Happy Got Day, Ray!

Hi Sarah,

 

Just wanted to send out Happy (First) Got Day wishes for Ray! I can’t believe it’s been a year already, time sure does fly when you’re having fun.

 

The weather’s been FRIGID. Herding is out for now, due to the snow. We play kickball etc., and still have the normal livestock chores but other than that we’ve been more housebound than usual. Neither of us likes it but we’re coping;-). I got the clicker out for some brain games but he’s been surprisingly chill about the down time. Yesterday he dug out his Busy Buddy Squirrel Dude (aka The Poopin’ Squirrel) and brought it to me to fill. It had been living in the bottom of his toybox since last winter. Right now he’s upside down, hanging halfway off the couch with his eyes closed, looking like a dead bug.

 

I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you that he’s smart;-). Not a day goes by that he doesn’t remind me that those wheels are constantly turning and there are many “Timmy’s in the well” moments.

He has a ton of stuffies and is usually good about not ripping them up. We recently had a friend’s dog here for a couple of weeks and she wanted to gut them all. I was working with her one day about not shredding one while Ray was standing by, watching intently. After a minute he left the room and came back with a nylabone, which he carefully placed directly on top of the stuffed animal she had.

 

He’s so quick to learn every last detail of a routine and he’s very honest, so I can leave him to things while I do something else, without having to worry about what he’s up to behind my back. He obviously knows my routine better than I do, like the time I was filling the stock tank and forgot about it when I was done with the other chores. I called him to go back to the house with me, but he ran over to the stock tank instead. I called him again and he came, but turned and once again ran back to the stock tank and stood there looking at me. I then realized I had forgotten to turn the hose off and the stock tank was just starting to overflow. That could have been, at the least a mess, or, since we’re on a well, a disaster. Whew.

 

He’s incredibly sweet, intuitive and affectionate (and the world’s best snuggler). He’s a perfect fit for our family, (although he might be a nightmare in the wrong household). He loves most people but can still be a little nervy about certain men and I continue to work on that. He’s quirky and delightfully weird and very sensitive to some sounds and movement. He’s not afraid of loud noise (he’ll work sheep/ducks with the next door neighbor shooting off his gun or a thunderstorm coming up without missing a step), but he finds many noises exciting. You’re going to make an espresso – ohboy! The toaster beeped AND it popped! The egg timer went ding which is too cool and that also means you’re going to open the oven door, which is also cool because the oven door makes the most intriguing squeak! (or it did until yesterday when I oiled it, which just sucked all the fun right out of checking on supper.) Hey, the dryer buzzed, aren’t ya gonna fold that stuff? Other, similar sounds are ignored (yeah yeah, the microwave, so what). A lot of it is stuff that anyone used to herding dogs wouldn’t bat an eye at, but if not, you might wonder about his sanity;-).

 

He wants to be involved in everything but can stay out of the way if necessary. He’s energetic and always ready to do something but he has an off switch and settles beautifully. He definitely knows how to relax and can do a great boneless imitation. He tries so very hard to behave and is a total goody two shoes around the house. He’s wonderful with the cats and our ancient blind rescue dog, who can be grumpy. You never need to raise your voice to him and he’s very responsive. He’s quick to get overstimulated but usually a quiet word will stop any nonsense. We still have a few things to work on (ongoing socialization, jumping up-which he still can’t sometimes resist, etc.) but he’s a lot of fun, great help with the sheep and ducks, a real pleasure to live with and he is very, very loved.

 

We decided to make his “got day” his birthday as well, since the actual date is unknown. So, happy second b-day Ray! Looking forward to many more.

 

I attached a few recent photos. Once again, thank you for all you do,

Mason

Happy Got Day, Boo!!!

5 Years ago today, around 7;30 am my wife Suzie checked her e-mail and we were approved for Boo. 

 He was a rescue from Hurricane Gustuv in Waveland Mississippi and came to the farm Halloween Day, (so scary looking that's why he was named Boo) 

Boo quickly adapted and lives a great life. He enjoys long walks, playing fetch,swimming. Thanks you MABCR for the joy you have brought to our lives! 

