Dog's Name & Age
Bella, approx 2
In a Word, My Border Collie Is…
Adorably Boisterous!
Best Characteristics of the Breed
Intelligence, loyalty, great companionship, agility, playfulness
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Breed
Hyperactivity, tendency to herd you around
When, Where and How I Got My Border Collie:
I have adopted my BC from DogsTrust in Dublin, Ireland. She has been rescued from a pound by them, and was pregnant at the time. She had 7 puppies when relocated to DogsTrust, but did not seem to care about them. She is with us for not even one month but adapting so well. It is hard to imagine she would be put to sleep before being rescued by DogsTrust. She has been very lucky, but I am even luckier to have her in my life now!
People in DogsTrust estimate her age at 2, but from the state of her teeth and her vitality, I would say she is a bit less than that.
I'd Describe My Dog As…
Bella is not a pure bred, but a cross-breed of Border Collie (3/4) and what seems to be a Whippet or a Greyhound.
She is very active and learns quickly. She loves squeaky noises, but is also a powerful chewer - so toys don't last very much! But the thing she seems to love the most is being petted to no end.
She is not afraid of the vet and let us brush her teeth and give her baths, with no complaints whatsoever.
She has bad habits though: loves to ask for food (we are trying to prevent that behaviour) and has a thing for shoes in general.
She is, apart from that, very easy to train and even loves traveling by car, looking very cute with her seatbelt!
We were afraid of having her off the leash outside, but my husband took her to Phoenix Park and let her go. She was perfect and stayed with him all the time, playing Fetch and Frisbee (her favourite games so far).
She also runs with him at nights and is able to cover 12 km with no problem.
At the moment she has to gain weight. Since she came to live with us, she gained 2 kilos, but she still has to get 2 more. She was very thin at the shelter and they said she has to recover gradually.
She has no medical issues at all, and in spite of a previous "hard life", she is indeed very healthy and her coat gets shinier every day. Her teeth are also white and clean. It is hard to imagine how she lived before the pound and the shelter. Since she is obviously house-trained, she must have had an an owner at some stage.
I loved the adoption process because DogsTrust really care for their dogs and give you all the assistance you need (pet insurance, counseling, previous house visit and so on). They also microchip and spay the dogs before rehoming, so, it's perfect.
Advice
- BC's and BC crosses are a dog for people with a more active lifestyle. I am not myself very active, but my husband is, so it's perfect. I stay with her during the day, we play and go out for walks and, at night, they go out running.
- She is grand with kids, but the habit of jumping should be controlled if she is up to it. I believe she would be great in general (we don't have kids ourselves though).
- Bella doesn't seem to like cats. Last time we met a friend's cat, we had to hold the leash very strongly while she stood up on her back paws having a staring contest with it. So, I would be cautious about it.
