Newsletter 1 - Western Border Collie Rescue

www.wbcrescue.org
Western Border Collie Rescue
PO Box 141 Glenrock, WY 82637-0141
SUMMER 2013
WBCR CELEBRATES TEN YEARS!!
THAT WAS THEN...
In March of 2003, Tim and Tonya Cain sat at their dining room table with a few friends,
discussing the plight of unwanted Border Collies in Wyoming. Overbred by a few and
misunderstood by many, BCs were sitting in nearly every shelter in the state, with no one
to help. The vast majority of these dogs were young, healthy dogs that landed in shelter
not because they were “bad” at all – only inconvenient for their former owners.
Deciding to jump in with both feet, Wyoming Border Collie Rescue was formed with two
foster homes, very little money, and a whole lot of heart! That first year, WBCR rescued 15
dogs from two states, and placed them in loving forever homes.
...THIS IS NOW.
Today, Western (formerly Wyoming) Border Collie Rescue has grown far beyond its
founders’ wildest dreams. To date, WBCR has helped find loving forever homes for over
900 dogs from over 16 western states, and has a network of foster homes and volunteers
that stretches across Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and beyond. Thank
you to each of you who have helped make it happen!!!!!!!!
Ten years! So many wonderful dogs have passed through WBCR and left their mark on
our hearts. To celebrate this milestone, we have dedicated this issue to sharing a few
WBCR rescue stories, and to letting some of our adopters say what their dog means to
them.
Despite WBCR’s phenomenal growth, we are unable to keep up with the increasing
number of Border Collies that need our help. Each day brings new requests to help more
BCs in danger of euthanasia and the constant scramble to save as many as we possibly
can. We hope you’ll join us in our efforts to find loving adoptive homes for Border Collies
in need. As an all-volunteer organization, no job is too big or too small. Every moment
spent volunteering with WBCR helps a homeless Border Collie ultimately become part
of a forever family. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you are interested in joining us in our
mission!
MOJO AND MAX - THE DYNAMIC DUO THAT STARTED IT ALL!
When she stopped by a high kill Wyoming shelter in early 2002 looking for a Border
Collie, Tonya Cain had no idea how her life was about to change. Having admired the
breed from afar, but never having one of her own, there just so happened to be a 7
month old black and white female in that day. Tonya brought her home and named her
Mojo. She was a lively and spirited pup, and Tonya also loved her attentiveness, responsiveness, and eagerness to learn.
Later that year, Tonya stumbled upon a couple more Border Collies living in deplorable conditions…a very pregnant female,
an adult unneutered male, and a young, very undersocialized pup from the female’s former litter…all living in a 4 by 6 kennel
outside at a rural property. Tonya begged the owner to let her take the female home. He did, and that very night the beautiful
black and white female gave birth to seven puppies. Tonya raised the puppies and found homes for 6 of them and their
mother, Rose – but kept a big tricolor male pup, who she named Max, for herself. Max was quite different from Mojo – more
independent and quiet, but equally bright and devoted. Mojo and Max complemented each other well and made quite a pair.
Thanks to Mojo and Max, Tonya’s love for the breed was solidified. She then began to notice the number of Border Collies
who found themselves homeless and abandoned…and soon after started WBCR with Mojo and Max at her side.
Over the years, the dynamic duo have shared their home with close to 200 fosters, showing them the ropes and helping them
along on their path to new loving homes. Mojo is, of course, especially helpful at keeping those young dogs in line! They have
logged thousands of miles alongside Tonya, picking up dogs in need at shelters and from bad situations all over the Rocky
Mountain area; with his level headed nature, Max has helped assess many a dog’s canine social skills. The dynamic duo have
been ambassadogs at the WBCR booth all across the region. “Going into this, I had no idea how much my life would change,”
says Tonya. “But I also would never have guessed how many lives these two dogs would be responsible for changing. They
were my inspiration – without them, there would be no WBCR.” At twelve years old, despite ACL surgeries for fetch-a-holic
Mojo and some arthritis here and there for the two of them, they are both still going strong. They now share their home with
fosters and a couple of other adopted Border Collies as well, yet they hold a very special place in Tonya’s heart and in WBCR
history.
1
IN THEIR WORDS - Thoughts and Stories from our Adopters
From Pam A - WBCR’s VERY FIRST official adopter!
We had such a good experience adopting our Buddy from
Wyoming Border Collie Rescue. What we like best about using
WBCR is that they foster the dogs first, evaluating their abilities
and identifying any concerns about the dogs. This enables them
to make the best possible match of the dog to the family. I had
no idea that Buddy was their first placement, but we feel honored
to hold that position! Buddy was such a good companion to us.