Trey and Suzie

PS - This is the petfinder description that caught our eye: Boo is a lovely young dog who came to us quite malnourished and unthrifty. He was so unattractive , we were quite concerned about out ability to place the little man! Well as you can see , a couple of months of good healthcare and groceries have turned the boobooman into a handsome young man. Boo is sweet and affectionate, is great with cats, loves other dogs and adores playing Boo will do best in a social home looking for a wonderful companion.

Pippa's got Day - 21 February

I can not believe it has been five years since Pippa came home with me.

She is the most amazing dog; sweet, silly, so loving, sometimes a bit sassy, and oh so smart.

She really enjoys the snow; dropping her ball into it , digging it out, and rolling it backwards.  Only bad thing is the snow has been to crusty and hard for sheepherding.

She loves  "mind games " and learning new tricks--we have a dance routine and she excels at the "do as I do" game. We also just completed a Pet Therapy certification.  Pippa loves kids so I plan on going to a school where she will sit with children as they hone their reading skills.

I will always remember the first time I saw her at the farm--love at first sight.  

Sarah, thank you for all that you do for these wonderful dogs.

Peggy

Dear Sarah:

It is so hard to believe that it has only been a year since we first met you and Speck. So much has happened and we are so proud of how far Speck has come and the dog he is turning into.

When we first brought him home he was afraid of the stairs and now he bounds up them 2 at a time.  

When we first brought him home our hardwood and tile floors were slippery and scary now his new favorite game is to pull on a rope and then be swung around and let go so that he slides backwards across the tile floor in the basement.  Only to run back, tail wagging, rope in your face so that you can do it again!

And while the year has been filled with so many achievements it has not always been easy. We have had to learn as much about Speck as he has had to learn about us. Speck is anxious around other dogs so we try to avoid contact with other dogs. He can also be skittish around new people so we are very cautious around new people until we see how he is reacting. Occasionally, he will walk right up to someone and is clearly comfortable as he looks at them like “why are you not petting me? ”

We are constantly amazed at how smart he is. He LOVES agility training.  Our dog trainer says he is fearless and he flies across the dog walk, scrambles up and down the A-Frame, walks across the teeter-totter, loves the tunnel and jumps the jumps. He has hardly hesitated when crossing any of the obstacles.

One thing that hasn’t changed during the year is that Speck is still very affectionate with us, loves to hear laughter and will crawl onto our laps if it means belly rubs.

We have all worked hard this year but when he greets us at the door after a long day with a huge smile on his face, full of doggy-kisses wanting only for you to pet his belly or when he snuggles in bed with us in the morning so excited to start the day’s adventure we know that our lives have been completely enriched with Speck as part of our family. 

We have included a few of our favorite pictures of him from our first year together.

Pam and John

Happy Got Day, Charley!!

Greetings from California on Charley's 3rd honorary birthday, and our 2nd "anniversary."  I remember every detail about the day I brought him home like it was yesterday.  

I'm sending two pictures of Charley -- he and I on the beach in Carmel, and a handsome mug shot looking out his favorite window.  Charley is doing very well these days, but we've definitely had some challenges this year.  Charley had a long bout with an unidentified illness/condition in November and December.  The poor boy had to be hospitalized to keep him hydrated.  We had test after test, but they never figured out exactly what was wrong.  And then this spring he had some mild seizures.  I think the seizures were caused by Frontline.  I did a lot of research online, and his symptoms exactly mirrored those of other dogs, about 48 hours after treatment.  Needless to say, we've moved onto a natural flea treatment.  As I look back, now wonder if his earlier health problems were also caused by Frontline too.  But we'll never know.  

The best part of the year was his 5-month cohabitation with a Great Dane, my niece's dog who lived with us last fall.  Though the Dane was 4 times bigger, Charley had no problem bossing her around. And Charley also found good use her.  He figured out how to stand in her shadow on walks in order to stay cool.  Smart boy!

