Meet Patches
Patches is a 7 year old Border Collie.(pictures to follow as soon as I find the *&%&^$(% cable for my camera)
We got patches from a local breeder who gave her to us to replace our previous dog, which was epileptic and had to be put down. The first dog, Domino, was awonderful dog, great with kids, sedate for a border collie, but the epilepsy was horrid. Finally one night we could stand no longer to watch him suffer.
Enter patches. Patches is avery good natured dog, always happy, (well, in a border collie, that’s probably closer to insane) and the ONLY WAY to keep her from running all the time was to keep her in a kennel.
I’m against kennel training dogs, and I disliked having her in a kennel all day while we were gone, but nothing ever changed that need.
Patches has natural herding abilities- if she even SEES another animal she drops to the ground and begins to stalk. She loves nothing more than to chase after a ball thrown, and will do so for hours.
Patches is also a biter. If you’re the Alpha dog, (me, the wife) she’s submissive and obeys well; if you show the least sign of weakness she’s all over you. She has bitten several people with little warning.
I think that she needs a job. I think she could learn to herd, but at this age, only with some difficulty. I think she could easily be trained to chase geese off a golf course, for instance, or to keep a garden critter free.
I love Patches as I love all dogs, and I have tried to get the wife to find her a new home where she could have a job and be what her nature demands.
I now have a one week deadline. Patches bit my niece (adult niece, not a child) thursday night and the wife is determined to put her down. PLease, please, if anyone can give this dog a home or a job, let me know. We chose Patches, she did not choose us, and I don’t want to stand by and watch her get euthanized because she doesn’t fit our lives.
I assume you already tried local humane societies? Is there a feed store out in the country where you could put up a “free to a good home – will herd fowl” sign?
Good Afternoon Og.
Og, first of all, you seem to be feeling guilty. Stop it. Border Collies are hyper dogs, but they don’t bite as a rule. The ones I know are all very active, but none of them will even consider biting a human…or even another dog, come to that. Without knowing the exact details, it sounds to me as if something is wrong with the dog, mentally, and I would bet you a dollar to a donut that putting it on the farm will not solve anything.
My two cents says that if you put this dog down humanely and with dignity, you will have done the right thing for everyone. A dog that bites once will usually do so again. And border collies that are mentally healthy usually love kids, they don’t attack them.
Mind you I could be full of beans too. Do what you gotta do with a clear conscience. Your friend is not at fault, and neither are you.
If you’re running out of time, go to the AKC website and look up breed rescue and scroll down. They’ll work with the dog to get her behavior under control and then work hard to find her a suitable home. Here’s the link: http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm
Let me know how it goes, okay?
Good answer, OD. And as generally loved as the breed is, they’re likely to be willing to send a volunteer out to get her.
MidAmerica Border Collie Rescue – currently rescuing in Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin.
I dont think Patches sounds like she is salvagable, as harsh as that sounds.
We had a case here locally where a Golden Retriever had issues such as Patches does.
It bit their 11 year old kid (in the face) and people came out of the woodwork trying to make excuses for the DOG….
And then came all the “experts”…said the dog needed training, and it needed “hormone shots” and therapy, diet changes, etc…..(which was all DONE, as the family didnt want to destroy the dog)
This all made the papers, and local news, as the family called 911 when their kid was bitten…(panic situation, etc)
To make a very long story short….a 6 year old boy (visiting at their house) MONTHS after the first attack, was severely bitten by the dog…..(again, in the face)
At that time, the dog owners (finally getting a clue) had the dog euthanized immediately….
Sadly, sometimes a dog just has some mental problems and bites with little or no provocation. They are dangerous (especially around kids)
If it was my dog, I would take it (with a heavy heart, to be sure) to be put down.