He backpacked, snowshoed, hiked, ran, played endless frisbee
and ball, took over 3,650 walks and was a constant presence in
our lives. We just lost him in June and are heartbroken to see him
go to the world beyond. He holds a huge space in our hearts. We
dedicate walks and hikes to him and thank WBCR every time we
do.
From Debbie G, who adopted Bing.
Bing fell ill in the shelter and his
health declined rapidly after being
rescued…he struggled to survive.
Debbie was his foster mom and
joined the Foster Failure Club when
she decided after several months,
when finally winning the battle for
his health, Bing was home all along:
Our dog, Bing, is the quintessential
amazing, beautiful, kind and brilliant Border Collie. But, he is
even more than that - he is a force for good in the world. We now
understand the power of – and the need for – forgiveness. He
demonstrates the power of letting go of past hurts and moving
on with an incredibly happy attitude and a desire to make the
world better. Bing does not hold grudges; not towards those who
tied him to a fence on a cold November day and abandoned him,
leaving no food or water; not towards the many veterinarians who
poked, prodded, stuck and isolated him while working hard to
save his life; not to the many foster dogs that come into his home
and challenge his predictable and comfortable life; not even to his
adoring family who scolds him on occasion and has been known
to cut the length of his hikes!
Bing sees the best side of everyone he meets. He is a certified
therapy dog and visits a neuro psychiatric hospital where he helps
those who feel alone and abandoned see that life is worth living
and that someone does care – even if it is just a fluffy black and
white Border Collie! Many patients have Bing jump on their lap
and stroke, hug and talk to him; many shed tears when they feel
Bing’s genuine caring and concern.
Bing shows us that there is good in the world, that there is
unconditional love and caring and that there is always a reason
to smile and chase a Frisbee! Bing has made our family happier,
more relaxed, and more aware of the need to love, serve, and
smile no matter what life throws your way.
From Melanie W:
They have made our home complete.
From Courtney T, who adopted Aiden, now Jake, who was truly
“sick as a dog” and didn’t have much time left in a Wyoming shelter
before being taken home by the director:
Jake is not perfect, but he is
perfect for me. He has inspired
me to volunteer with WBCR to
help save other border collies. There isn’t a day that goes by
where I don’t look at him and see
the legacy he will leave behind,
and he’s still young so there’s still
so much he’s going to do. He is
neurotic and he is crazy, and he
herds me down the stairs every
day, but there’s not a thing he
does that doesn’t make me laugh
or cry (happy tears!). From Barb and Jay K: They mean everything. They’re family.
Each one is different and has their own story. Riley was found
abandoned in Wyoming after being horribly abused by his
owner. The love and trust he shows us is a reminder of grace.
Conner came from a local shelter - they said no one would want
him because he was too old and shy. He loves everyone and is a
constant side-kick at work, an ambassador for BCs everywhere.
Kallie never had a bad day in her life because she was born into
WBCR - her mom was a pregnant stray. She is silly and sassy and
shows us how to be joyous every single day.
From Connie S, who adopted
Clover, a young female who
was originally running wild
in Nebraska …she would
not let people come near
her and was eventually
trapped, came to WBCR, and
began the long road towards
trusting people. After a year
or so in foster care, Clover
had made great progress
and was ready for a forever home. She found the perfect one….
We adopted Clover 4/30/2011. She is an absolute delight in every
way. She has taken to Frisbee and waits by the bathroom door
every morning til l get my “face on” so we can go on our walk
followed by Frisbee, one of several daily sessions. I am a dog
sitter and have various dogs coming and going - Clover will head
to the car to meet and greet the coming guests. Her favorites are
the miniature golden doodles that come to visit, they have a ball
romping and wrestling around the house. She is the only dog
that we have ever had who will go jump in the tub when I say
“time to take a bath” - she hops in and waits for me to get there!
In addition to Frisbee, she loves to pop a beach ball around the
yard with her nose. Clover has brought so much love and joy to
our home. We love her dearly and are so grateful to have her as
part of the family.
2
IN THEIR WORDS - Thoughts and Stories from our Adopters
Although we have many, many return adopters – who have adopted a second, or perhaps two more
WBCR dogs – only one adopter has adopted more than any other. That would be Steve M of Laramie.