Charley continues to be a loyal companion, a charmer and shameless womanizer, and a little crazy and obsessive.  He has a new border collie friend in the neighborhood who is the first dog who can out-maneuver him.  And he's perfected a new skill -- pitch-matching a howl to the sound of fire or police sirens.  One day on a walk, as an ambulance roared by, he sat on the sidewalk in front of our neighborhood restaurant and did a perfect long imitation.  He got quite an ovation from the people at the restaurant.  It's quite a skill he has.

I think of you guys often, and hope that border collies continue to find good homes everywhere.

-Thor

ps Barbara -- I get SO many compliments on the leash.  It's holding up beautifully.  If they're sold online, I could definitely direct people to the site.  I'll probably need a new one someday too.

Editor's note: the three-way leash can be purchased by sending us an email...we do hope to have an online store someday!

Happy Got Day, Emmy!

In the midst of all my business travel, I'm a little tardy in sending this out. Miss Emmy came to us 5 years ago right after Valentine's Day. She was super-shy, and afraid of her own shadow. But now she is more confident, especially with people. She has even served as a MABCR ambassador on several home visits and has represented her favorite rescue well. 

She is still a home-body, but now gets excited when she's asked to go for a ride. After the first 30 minutes, she settles in quite nicely--but she's a MESS still for that first bit! She's also learned that she doesn't have to herd the granddaughters and that they offer lots of pets if she decides to hang around them. 

Her favorite toy is Ky-Jen Plush Puppies long grunting hedgehog. She doesn't like it at all when Dad tries to "share" with her. But she does love playing tug-a-hog with it. When she first came to us, she didn't know how to play with toys. 

Kathleen

Happy Got Day Finn!

reposted from twistedandpurlednyc.com/

My Big Birthday Present

Most people who know me know to expect this from me, the day after my birthday.

In fact, I have gotten in the habit of taunting my friend Marianne about the day after my birthday (and a couple of other days in the year, but I know this is the one that “gets” her every time), to get the tissues ready.

Because I tell the same story every year, and it starts like this:

It was the day after my birthday. I bought a car, I bought a crate, and I drove down to Maryland to pick up my dog.

This is the ninth year I will be telling this story. It starts this way, every year. Some details get added, some are omitted, and every year I am gladder that I get to tell the story again.

It almost doesn’t matter any more why I decided that I wanted a border collie to begin with. What really matters is that rescue after rescue told me that I COULD NOT have  a border collie, not in New York City.

Never mind that I was trying to adopt my first dog ever. I knew (I did, right?) an adult border collie was going to be “difficult”. But how dare they deny ME providing a home for an unwanted dog!?!? Those were the magic words. “You cannot”.

I did finally convince someone to let me adopt a 4 year old male border collie though, nine years ago.

People tell me that Finn is lucky to have found me. I think he was totally meant to be mine. He knew that he found his sucker when he saw me. Played aloof a little, then gave me a big stare, then his goofy smile.

I will never forget the first day I got him to NYC. He was so scared he was practically crawling on the street as I tried to walk him from my garage to my apartment. Automatic doors opened and he jumped. I thought he would never go to the bathroom on concrete. Thank goodness he’s the kind of dog that  would sell his soul for food because he had never seen stairs before and back then, I lived on the 4th floor of a walk up. I coaxed him up, with food, inching up the stairs. It took me 45 minutes.

Then, he turned into a total stalker. Of me. He stared and stared and stared. I lost 5 pounds in the first weekend that I had him because I could not eat while he was staring at me. “Dogs need exercise”, they tell you. So I ran and ran.

I should have publicized it as the new diet. “The Border Collie Diet”.

He has taught me many things. In the last nine years, I have taken many adventures because of him. I have touched sheep (a lot, and not just because they are yarn about to happen). I have learned that communicating with another species is a different kind of challenge — dogs are so….literal. I have learned about canine structure and behavior. Most of all, I have learned what true companionship is all about.

