobby Flay was the cutest puppy my soon to be husband and I had ever seen (on petfinders) and we wanted to get him so terribly bad but the house we were waiting to move into was causing all kinds of delays. We figured he would be adopted long before we could get all the technicalities worked out. However we called once we knew for sure we were moving and put in an adoption request and tried to schedule a home vist for two weeks. When we could finally get one ....we were told two people were coming to pick him up that day....we were heart broken but told they had more border collie puppies coming in (we talked about it for hours...but our hearts had been set on Bobby) .... The next day we were called and informed that the individuals did not adopt the dog and we could come see him anytime. His foster mom brought him over the next day and we couldn't let him leave. He is very much a member of our family now. Best friends with the cats, he of course heards them onto the couch and licks them to death! He has the biggest bed in the house and of course the most love. We've changed his name to Einstein because he so very smart and resourceful and can't imagine a day without out him! THANK YOU BORDER COLLIE RESCUE! "
-- sharon hurlburt |
|
 | "I adopted Spinx (formerly Noah) from BRBCR in May. On the way home from Sandy's house Spinx snuggled up to my son and slept the entire time. He is such a sweetheart and joy to have around. We have completed one course in Obedience and plan to start Flyball as Spinx loves his tennis ball and is very fast (of course). He loves to run around in the back yard and go for long walks with his dog and people friends.
I want to thank BRBCR for the wonderful addition to our household. We just love him to pieces!"
-- Barbara Turner | |
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