Sketch is the slimmer, less fluffy half of the Sketch/Meg sister act. She is a lovely older girl in need of her own forever home.  She is an affectionate and generally well-mannered dog who really enjoys a cuddle with her people.  This sweet thing will happily lap up all your love and send it right back to you!  Sketch is 11 going on 12 years old and is in good health for her age.

Sketch and Meg seem to have had the sort of love/hate relationship that a lot of human siblings have...they were either getting on famously or having a go at one another.  They ended up in separate foster homes by happenstance, but it seems to have been a good move for both of them. Sketch came to foster care with a bald patch on her head where a wound from a scrap with Meg was healing. 

She tends to get a bit  stressed when her foster family dogs are playing rambunctiously, resulting in her either becoming defensive (snapping/growling) or chasing her tail.  She is sensitive to perceived slights from the other dogs, occasionally snapping when some incidental contact bothers her. She is quite intent on holding her place in the pecking order, and does not let other dogs boss her around. She will not back down from a fight if another dog instigates it. For this reason, we think she might be happy as an only dog, and in a home with experienced and responsible owners. Apparently she has lived tolerably well with cats, but we have not seen her behaviour around them first hand. 

Manners-wise, Sketch is a pleasure to walk on-leash and is quite happy with no off-leash time during walks, though she does enjoy the opportunity to explore the trails off-leash in a safe environment.   She manages quite nicely at off-leash parks, and isn't that interested in other dogs unless they offend her in some way. However, Sketch’s recall is not particularly good.  Her foster home has been working on this daily and Sketch seems to respond well to a positive training approach.  It would be best to walk Sketch on-leash until she has formed a strong bond with her new person and you have had time to work with her to reinforce her recall.

In the house, Sketch is quite happy to curl up on her bed and snooze, or chew quietly on a ball while you go about your business. She even does this while her ball-obsessed foster siblings are doing their thing at the dog beach! For some reason, her new favourite toy is her food dish, which she can bat around happily for ages. She does not feel compelled to follow you everywhere inside, nor has she been destructive when left home alone.  There does not seem to be any separation anxiety, and she will wait quietly in the car while you do an errand, if need be. She does bark a little at the mailman, or sometimes at animals in the back yard, but is generally pretty quiet. She learned to use the dog door quickly and has never made a mess in the house. She also pees on command, which is a nice bonus late in the evening!
Sketch has also gone to work (office environment) with her foster mum and was well behaved and welcomed by the other office dogs.  Sketch is slim, sleek, quiet dog who stands 20-21” at the shoulder.  Although she is in a house right now,  she would be probably be fine as an apartment/condo dog with 2-3 outings a day.  

Health-wise, Sketch is a little bit creaky in the mornings and has a fairly stiff-legged gait, but this doesn't seem to cause her any distress. She enjoys walks of up to 2 hours in duration, and while she never runs full-tilt, she enjoys a good frolic. Her coat is in good condition, and she seems to be doing well on a good grain-free kibble, though we are not aware of any allergies. She is not on any medications other than an optional joint supplement and some fish oil.

All-in-all, Sketch is an adorable older girl whose greatest wish is to be someone's loyal companion. 

We can be reached at bcrescue@shaw.ca PLEASE NOTE: TDBCR does not adopt dogs out sight unseen. We do not ship our dogs. Our dogs are located in the province of British Columbia CANADA, mostly in the Lower Mainland. We do consider adoptions out of area / across the border, but applicants are required to come to BC to meet us and meet the dog in question. Thank you for understanding.

Miss Meg is 11 going on five, a senior border collie female who doesn't feel or look her age!  Meg and her sister Sketch were surrendered when their senior dad had to move into an assisted living facility and could not bring his beloved dogs with him.  Meg and Sketch are biological sisters and have lived together their whole lives, so we were worried about separating them when they came into foster care, but they have adjusted really well and it seems that they might even do better apart than together.

