Border Collie Problems....

[Paddy2009]

Cant find a good home, preferably farm, for my parents' 2 year old border collie. They are pensioners and unable to look after him properly. No dog home will take him as he shows signs of aggression. They are stuck lookin after him and its taking its toll on their health......

[woofgang]

Have you tried Many Tears?
http://www.freewebs.com/manytearsrescue/

[lankeela]

If this is the same one you asked about a couple of months ago then I am afraid there is only one answer. They should do the right thing and have the dog humanely put to sleep. There are far too many non aggressive dogs needing homes which is one reason why rescues won't take them. I am involved with my breed rescue, and if any dogs we take in are believed to be aggressive we will assess them fully before considering rehoming, but the owners are told that if we consider they are too aggressive or unpredictable to rehome then they will be put to sleep. If we passed on a dog knowing it was aggressive and it then bit someone we could be liable and our insurance would not cover us.

If you read the Many Tears website they won't take in individual dogs from people, they concentrate on ex breeding dogs from puppy farmers.

[merlinsmate]

Have you tried Foal Farm Animal Sanctuary? www.foalfarm.org.uk They never put down an animal.

[shivvy]

Could getting him some training help? Border collies are usually smart and could be trained quite easily.
What is causing the aggression?

[eyethenkyew]

What exactly are the "signs of aggression" you mention? The reason I ask is because I have 2 Border Collies, a bitch and a dog. The dog is prone to occasional growling but he is as soft as a marshmallow, we've had him since a puppy, 8 weeks old, he has been fully socialised, he has never bitten anyone, or any other animal, nor tried to, and he has been castrated since a year old.

His growling usually occurs if and when we try to take his ball from him - he is almost obsessed with chasing balls. We have succeeded in getting the ball from his mouth and he has never tried to bite us. Therefore, he growls but has never in five and a half years done anything other than that. We never "wind him up" to cause him to growl.

I sometimes wonder why those who advocate having dogs put to sleep would advise me to do the same because one of mine growls, as described? I get the very strong impression that some people automatically assume a growling dog must be categorised as dangerous which, as I've outlined, is simply not always the case, although I'm not naive enough to claim that such behaviour cannot be classed as possibly alarming to someone who did not know better?

I've always believed that owners shape a dog's character in 99% of cases, although there's always a risk of a "rotten apple" here and there. Some people claim that Border Collies ought not be kept as pets because they are brilliant as working dogs. I do not subscribe to that and I say that the key is to try to keep them occupied as much as possible. Perhaps your parents couldn't do that? (You hint at that). Maybe the dog simply needs more socialisation and stimulation?

It's a very difficult quandary, but unless he is truly a danger to humans, which is sometimes really difficult to ascertain, then he deserves a second chance. There are plenty of people with time on their hands who may be able to pay him the attention he probably needs

[eyethenkyew]

Part 2 of my answer: (Just noticed it didn't all print out)

Try as many avenues as possible to have him re-homed, the ideal scenario being with someone without small kids (although my 2 are superb with children), preferably someone still fit enough to give him enough interest and stimulation to stop him getting too bored - they are a perfect breed for agility, for example, and most areas usually have local clubs which are quite inexpensive. Is he castrated? If not, he should be, without a doubt.

Have you tried contacting other family, friends, acquaintances, and if you do find someone interested in him, be honest and point out this bit about his "signs of aggression" - forearmed is forewarned. It's a breed which needs attention because they are overwhelmingly usually very friendly dogs. I've had a total of 3 and honestly have not had a moment's anxiety regarding temperament.

Please give him as much chance as possible of finding a suitable new owner, because if he were to be put to sleep simply because, for example, he growled at people, it would be a crying shame if, like mine, it turns out to be a harmless trait.

The best of luck and I hope his is not a hopeless case.

[A1Mikey]

Border Collies naturally show signs of aggression: its part of their nature. Try Gumtree internet site. Say they can be a little aggresive. You should sell them within 28 days. If I had the space I would buy them my self:)

[josaphine32]

have you tried Wiccaweys (northamtonshire) they are a special border collie rescue center and provide homes for all sorts of collies.