Having to sell our Border Collie :(

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mymare

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Just want a moan really. My OH has changed his job and will no longer be shepherd on the farm where we are. We will have to leave the tied house and couldnt take 4 dogs to a rented house. Whether kenneled or not. We have 2 x 5 year old boys who are from our bitch who died last year. These 2 will stay with us for life, come hell or high water. We have/had a 3 year old fantastic working collie, Zak, who we have given to our lovely neighbour, who will work him, pamper him and love him, plus we can go in everyday if we want to and spend as much time with him as we want. That wasn't TOO painful, but bad enough.

That leaves our 14 months old Collie, Bob. He's registered and from really good trial dogs, so we know we could find him a home, BUT I couldnt just sell him to anyone. He has to go to a good home, and to someone who would keep him for life (unlike us :( ). I just can't bear all this. I'm almost 40 and have NEVER sold/given away a dog. OH wants to advertise him in Scottish Farmer, but god knows where he would end up. He thinks I'm pathetic and too soft, but I just want to know he would be cared for and not treated like a tool of the trade.

I feel so guilty, yet would feel even more guilty if they were stuck with us for the rest of their lives not getting out doing what they love the most. My time would be limited with them as they don't all get on and I would have to do double the amounts of dog walking, and I simply don't have the time. Collies need so much exercise. God this is so so so hard to do. One minute I think I can't bear to part with him, then the next minute I think what a complete waste of a good dog it would be if he didnt go to a better home. I feel so sh*t.

Thanks for listening..
 
Oh poor you. Sounds an impossible situation. Having never sold a dog, or a working dog for that matter I'm not very clued up. If he is advertised, are you able to vet the homes that enquire about him as you would with horses? All the best, if he's as nice a dog as you say, I'm sure you can find him a suitable home who'll appreciate him as much you obviously do!
 
This is my first post in here but I felt I had to reply!

As hard as it is for you, you know the right decision for your dogs.

I have one border collie (not working) and she has free access to 16 acres all day, everyday and she never stops running until she comes in at night and then she is the moat gentle affectionate little girl you could ever want.

Good Luck finding him a new home and well done for making the right decision for your boy (((HUGS)))
 
Poor you, it's such a horrid decision for you to have to make, even if it is for the best. I hope you can find him a lovely home with someone that loves & respects him as much as you do.

Wish I was closer to you as my parents are looking for a young collie in need of a home to redress the collie/russell balance in the house after we lost one of our grey merls last year.

Good luck and hope everything works out for you.
 
Couldn't you give him away to a good home, I find great homes are easier to find when people don't think you are just making money out of the rehome of your dog.
 
What a shame you're in Scotland and so far from us. I would happily take on your Bob to work alongside our collie who is 18 months old, Bess.

We live on a large dairy farm, so it's cow herding here instead of sheep herding.

How sad for you. I can't even begin to imagine how devastated you must be. What a big change for you in lifestyle.
 
Oh thank you so much, such kind messages and I'm bawling :(

Kirstyl - yes I would definitely vet them and the home, I couldnt bear not knowing what they are like and how he is living. I just couldn't live with myself if we just let him go.

Holly831 - you really made me cry!! Thank you, yes they really DO need the exercise and I just couldn't allow him to stay couped up in a kennel most of his life. When my animals aren't happy I'm not happy.

Nando and Patches - yes what a shame neither of you are closer.

Kitty - yes that's how I've been feeling about it. My only priority is Bob being happy and looked after properly. OH wants his money back and is the tightest Scotsman on the planet!

I have already spoken to a friend of mine who is an animal fanatic (rescues EVERYTHING - they keep cardboard boxes in their car just in case they find a sick hedgehog/bird/anything when they are out.... :s) as she knows loads of people who take in all types of animals. But no luck. I would much rather he went to a good home, and quite honestly stuff the money, but it was OH who bought him. He is going away (OH) for 3 or 4 months as from Monday, so the selling/rehoming is down to me. So at least I can do all the checks he wouldn't bother with!
 