Meg was described as the "mellow" one of the pair and it was suggested that Sketch had more quirks than Meg - but like any self respecting border collie, Meg has her own unique personality.  Thought these girls were loved very much, they didn't get a lot of direction and as such, Meg has been allowed to follow, stare, obsess on and "grip"other dogs when they re playing - usually her sister Sketch was the victim here and Sketch never argued.  The dogs in Meg's foster home, however, had other ideas about that kind of behaviour!  After a few squabbles, Meg learned that the behaviour is not tolerated by the other collies and has learned to be polite with them.  Who says old dogs can't learn new tricks??

Nevertheless, Meg would likely do best in a home where she is the only dog, as there's a good chance she would have to relearn that lesson all over again with a new canine companion and while she may be spry, she is an older dog and shouldn't take too many doggie beatings  ;-)  She would also do well in a home with another older, mellower dog who doesn't arouse her chase/grip instincts as she is very sociable with dogs when not following them around and obsessing on them.  She is lovely at the dog park and likes all people she meets.

In the house, Meg is a very polite dog and has fantastic house manners.  She will lay quietly on her pillow and likes to snuggle, but doesn't pester her person.  She is housebroken, and has a good grasp of her basic commands, including a good recall.  She would be an excellent dog for someone who enjoys having border collies but can't or doesn't want to keep up with the demands of a young, highly energetic dog.  She is still good for a couple healthy outings every day and shows no signs of arthritis or wear and tear.  There's a good chance Meg has several more years in her as border collies can be quite long lived for medium sized dogs.  She may suit a retired or senior person.

Meg has seen the veterinarian regularly and has been delcared healthy.  She has a non invasive growth on her lip that the vet has suggested we leave alone, as Meg does have a mild heart murmur and probably shouldn't go under anasthesia unless really necessary.  She has had the growth for years and it doesn't bother her or affect her in any way.

Meg is a moderately active dog and still requires her daily exercise.  She is sweet natured and likes to please, and is still willing to learn new behaviours!  She does pull on the leash, but this is easily solved with a "no pull" harness.  She is a wonderful companion dog and deserves a home for her golden years where she will be as loved by her new owners as she was by her previous one.

We can be reached at bcrescue@shaw.ca  PLEASE NOTE: TDBCR does not adopt dogs out sight unseen. We do not ship our dogs. Our dogs are located in the province of British Columbia CANADA, mostly in the Lower Mainland. We do consider adoptions out of area / across the border, but applicants are required to come to BC to meet us and meet the dog in question. Thank you for understanding.

Piper is a black and white border collie mix, on the smaller side but very solid, about 18 months old.  She has bright, expressive eyes and tons of personality.  You will not meet a more playful dog than Piper!  Piper spent the first year of her life locked in a Rubbermaid shed on a balconey and only let out on the balconey to run back and forth as "exercise" until a neighbour complained to the SPCA, who removed her from that situation and gave her to us.  As a result, Piper had mucho energy to burn when she first arrived in foster care, and had much to learn about manners, house manners and the like.  She's come a long way since then!  She is a smart dog and with proper boundaries has learned very quickly.

Piper has learned all about crate training, is now reliably housebroken and has learned what is acceptable  behaviour in the house.  She is an easy keeper indoors - give Piper a basket of toys and she will play non stop for hours.  Maybe she's making up for lost time!  Her foster home says that Piper is the first of many foster dogs he has had through TDBCR that has convinced his own dog to play - she is relentless and refuses to give up until another dog plays with her.

Although this is charming with dogs that Piper knows, it can be challenging with dogs Piper does not know.  A year spent on a balconey watching dogs go by that she could not interact with has caused Piper to become somewhat obsessive about meeting and greeting new dogs.  Her approach is too rapid and much too forward, which causes some dogs to react badly and can result in a scuffle.  She also doesn't read other dogs very well so does not understand when they warn her off.  We've only seen her back off of one dog, a dominant bitch who made Piper roll over upon meeting.  Otherwise, she is in their face and jumping on their backs and even tolerant dogs can find this annoying.  She will need continued work in this area to learn approriate manners with other canines.

