ADOPTED COLLIES
So ... one week on from this lovely Tri lady, Trixie, coming to live with us, I am happy to report that all is going extremely well .. the first few nights she seemed a little restless, but she bedded down well with her new mommy and daddy and pack-mate Flynn as you can tell by the photos. She is so loving and doesn't seem to be as timid as the days go by ! Long way to go to get her to tip top condition, but we've been set well on our way thanks to Maria and other members of Collie Rescue. She even pops up to bed to sleep through the day, bless her .... will post more as the weeks go by xx
Having picked up Cassie on the 2nd January 2016, she has now been with us for just over a year. In this time we have had to take her to the vets for two operations. We knew when we picked her up that her front teeth needed to be sorted out and that she would have to be spayed. Her front teeth were too badly damaged to be saved and our vet had to remove all 12 of her front teeth, but he managed to save her canines. The second trip was planned and all went well.
Cassie has blossomed over the year, going from being quite nervous, not wanting to leave the house, constantly being under our feet and only staying or sleeping in a few small spaces, to being friendly with almost everyone, loving to go out for a walk, and spending time in her beds or sprawled out in a comfortable position wherever she wishes. She still prefers to be close to us, or between us if at all possible, and be given as much love and affection as possible from us, or from those she now knows well.
Having just gone through a moult, her fur is now soft and glossy, her eyes sparkle, and she ‘smiles’ a lot. She is now also starting to play a little with other dogs she meets when out, but balls are still completely alien to her.
We have had 4 Rough Collies from puppies over the years before adopting Cassie, and she has become another member of the family.
Cassie has blossomed over the year, going from being quite nervous, not wanting to leave the house, constantly being under our feet and only staying or sleeping in a few small spaces, to being friendly with almost everyone, loving to go out for a walk, and spending time in her beds or sprawled out in a comfortable position wherever she wishes. She still prefers to be close to us, or between us if at all possible, and be given as much love and affection as possible from us, or from those she now knows well.
Having just gone through a moult, her fur is now soft and glossy, her eyes sparkle, and she ‘smiles’ a lot. She is now also starting to play a little with other dogs she meets when out, but balls are still completely alien to her.
We have had 4 Rough Collies from puppies over the years before adopting Cassie, and she has become another member of the family.
A telephone call from the RSPCA in Kent presented us with a rescue situation in duplicate (not an uncommon occurrence I might add) Ted and Lassie.
Both dogs are said to be around 5 years old and were in good condition as they had been in a foster home for 3 months during an official enquiry. As the pair were dependent on each other they had to be re-homed together. Within a couple of weeks after mentioning them to a prospective home they found themselves living in West Yorkshire. These very generous people offered to travel all the way to Kent to fetch them so Ted and Lassie came home. Little was known about their background as is always the way with strays and the family are having fun learning about all their little foibles.
Ted is rather jumpy and does not like the wooden kitchen floor unless of course there is food on it. He is very playful and tends to pull at your clothes and when you are running with him he becomes very boisterous but responds well when told to calm down. He seems to have a protective nature as he does not like other dogs to come near us.
Lassie on the other hand is very quiet and seems very content and likes to climb on your knee to get a closer hug.
They have both settled in very well, are wonderful in the house, love to be groomed and we are told by their owners that they would not be without them.
Both dogs are said to be around 5 years old and were in good condition as they had been in a foster home for 3 months during an official enquiry. As the pair were dependent on each other they had to be re-homed together. Within a couple of weeks after mentioning them to a prospective home they found themselves living in West Yorkshire. These very generous people offered to travel all the way to Kent to fetch them so Ted and Lassie came home. Little was known about their background as is always the way with strays and the family are having fun learning about all their little foibles.
Ted is rather jumpy and does not like the wooden kitchen floor unless of course there is food on it. He is very playful and tends to pull at your clothes and when you are running with him he becomes very boisterous but responds well when told to calm down. He seems to have a protective nature as he does not like other dogs to come near us.
