Border Collies Up for Adoption

ADOPTION PENDING

Oct 31^st, 2011
Griffin
Is a very playful 6 month old Border Collie looking for an active place to call home.  Griffin enjoys wrestling with other dogs and playing fetch.  He is still working on the retrieving part of fetch but he loves the ball and loves toys.  He gets along with other dogs and was recently clicker trained.  He is very food motivated. 
 He is a great traveler. Griffin came from TX to meet his new foster family in Indianapolis, IN for CanAm (Flyball Nationals).  He quickly was tossed into the dog show world and did pretty well.  Griffin was concerned about all the barking but that is to be expected from that type of show and from his long journey.  He also learned how to live in a camper with 2 other dogs very quickly.  His next great adventure was to go from IN to Louisville, KY for Cynosport World Games.   He did well traveling and started to blossom at that show.  Our good friends at FitPaws used Griffin all week long in their booth as their demo dog to showcase their training equipment.  He became clicker trained very fast and loved to learn to play on all their new equipment all week long.  He would cry in his crate if he heard Catherine’s voice from FitPaws across the aisle and would want to leave our booth and go and play with Catherine.
 During our trips we had a lot of time to work on leash manners. He walks well on a harness but does pull some.  Some clicker training with heal would help him improve greatly. 

Griffin has also earned the nick name “Goofy.”  He is a silly puppy just learning the great joys of being a dog and encountering things for the first time.  His actions will make you smile and sometimes burst out laughing at his reactions to new things.  He also does this great little Cat Pounce on our dog Flip’s head when he wants to really play and wrestle.  One other unique characteristic about Griffin is that he is a talker.  We talks during the day about all sorts of things that will make you laugh.  My hope is to train him to say “I Love My Bank”  LOL    
 Griffin’s recall outside is not that strong.  He is often very busy chasing the other dogs that are chasing the toys or wondering.  He has been on a drag line and will need more work in this department so he can be trusted off lead.  A partial fenced in yard is recommended for his bathroom breaks.  

Certain new things & sounds with Griffin will concern him. Bring out the treats and he will overcome the concerns.  Because he is a puppy and being exposed to so many things a lot has to do with just seeing and hearing things for the first time and learning that they are okay. 

Commands Griffin knows
Off, kennel, sit, down/drop, turn, wait, go potty, go poopy, touch, stay (we are working on) come (Inside is good outside not so good) Patience when taking a treat with a group of dogs.
He is rather a food chow hound and doesn’t chew his treats, he rather swallows everything.  We are also working on an eat slow command.   
 

Ideal Home
With or without another dog(s).  He will need a seasoned pet owner as he is extremely active and will need someone to keep him entertained.  Activities could include: agility, obedience, rally, Flyball (needs work on retrieving but loves to play), herding and other fun sports.  Older children around 7-8 and up as Griffin is motion sensitive and will probably herd small children and nip at heals.   Fenced in back yard recommended until his recall can be stronger. 
 

How Griffin found BCAA
Griffin was found wandering a field in TX. A guardian angel found him and took him to a vet and brought him up to date on shots.  TX BC rescue took Griffin as a foster dog.  Unfortunately TX BC rescue had to deal with their 3^rd puppy mill/hoarder situation in less than 1 year. They put out a plea for special needs foster homes to help.  Griffin was transferred from TX BC rescue to BCAA to open up room for the 15 new BC’s that TX BC Rescue took in.     
 
Foster Home contact: Myra & Trent:  tmwestphal@charter.net  for more information and adoption application.
Please check out BCAA Facebook page for pictures and videos of Griffin’s daily life in foster care.