Having adopted a record FIVE dogs from WBCR, this means he currently holds the dubious title of
WBCR’s Most Frequent Adopter. Congratulations, Steve!! Steve is also the founder of Hole in the Wall
Flyball Gang, based in Wyoming.
My involvement with WBCR began like
many who turn to rescue organizations,
with the loss of the love of my life. Callie,
was a beautiful mostly white, liver-roan
with beautiful coco colored ticking on her
nose. She had one prick and one lopped ear,
and was the smartest dog I’ve ever known,
and an excellent flyball dog. Although
she was adopted many years before WBCR
was founded, her looks were to play an
important part of what would become my
association with WBCR. She picked me to
be her poppa when she was six weeks old
by grabbing my shoe lace and untying it in
the large horse barn in eastern Colorado
where I went to hopefully pick a BC puppy
buddy from among a litter of seven. Being
mostly white she surely stuck out from her
siblings, who were all traditional black and
white BCs. After twelve wonderful years ,
I made the hardest decision of my life to
allow her suffering to cease, but mine to
be forever etched in my soul. I vowed like
many others to never get another dog.
My friend Terry witnessing my pain, went in
search of another BC girlie to fill the large
hole in my heart. She found online a new
organization, WBCR, with many pictures
of BCs in need of rescue. On that site, she
found Whitney, a small BC who had been
rescued from alongside a road near Gillette,
Wyoming in a snowstorm. She was mostly
white with one prick and one lopped ear.
“Will you take a look at something?” she
asked. When I saw the picture I said to her
that “I think she looks more like a Gypsy
than a Whitney.” Following successful
completion of the paperwork, reference
check, and home visit, we drove to Tonya’s
house in Glenrock to see Gypsy. After
playing with her and trying to get her to
fetch, I feared that she might not ever play
tug or fetch, both necessary to play the
game of flyball. She would only fetch a little
pink piggy, and not a tennis ball. After all,
there are no pink piggies in flyball! Despite
this, I took home a scared little white girlie
named Gypsy. BTW she continues to be a
very solid flyball dog.
While we were in Glenrock to see Gypsy,
we saw another young BC named Brady.
Brady was a stocky young tricolor boy,
bouncing flat-footed higher than the six
foot chain link fence. We didn’t take him
home with us at that point, but couldn’t
get him out of our mind. He was bred to be
a cattle dog, and loved the squirrel flying
toy more than life itself. And man was he
fast! So after much discussion we made
arrangements to adopt Brady as well, and
Terry met Tonya in Cheyenne to make the
transfer. He never looked back. Even at
age 10 and with two knees replaced, he
loves and excels at the game of flyball.
Number three came following participation
in a WBCR fun day that was organized
to bring all dogs and adopters together
again for a day of fast-paced BC fun and
chaos. We put on a flyball demonstration
and without goal or desire, we evaluated
to ourselves the potential of the dogs
we saw to become flyball stars. One
totally, absolutely, over-the-top ball-crazy
individual stuck out – Skye, a smooth coat,
radar-eared black and white girlie. Skye, as
we would come to find out, is a ball savant,
an Isaac Newton of all things round, e=ball
x motion. She can estimate the speed,
vector and angle of deflection, bounce
and trajectory of any ball or ball-like entity
(including but not limited to rolls of duct
tape). Now before you jump to erroneous
conclusions and think that we adopted
Skye that day, I want to correct those
assumptions. Someone else adopted Skye
first. We took over from them a year or
so later, when, as occaasionally happens,
the match between adopter and adoptee
turned out to be less than ideal.
Number four came in the form of a
phone call from Tonya. As the story goes,
someone in Laramie had a red border
collie that was having trouble with his
eyesight. The owners could not afford to
take him to the vet to get him checked
out. “Red Border Collie!!!” I says to myself.
“I’ll pay for the vet visit!!” I’m not going to
say its true, but I have since wondered if
Tonya, wise woman that she is, knew how
to reel in the sucker that is me. A less likely
candidate for a BC there has rarely been.
True he was a dog, and true he was red
(well, sort of; more orange really). Maybe
a cross between a spaniel of some type
and a Golden Retriever, Copper had been
chained outside near the front sidewalk
where interaction with neighborhood dogs
and unkind kids had led to development
of some admittedly bad behaviors. The
vet could not find a problem with his eyes,
and we began to realize that his “eyesight
problem” was simply snapping at anyone
that moved into his blind spots from
behind. He was nine years old, not a BC,
and kind of a curmudgeon, but we could
not find it in our hearts to leave him there.
He is now 16 and has slowed considerably,
but still bounces to go out on walks every
morning.