Lassie on the other hand is very quiet and seems very content and likes to climb on your knee to get a closer hug.
They have both settled in very well, are wonderful in the house, love to be groomed and we are told by their owners that they would not be without them.
BOWMORE came into rescue in March, 2013, aged 6 years, after living with eight other rough collies in the South of England. Their owner could not properly look after them all and they were not taken out of their home and garden for over 2 years. Boomer, as he was originally called, was not in good shape when he came into rescue, having numerous facial scars and at least one tooth missing.
Very quickly a loving new home was found with a couple and their two other Rough Collies, Dusty and Jude (see Fostering Section for their stories) and the whole family travelled over from the Western Isles in their motor-home to collect him, having numerous stops on the way with friends. On first meeting Boomer it was love at first sight for them all, and he settled well with his humans and new doggy friends.
He was given a new name - BOWMORE - which everyone thought suited him better and a full veterinary check. He needed extensive dental work done and five teeth were removed, plus two growths on his gums which were sent for testing, but there were no malignant cells in the growths thankfully. Collie Rescue picked up the bill for this work which came to over £400. This gave him a clean bill of health to start his new life with his adoptive family. Living in the Outer Hebrides the dogs can roam across hills, valleys and beaches to their hearts content (when the weather is good) and around their large garden when it's not so good.
Bowmore is now in very good health, eats well, enjoys his walks and loves nothing more than a good game of football with his human companions. His mum calls him a "love bug".
SADLY NOW AT RAINBOW BRIDGE ... RIP BOWMORE
Very quickly a loving new home was found with a couple and their two other Rough Collies, Dusty and Jude (see Fostering Section for their stories) and the whole family travelled over from the Western Isles in their motor-home to collect him, having numerous stops on the way with friends. On first meeting Boomer it was love at first sight for them all, and he settled well with his humans and new doggy friends.
He was given a new name - BOWMORE - which everyone thought suited him better and a full veterinary check. He needed extensive dental work done and five teeth were removed, plus two growths on his gums which were sent for testing, but there were no malignant cells in the growths thankfully. Collie Rescue picked up the bill for this work which came to over £400. This gave him a clean bill of health to start his new life with his adoptive family. Living in the Outer Hebrides the dogs can roam across hills, valleys and beaches to their hearts content (when the weather is good) and around their large garden when it's not so good.
Bowmore is now in very good health, eats well, enjoys his walks and loves nothing more than a good game of football with his human companions. His mum calls him a "love bug".
SADLY NOW AT RAINBOW BRIDGE ... RIP BOWMORE
This little tri-colour girl came to me 7 years ago with the name Jasmine. She had been rescued by a couple in Northumberland who had gone to look at her litter brother and on seeing the conditions they were living in could not leave her behind, so ended up with both dogs.
The treatment they had received at the hands of humans had turned Jasmine into a rather aggressive little bitch and the couple could not cope with her as she was biting at every opportunity. Collie Rescue became involved, but could not re-home her due to her behaviour so were looking at having her put to sleep. Being a committee member and having just lost my blue merle bitch, Gemma, I asked if I could take her to see how she was before making the final decision as I believe that with the right treatment and training, any dog can be turned round. Yes, she bit, but not hard, more like a "collie nip", she did not understand that brushing and grooming was part of everyday life and each time I attempted this, she went for either me or the brush !!
A lot of days and treats later, we managed to groom her through. This dog was not a Jasmine, more like a Jazz, so Jazz she became. She settled within the house and garden and was very good with my other collie, Oliver, but would attack anyone that came to the house if not put on a house lead first and taking her out was a nightmare to start with, she would attack anything that moved, human or dog - attack was the best form of defence according to Jazz and she lived by this rule, even to this day she is "on alert" when out. Seven years later and Jazz is still with us. She still has her problems, but these are all easily controlled and within the family you could not wish to meet a better natured girl, but outside she still wants to attack anything that moves, humans, dogs, cats, carrier bags blowing in the wind, you name it, if it moves she will have it. She is always kept on an extender, for her own safety as well as others, but she leads a good life which she enjoys to the full, even enjoying the indignities of being groomed and having her ears, eyes and teeth cleaned. She has not attempted to bite me for years and we have a very loving understanding of each other now.