I don’t believe that dogs give you unconditional love….until you earn it. Once you earn it, though, then I think you become the sun, moon and goddess of their universe. Really, I don’t think I can do much wrong in Finn’s eyes at this point.

In fact, as I write this, all 50 pounds of Finn are lying on my feet. And snoring. Because he’s an old guy. He’s a very good boy.

I hope, with all my heart, that I get to write my day after my birthday story for several years more. Marianne, please pass the tissue.

Happy adopt-a-versary, Finn. Thank you for a great nine years!

Happy Got Day, Pippa!!!

Sarah, 

I can not believe it has been four years since Pippa came home with me. She is an absolute joy---sweet, silly, a bit sassy at times, and of course so smart.

She has learned many tricks, loves to play games "go find the pink ball' or another one of her toys, as she knows the names of them all. We are doing sheep herding twice a month and becoming quite good at it.

Pippa is the official greeter at Gibson's Lodgings and she waits until a guest acknowledges her before going to say "hello'.

We take many walks around town and at least once a day, someone stops me and comments on how beautiful she is or what a good dog she is.

There never will be enough superlatives to adequately thank you for letting me give Pippa her forever home. She is the best dog ever.

Peggy

Twelve Years Old. -- Happy Got Day Finn!

And Happy, Happy Birthday!

Finn's human wrote a very nice blog post in honor of his Got Day. His Birthday was a few days ago, and in honor, I am reposting Finn's Got Day Post for all of you here...Please click through for a nice tribute and some wonderful photos...

Twelve Years Old. » Twisted and Purled:

"12 years ago today (GASP!), a little border collie puppy was born. I bet Hot Fudge Sundae was a really really cute pup. Because all puppies are, but especially HFS because he inspired someone to name him HOT FUDGE SUNDAE.

Now, HFS was determined to shake this “sweet” image. And you know border collies can be very single minded (or OCD, but it’s his birthday so let’s be a bit nice today)."

'via Blog this'

Happy Got Day Pippa!

Hi Sarah,

 I cannot believe it has been three years since I adopted Pippa. In some ways , it seems like she has always been with me. She is such a happy , sweet girl. She is know around town as Miss Wiggle Butt--always so delighted to see her friends,  two and four legged.   She loves the guest's at Gibson's Lodgings, especially if they play ball with her.

I will always be so grateful to you for choosing her for me.

Peggy

Jude Goes Home!

Jude is home safe at my mom's house.

Here's some pictures of her, when my mom took a pit stop at my place before she traveled home.

Mom said she was so happy once they made it to her place. It was nice to see my mom so happy to have the affection from her new furry friend. 

I think they are a good match and will make each other happy. 

Thanks again for everything. I will keep you updated!

-Krystal

Note from Sarah: I cannot say how happy I am to see that Jude is already wearing an ID tag with her new family's information!! I am very excited for Jude and her new human!!

Happy Got-Day Molly!

Wow, I can't believe it's been a whole year since we brought Molly home!

She remains the sweetest pup, although she still has challenges dealing with people (other than us) coming and going. So, we continue to work on that.

Here's a shot from the other day....Molly loves romping in the snow. She stopped by to say 'hi' to me for about 5 seconds before bounding off to play with big sister Sophie in the next available snowdrift.

-Lisa

Seven years ago we woke up very early on a Sunday morning and drove to Lancaster, PA. We met Anne and Pete and the VERY timid Cody. He had had a rough go for his short life and was frightened of almost everything. Thank goodness for Anne and Pete gradually allowing him to learn to trust again. 

We piled Cody in to the car, drooling profusely and shaking in his paws. It took nearly a month before he would allow us to shower him with attention. 