Number five failed foster (notice I didn’t say
the last one!!!!) came via a distress email
to the WBCR community. “Monty” was a
young male BC who had been rescued from
Montrose, CO, and was proving too much
for a much overused foster parent. He was
very skittish and was a fear biter. To make
matters worse, he was one big mat from
head to toe. Not a good combination—
fear biter, and totally matted. You couldn’t
make any motion over his head or he
would go for you in a very exuberant way.
“Ok” I said, “write to Tonya and tell her
we will foster him.” They delivered him
to the flyball tournament, where I met
him inside. Yes, he was a fear biter. But a
very handsome boy indeed. Having only
a short time before our next race, I took
him to the RV where my intent was to put
him into a crate and give him some quiet
time away from hubbub. Let’s just say he
wasn’t all that interested in getting into a
crate! I had to hurry even faster to get back
inside to the tournament—mostly to stop
the flow of blood that was dripping down
my arm. I, of course, fell in love with him
on the spot. Having never successfully
“fostered” a dog in my life I adopted him
and changed his name to “The Outlaw
Jesse James”, Jesse for short. He is a very
smart boy. He very quickly learned that a
crate is his friend. I just wish that I could
convince him that the brush and toenail
clippers are his friends as well!
So that is my story. I don’t really consider
myself to be worthy of accolades for
what I have done. I simply love dogs and
always have. The accolades should go to
the tireless efforts of Tonya and all of the
other wonderful people who carry on the
crusade to rescue BCs all over the west. It’s
not really socially acceptable for me to do
so, but if I were a BC I would lick them all
over and wag my tail. Then I would push
the tennis ball over to them so they could
throw it for me. Because I know they will.
3
IN THEIR WORDS - Thoughts and Stories from our Adopters
From Jeremy L, who adopted Kuma, now Jules, who was overlooked at a Utah shelter until she
caught the eye of a WBCR foster:
I knew that I would eventually be paired with the “right BC” from the WBCR team, but I never
imagined that the pairing would be this perfect; nor did I think that it was even possible for me
to have such a connection and bond with my newest best friend. Jules’ (formally Kuma) past
is a true mystery, but what we do know is that she is nothing but absolutely amazing. After
receiving a call from my matching coordinator, I called Jules’ foster mom right away to obtain
information and to see how good of a potential match we would be for each other.
This was what I thought would be a pretty hard challenge for WBCR: find a Border Collie for
a first time dog owner. From the application coordinator keeping me from bouncing off the
walls during the waiting period, to the home visit volunteer providing me with great advice on
people, local places and concepts for new owners, to the arduous task of my matcher finding
the right pair, to finally the foster family for making that final pairing decision, everything fell
into place quite perfectly. Within 2-3 weeks (though it seemed like 6 months at the time), the
WBCR team found the absolute perfect one for me. I drove from Denver to Wyoming without any hesitation on 07 June 2013 to meet
her, and took her home. Since then, Jules has been my little white shadow.
Her foster mom said that she has potential to be trained as a therapy dog, and I must say that she doesn’t even need training because
she’s already keeping me so calm amongst all the stresses of a PhD student. I bring her to work EVERY day and my friends and
colleagues all love her. I have visitors come by my office just to pet her throughout the day, and many comment on her “relaxing
powers”. The best part is that she knows to stay mellow in the office, and wait to be active until play time. She’s perfect with people
and other dogs…almost too perfect; I don’t get to run or jog with her a whole lot since I’m constantly being stopped by others asking
“Is she really a border collie?” and “Can we pet her?” Jules is definitely an attention grabber. She knows how to get what she wants
(human attention and petting), and when the first person petting her gets tired, she simply goes to the next person and gets the same
treatment all over again.
Jules is a smart pup that knows how to get what she wants, and that’s perfectly fine because I’ll always give it to her. Honestly, she’s the
best thing that happened to me thus far in my life. Now that I’ve spent a lot of time with her, I can’t imagine my day-to-day life without
her. All of my friends, family and students are happy for me choosing this route; they all have noticed me transition from an austere
personality to a relaxed, yet more effective scientist. With only two months of experience with her, it feels like she’s been with me for
at least 10 years; when people ask me how long I’ve had her, I actually have to think about it before giving my answer. Jules has made
so many friends while making so many new bonds for me as well. My words can’t begin to describe how much of an angel she is, and
how much of an impact she has on me and everyone else she meets on a daily basis. Jules is not “just” a best friend; she has become
part of who I am. She’s a rare phenomenon and I’m so lucky to have had the WBCR team bring us together. I am glad that she has, and
will continue to share my life’s journey for many years.