However, if you have a playful and interactive young dog at home, Piper would be a great companion for him or her.  She will keep your canine buddy amused for hours with wrestling games and games of tug.  Piper will play ball but only in the absence of other dogs as distractions.  In time, with a dedicated handler, Piper could transfer some of her drive and energy to a handler focused game, but it will take a lot of work and effort.  Piper is not a casual dog for a casual owner, but she is a super fun dog for someone who really enjoys working on dog behaviours.

Piper enjoys people amd is still learning not to jump up on them.  Although she is very friendly, she has a couple of handling quirks - she is frightened of the veterinarian, and also does not like having her paws touched and may snap at someone who handles them.  For this reason, Piper is ONLY available to an adult home - no children for Piper.

Piper will make an excellent dog for someone who wants to take her biking or hiking or can take her to the dog park but carefully monitor her interactions and intervene when she gets too worked up.  She has loads of energy and is not at all suited to someone who wants a dog to take for a quick walk around the block.

Piper has been spayed, vaccinated and microchipped and is ready for a home of her very own!

We can be reached at bcrescue@shaw.ca  PLEASE NOTE: TDBCR does not adopt dogs out sight unseen. We do not ship our dogs. Our dogs are located in the province of British Columbia CANADA, mostly in the Lower Mainland. We do consider adoptions out of area / across the border, but applicants are required to come to BC to meet us and meet the dog in question. Thank you for understanding.

This is Fox, a border collie probably American Eskimo mix from a local area reserve.  Some nice folks picked him up before he was going to be shot in a reserve round-up of dog overpopulation, but they were unable to keep him because he's just a lot more dog than they were prepared for.  Fox is about 11 months old, stands just 18" at the shoulder and weighs about 30lbs, all of it made up of fun!
Fox has boundless energy for whatever activity you want to do with him.  If you want to go hiking, he's all for it.  If you want to play agility, he'll do that too.  If you're too busy to play with him, he'll play with your other dog(s), your kids, your cats ... failing that, he'll find a toy and play with that all by himself.  In other words, Fox likes to play.  He's not a dog for a couch potato, as he needs something to do in order to burn off some of that excess puppy energy.

Once Fox has had a good run or play session, his favourite thing to do is curl up with you on the sofa and have a marathon cuddle session.  He is a friendly, social, affectionate dog who harbors no surprises - wysiwyg with this little fella.  Fox has a short attention span at this time, like most puppies everywhere, but he has mastered some basic commands and is eager to soak up more learning.  He would benefit from a positive obedience class so that both he and his new person are on the same page about life.  A good sense of humour and patience are two requirements of his new person, as this busy puppy is going to keep someone on their toes.  He's a *fun* dog to have around!
Fox is housebroken and crate trained and has a decent recall, though like most puppies he can be distracted when something else is going on that might be more fun.  Although he has no real bad habits, Fox is quite vocal - he likes to bark when he plays, and bark when he's bored and just generally has a lot to say.  His foster home is working on this, but Fox is just one of those dogs who's a bit louder than some others.

For this reason, Fox is not suitable for someone who lives in an apartment, condo or townhouse.  He'd be best for someone in a single family dwelling, but not for anyone who plans to leave him outside unattended, as he would disturb the neighbours.  Fox also doesn't really love being left behind / left alone, so is best in a home with someone who is around most of the time.

Fox shouldn't get too much larger and will likely top out at around 35lbs at the most.  He'd be excellent for someone who enjoys clicker training, rally or agility etc. because he loves to perform.  Fox is fine with kids of all ages and would be a great family pet for people who have the time to put into him - but please remember he is vocal, so would not be suited to a home with infants who are trying to sleep.
Fox has been neutered, vaccinated and microchipped and the vet says he is healthy as a horse.  He is ready to find a home of his very own with people who will enjoy him as much as we do!  If you are interested in meeting this Foxy fella, please email us and tell us something about yourself and the kind of home you can offer Fox! 

We can be reached at bcrescue@shaw.ca  PLEASE NOTE: TDBCR does not adopt dogs out sight unseen. We do not ship our dogs. Our dogs are located in the province of British Columbia CANADA, mostly in the Lower Mainland. We do consider adoptions out of area / across the border, but applicants are required to come to BC to meet us and meet the dog in question. Thank you for understanding.