Cody is still a fraidy dog, but he has made huge strides allowing people to pet him and sit next to him in his chair. He also excelled at 4-H agility classes and loved being worked by our daughters. He is nine years old now, in excellent health and a wonderful companion. I promised him when we arrived home that he would never, ever have to leave, and I will keep my word to him. He has helped raised several foster puppies for MABCR and loves going to the farm to visit Auntie Sarah.

Thank you for everything, especially my special, big furry Cody on his 7th got day!

--Lynn ( Grant and the kids too.)

Happy Got Day Moss!

Miss was our first Katrina dog. See the nasty fly bites on his ears?

Moss's best human friends took him to his new forever home six years ago today. His human Rachelle now volunteers for MABCR running applications and farm sitting.

Happy Got Day Moss! You landed very well!

Finn's Got Day

Seven years ago last Saturday, Kei adopted Finn. Anyone who says a border collie cannot successfully live in Manhatten, needs to meet Kei, Finn and Lucy (also an MABCR alum).

Finn came into rescue from a situation where he had been tied or kenneled because he chased livestock. Well, of course he did. His name was Hot Fudge Sundae. Finn wants you to know that was horribly embarrassing and he is really glad he got a new name...and a new home. He adores his dogma, and tolerates his little sister.

Happy Got Day Finny-Finn-Finn!

Happy Got Day Pippa!

Hi Sarah,

I can not believe it has been two years since I adopted Pippa.

She is my "downtown girl". She loves walking around Annapolis; visiting shops, watching the ducks at the dock, and playing with the dogs that come to "work". She is such a joy. A sweet, silly, happy, happy dog. I will forever be grateful to you for matching up the two of us.


Peggy

Adoption Update: Bailey -- Happy Got Day!

One year ago, we adopted Bailey (formerly Boo). We are so grateful to MABCR for bringing Bailey into our lives. He is such a blessing and a joy!

Suzie and Trey

Adoption Update: Emmy -- Happy Got Day!

Happy Got Day to Emmy!!

Miss Sarah:

I can hardly believe it's already been a year since you helped me find my new forever home! I have been sooooo happy that Dad says I'm smiling all the time. Speaking of Dad, I've really become quite a daddy's girl, which is new for me and him (or so Mom tells me). While Mom is very good about rewarding my potty breaks with my favorite treats, Dad understands "Emmy rules" -- when they leave the house for a night out, or when they come back, or when I follow him downstairs in the morning as he leaves for work, or when Mom comes back in from taking out the trash, Dad gives me one of my treats! (But lately he's been giving half-treats when Mom's around; she says she doesn't want me to get fat! Imagine that!)

Anyway. My favorite game is when they throw my squeaky orange ball, and then throw my piggy squeaky toy after I bring the ball back, then my ball, well...you get the idea. (You can see these favorites in the picture here -- Mom's always taking pictures...)

I'm still pretty shy about venturing outside our block. Mom keeps making me go on long walks because she says it's good for me. But I go along because she likes my company and I like hers too.

My idea of perfect is just doing my business outside and then flopping on the bed with them. (Oh, yes, Dad allows me on the bed with them to watch TV, but he doesn't let me stay all night...yet!)

Anyway, just wanted to say thank you for finding my forever home for me. Mom and Dad really love me and I give them hugs all the time to let them know I love them too!

More later,

Miss Emmy

Happy Got Day Milo!!!

'Morning Sarah.

Today is Milo's Got Day -- 2 years now he's been a part of our family. What a special boy he is. He has become such a love bug -- our pet sitter is crazy about him too and keeps asking when we're going away!

Thank you again for helping me through his first months of adjustment. You have a knack for knowing who belongs together and I'm so thankful you chose him for me. He's my shadow, my constant companion. You've given me my best friend.

Here are a couple of pictures -- one is Milo "consulting" with me from the day bed in the home office. He grins a lot! The other is running on the beach (one of his favorite activities) with one of his Airedale brothers, Murphy.

Tom often comments on what a happy boy he is.

Thank you again, Sarah, for all you and the rest of the volunteers do. We're having a Frosty Paws party tonight!

Susan and Milo