PERHAPS OUR BEST CALENDAR EVER!
And it’s hot off the presses! We received so many beautiful photos
this year, we could have made TWO calendars. Be sure to place your
calendar orders now, as we expect to sell out! Thank you all for your
submissions.
In addition, we put out a call for sponsors for the first time this year
and got a great response – a heartfelt thanks to these businesses
and organizations, who made it possible to have a 2014 calendar at
all:
Keep Me Company Petsitting
Colorado State University Canine Sports Medicine
Cross Fit Wash Park
Jackson Hole Positive Training
Noosa Finest Yogurt
Eastern Idaho Stock Dog Association
Meeker Classic Sheepdog Trials
Circle S Mobile Vet
E-training for dogs
To order, head to our website www.wbcrescue.org
4
SPECIAL NEEDS UPDATES
Meet our Latest Special Needs Boy, True.
If you love an irrepressible spirit - you are going to LOVE True! True is our latest special
needs heartstealer. This darling little 1 year old was born with deformed front legs and
was recently brought to an Idaho shelter to be euthanized. We heard about him in the
nick of time - and are we ever glad! This special boy has limited mobility - picture short
front legs - but his heart is good as gold and his sweet nature knows no bounds! With a
smile a mile wide and a heart even bigger, to know this boy is to love him. The vets have
acknowledged that it is rare to see a dog with True’s disability survive past puppyhood,
and there are no low risk surgical options to remedy the problem. But survive he has, and
he has adapted remarkably well. He does not seem to be in pain. He can climb and
descend stairs and jump into cars and onto furniture. He moves about with a most
unusual gait – front end crouching along, hind end hopping along – but walk and
run he does! He just needs to stop and lie down frequently, but then gets up and
keeps on. He has no trouble keeping up on slow walks now that he has built up
some strength, and he really likes doing yard chores, where it is very stop and go.
His balance is remarkable – he can maintain his prairie dog pose for quite a while –
he can also fully stand on his hind legs to look around and find you when in tall
grass.
True is a delightfully charming, curious, funny little guy – he’s happy and enthusiastic and races excitedly out the door each morning
to greet the day! True is a pretty sunny fellow – his tail wags a LOT - and is like a kid in a candy store in his foster home - EVERYTHING
is an adventure! (“Time for chores? Let’s go!...Wow, a ball!...Oh, a ride in the car? Me first!...Can you believe this bone I have? Lookit how
great!”) He gets crazy puppy spurts, moans in pleasure when chewing a new bone, sits like a prairie dog, loves to show off whatever
he’s got, burrows in the newly cut hay, and thinks it’s VERY cool to climb on TOP of the crate in the car and lie there, grinning his fool
head off….yes, he’s a character of 1000 expressions and his antics keep us smiling all day long. True is great company and a total joy to
have around. He is the perfect living example that it’s not what you are given – it’s what you make of it.
Raine and Rooney
have healed and are
now living in their
fabulous and loving
forever homes!
Parker - From Underdog to Wonderdog
Parker is a handsome red and white
Border Collie with a zest for life, an
incredible smile, and a very generous
and loving soul . . .but Parker hasn’t
always been this way. He hasn’t always
flashed a big happy grin and wagged
his tail; in fact, for a while no one knew
that there was a happy, loving dog
inside of his tortured soul trying so
desperately to find his way out.
Parker was a true underdog. Rescued from a shelter in southern
Utah, his past was largely a mystery. No one knows for sure what
Parker’s life was like, but it seems to have been pretty confusing.
Who knows? What we do know is that it left Parker tense,
frightened, confused, reactive, and very defensive.
WBCR took Parker in February 2013, and he struggled…and
struggled…and struggled. Thanks to the generosity of many
Border Collie lovers who were willing to help this misunderstood
fellow, Parker found safe places to land; each foster home
provided him with experiences that helped us to understand
Willow has also
found her family;
sweet Cash still
awaits his.
him, and helped him to move along on the track to becoming the
amazing dog he now is.
Parker is now truly seeing the sunny side of life! In his current foster
home he is finally relaxed and happy, becoming more compliant
and less defensive, and has definitely wormed his way into their
hearts. He continues to blossom, delight, and surprise us! He gives
his whole heart to those who have earned his trust and love –
something we don’t think he’s had the chance to ever do before.
We are excited to see Parker become the dog he was meant to be.