Jazz attended training classes and once she got to know the other dogs there quite enjoyed this and passed Bronze, Silver and Gold Kennel Club Good Citizens Certificates which I was over the moon about. Jazz was diagnosed with pancreatitis a year after we had her, which is now controlled with a low fat veterinary diet. She cannot have "treats" any more, only her own special food which we use as treats. She really is a sweetheart, but I very often wonder what would have happened to her if I had not decided to give her a chance.
Annette Rebmann
The treatment they had received at the hands of humans had turned Jasmine into a rather aggressive little bitch and the couple could not cope with her as she was biting at every opportunity. Collie Rescue became involved, but could not re-home her due to her behaviour so were looking at having her put to sleep. Being a committee member and having just lost my blue merle bitch, Gemma, I asked if I could take her to see how she was before making the final decision as I believe that with the right treatment and training, any dog can be turned round. Yes, she bit, but not hard, more like a "collie nip", she did not understand that brushing and grooming was part of everyday life and each time I attempted this, she went for either me or the brush !!
A lot of days and treats later, we managed to groom her through. This dog was not a Jasmine, more like a Jazz, so Jazz she became. She settled within the house and garden and was very good with my other collie, Oliver, but would attack anyone that came to the house if not put on a house lead first and taking her out was a nightmare to start with, she would attack anything that moved, human or dog - attack was the best form of defence according to Jazz and she lived by this rule, even to this day she is "on alert" when out. Seven years later and Jazz is still with us. She still has her problems, but these are all easily controlled and within the family you could not wish to meet a better natured girl, but outside she still wants to attack anything that moves, humans, dogs, cats, carrier bags blowing in the wind, you name it, if it moves she will have it. She is always kept on an extender, for her own safety as well as others, but she leads a good life which she enjoys to the full, even enjoying the indignities of being groomed and having her ears, eyes and teeth cleaned. She has not attempted to bite me for years and we have a very loving understanding of each other now.
Jazz attended training classes and once she got to know the other dogs there quite enjoyed this and passed Bronze, Silver and Gold Kennel Club Good Citizens Certificates which I was over the moon about. Jazz was diagnosed with pancreatitis a year after we had her, which is now controlled with a low fat veterinary diet. She cannot have "treats" any more, only her own special food which we use as treats. She really is a sweetheart, but I very often wonder what would have happened to her if I had not decided to give her a chance.
Annette Rebmann
Harvey is my seventh rescue rough collie and came to me aged 2 years, after his owner was diagnosed with cancer. He had been with him from a puppy and was described to me as "a joy to own". He was so fat that when he walked he waddled and swung his front legs sideways as there was too much fat between them for them to work properly. He weighed 40kgs !! he was put straight on a diet recommended by the vet and Harvey declared his dislike of me for it by trying to nip my legs and feet whenever I went near enough. Great, not only had I got Jazz who nipped, (see story above) but another one had come my way. Looking at Harvey one day I thought his right eye looked a bit strange, so took him to the vet who diagnosed "small eye" the medical name evades me, but it is a birth defect where the eyeball does not form properly although the socket does, therefore the eye looks small and half hidden within the socket (which it is). He also had limited vision in this eye, my reasoning told me this could be the reason he nipped out when you went near him.
He settled well and got on well with Jazz, although he definitely knew his place as she told him frequently. The weight started coming off gradually, and he began to enjoy his exercise without all the puffing and panting he used to do. We then noticed that there were times when he would "go down" on his front legs and on recovery would limp badly or refuse to walk at all. Another trip to the vet confirmed that he had arthritis, not only in his leg joints, but also his neck and spine, damage which could have been caused through the excessive weight as a young dog. He was put on anti-inflamatories and pain relief which worked well and he will be on these for the rest of his life.