His story is of one dog in need, but embodies everything WBCR is
about – a story of many kind people coming to aid a dog in need,
doing their best to help him through hard times, and helping
him find his place in the world. The end of his story is still untold,
but in our eyes, this underdog to
wonderdog is already a smashing
success.
Thank you to all of you who helped Parker
along his path – Christine, Britta, Darlene,
Sharon, Louisa, Jen, April, Mella, Debbie, and
everyone else - it takes a village!
If you have a soft spot in your heart for those who need a little extra help, consider donating to WBCR.
5
FINDING A GOOD DOG TRAINER
Here at WBCR in recent months, we have noticed an increase in
behavior problems in dogs adopted from WBCR, as well as more
requests to surrender BCs who are having behavior problems.
While both basic manner challenges and behavior problems are
certainly not unusual, what we are noticing is that these problems
were made worse because well-intentioned owners brought
these dogs to trainers who use questionable methods. There is no
doubt these dogs needed help; however, most of them are now
worse off than before.
Trainers who use methods based in force, intimidation, and pain
tend to aggravate most problem behaviors. These methods are
not recommended when it comes to teaching the basics, either.
Thanks to current research, we now know that the old school
“dominance” idea is outdated and damaging to dogs. Instead, we
encourage people to look into trainers who used positive, rewardbased methods – based in the science of how dogs learn. These
methods build trust and confidence in dogs, and enhance the
dog-human relationship. And we recommend trainers who use
these for real, not just those who say so on their website! There is
a lot of good information out there about positive reinforcement
training, but there is also a lot of misinformation regarding dog
training in general. So in today’s world, when anyone can call themselves a dog
trainer, how do you find that good trainer?
Ask about their methods and philosophy – If they don’t have
one, or if they believe in the dominance theory, or will not use
food as a motivator – run the other way! Trainers that believe in
rewarding good behaviors and setting up a dog for success are
on the right track. Unfortunately, many dog trainers describe
themselves as
“positive
reinforcement”, but will also
use force and pain (shock or
prong collars/other forceful
and intimidating tactics) –
and it can be tricky to separate
the truly good trainers from
the not so good ones. Once
you do find a trainer that
espouses force free methods
and philosophy, ask about the
tools they use – and don’t hesitate to walk away should they ever
use methods that make you and your dog uncomfortable.
Ask about their education! You wouldn’t take your dog to a vet
who hadn’t gone to a real vet school, would you? A trainer who
addresses your dog’s behavioral health can be just as important!
Good trainers should be familiar with how dogs learn, canine
behavior, and the methods and mechanics of training different
types of behaviors. They should be happy to share with you
their education and experience, and should be as devoted to
continuing their education as they are to training. There is only
one independent certifying agency in the dog training world,
and that is the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers
(CPDT). Earning this certification is fairly rigorous and those who
do so have exhibited knowledge about reward-based, positive
methods – and they can put those letters behind their name,
although it still offers no guarantee of how they practice. There are
other letters trainers and behaviorists can put behind their name,
too. If a dog behavior professional has letters behind their name,
be sure to ask what that stands for – and do your homework to see
if it is valid proof of anything, or simply means they completed a
program online.
Ask for references – Again, a good trainer should be delighted to
refer you to happy clients!
Ask to observe a class or two – Any trainer worth his or her salt
will be pleased to have you come and observe their classes. Do the
dogs look happy? Do the people look happy? Are you comfortable
with the interactions you see? Are the dogs progressing?
Ask about their specialties – In many cases, it is significant for a
trainer to have experience with Border Collies – as you know, they
are different than other breeds, and it makes a big difference to
have a trainer who understands them!
Most good trainers are thrilled to talk to people who are curious
to learn more about their training, and many wish more people
would. Should a trainer become defensive or vague when
answering your questions – move on. There is a good trainer out
there waiting for you, and you owe it to your dog to find them!
If you would like trainer recommendations, please contact us
– we’ll see what we can do to help get you pointed in the right
direction.
ABOUT WBCR
Western Border Collie Rescue (formerly known as Wyoming Border Collie Rescue) was founded in 2003. WBCR is a nonprofit all volunteer organization. We have no staff – all the work is done by volunteers – people who love Border Collies and
give of their time and talents to help dogs in need. We rescue and rehome Border Collies throughout Wyoming, Colorado,
Utah, Montana, New Mexico, Idaho, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and beyond.
Western Border Collie Rescue is dedicated to rescuing,
rehabilitating, and rehoming Border Collies and Border Collie
mixes, as well as educating the public on the characteristics and
needs of this breed.
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