He has regular MOT's every three months to check liver and kidney function which is fine at the moment. Harvey has been with me now for five years, the weight is off and he is a slim boy, with a defined waistline weighing just over 32kgs which is fine for him as he is a tall, long collie, much like the breed of the past. If he was human, I would put him in for a "skin removal" operation as there is definitely handfuls of loose skin you can get hold of. Harvey also went to training classes and passed his Kennel Club Good Citizen Certificates in Bronze, Silver and Gold. He is a loving boy, but on his terms and he will nip out if you over step the mark - which, believe me, I do not let him get away with, but he still chances his luck to this day !!
SADLY NOW AT RAINBOW BRIDGE ... RIP HARVEY
He settled well and got on well with Jazz, although he definitely knew his place as she told him frequently. The weight started coming off gradually, and he began to enjoy his exercise without all the puffing and panting he used to do. We then noticed that there were times when he would "go down" on his front legs and on recovery would limp badly or refuse to walk at all. Another trip to the vet confirmed that he had arthritis, not only in his leg joints, but also his neck and spine, damage which could have been caused through the excessive weight as a young dog. He was put on anti-inflamatories and pain relief which worked well and he will be on these for the rest of his life.
He has regular MOT's every three months to check liver and kidney function which is fine at the moment. Harvey has been with me now for five years, the weight is off and he is a slim boy, with a defined waistline weighing just over 32kgs which is fine for him as he is a tall, long collie, much like the breed of the past. If he was human, I would put him in for a "skin removal" operation as there is definitely handfuls of loose skin you can get hold of. Harvey also went to training classes and passed his Kennel Club Good Citizen Certificates in Bronze, Silver and Gold. He is a loving boy, but on his terms and he will nip out if you over step the mark - which, believe me, I do not let him get away with, but he still chances his luck to this day !!
SADLY NOW AT RAINBOW BRIDGE ... RIP HARVEY
Buddy, like Bonnie-Prince, came into rescue via the dog pound in Ireland after being found as a stray. He had an initial veterinary check where it was found that he was blind. How he had managed to survive puzzled everyone. We had offered Buddy a home before we found out about his blindness, but this did not put us off and we went to meet Buddy off the transport van at Sandbach Services at 1.30 a.m. on the 2nd April, 2012. Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw ... there were about 40 other dogs, all in cages, barking frantically, but Buddy was cowering in a large cage, trembling with fear, his eyes completely closed. Buddy was lifted into the back of our vehicle and promptly parked himself on my lap. He was shaking from head to foot. When we arrived home about two hours later my husband lifted him out the car and placed him gently on the front lawn where he just spun round and round in circles. I picked him up and took him into the living room, he was certainly a light-weight. Buddy had been shaved from under his chin, full length of his belly and his back legs were bald. He crawled around the living room twice, banging his head on every piece of furniture. This was the only moment we questioned whether we had really done Buddy any favours saving him from death. Not wanting to leave Buddy in a strange environment we carried him upstairs and placed him on the bed where he stood between us for two hours, offering us his paw. The next morning Buddy was very sick, throwing up thick yellow bile. A trip to the vets was organised where he was treated and weighed - he was very underweight and had been a stray for quite some time to get into this condition. The vet confirmed that Buddy was blind and had suspicions that this was caused by human cruelty. He put his age at between 10 or 11 years due his posture and the amount of missing teeth. After a few days Buddy's stomach settled so then began the task of discovering what Buddy could and couldn't do. We had to take a step back and watch how he coped with situations and his blindness. We were amazed at his zest for a normal life, he responded well to love and affection. Buddy's confidence started to grow and his previous life began to fade into the background. Buddy is now a completely different dog, he is so confident that people do not believe he is blind. He is a very happy, trusting, amusing dog and loves nothing more than meeting people. His weight is back to where it should be and he enjoys every minute of every day.
Pauline Homer
SADLY NOW AT RAINBOW BRIDGE ... RIP BUDDY BOY
Pauline Homer
SADLY NOW AT RAINBOW BRIDGE ... RIP BUDDY BOY