Where abouts are you? I have a couple of folk who are looking for working dogs. What stage is your dog at? I can vouch for them as good homes but they will be working homes. I'd have taken him but I already have 3 and not enough work to keep them going so I'm run off my feet as it is.
 
pity it is a dog or could of joined my 6 collies once here on our farm here for life with 600 sheep to work and dog duck demos.
 
Nobody will give him the home you're giving him, since it is unlikely that you'll find somebody who does things exactly like you do them, but only because it will be different it doesn't have to be less good, remember that a new home can be just as good but in a different way.

Personally I don't quite like the thought of giving away animals completely for free, if they come from a good home I usually feel that at least a symbolical sum is appropriate, but that is my personal opinion.

When you do find him a new home, make sure to do it properly with a contract that states that he must be returned to you if, at any point in the future, the new owner can't keep him. Maybe Cayla can help you with how such a contract should look.
I know you said you will only let him go to a forever home, but things can happen and it is best to be on the safe side.

Good luck. {{{Hugs}}}
 
Hey I've never had to sell/give pets away so can only think how horrid it must be :( just wondering how much your OH paid and whether Bob has to go to a working home? I have a border collie x springer spaniel and a wire haired fox terrier who both do obedience and agility with plenty of walking and holidays to the beach. Plenty of room for 1 more... just a bit far away :rolleyes:
 
Oh Mymare - you really are having a tough time right now - God knows how you are coping with the stress :(

I thoroughly commend you on finding a new home for Bob - he is young enough to really get stuck into a new job :)

I think you will find him an excellent home very easily with his breeding and training to date. xxx
 
how very horrible for you:(

when i first read the title of your thread - i thought! :mad: someone trying to SELL their dog, tut.

BUT as someone with Border Collies I understand and let me explain...... we do agility and our dogs dont work as such, we could never part with any of ours and in the agiltiy circuit it is not the done thing to 'sell' a dog on.

however - all ours are ISDS, we very much admire dogs who trial and that true working type. Ours are off lines like Toddy Lamb's Craig, Derek Scrimgeour's Laddie, Bobby Henderson's Bill etc.... and i KNOW that proper working dogs like these are often trained up just with the purpose to sell on and do a job for someone. They are 'produced' like people produce young horses to sell.

sorry - im rambling... i just wanted to say i can see this is a totally different situation for you and depending on what stage your dog is at Im sure he will find a grand home and do a cracking job for someone. hugs to you..it must be so hard.
 
Oh! One of mine has Bobby Hendersons Bill as grandfather! I know Bobby well, worked with him for a few years. All 3 I have have Winston Cap in their backgrounds ( like most Collies I suppose!)
Sorry to hijack!
 
try to find a working home but must be mind and body exercised most of my collies have well known bloodlones youngest one is aled owens mac.
 
nicnag said:
Oh! One of mine has Bobby Hendersons Bill as grandfather! I know Bobby well, worked with him for a few years. All 3 I have have Winston Cap in their backgrounds ( like most Collies I suppose!)
Sorry to hijack!
Click to expand...

Course that should read Wiston not Winston - too late to edit!

any dog that has been trained to sheep and shows a strong eye is (IMO) better in a working home, my litter have all gone to working homes, this has been my preference as at least these guys know exactly what they are getting with collies, I've shied away from pet homes before as I think a lot of folk look at the lovely puppy, which is often cheaper than other breeds but don't understand the nature of a collie, I've intentionally looked for working, agility or VERY experienced collie homes.
 
nicnag said:
Course that should read Wiston not Winston - too late to edit!

any dog that has been trained to sheep and shows a strong eye is (IMO) better in a working home, my litter have all gone to working homes, this has been my preference as at least these guys know exactly what they are getting with collies, I've shied away from pet homes before as I think a lot of folk look at the lovely puppy, which is often cheaper than other breeds but don't understand the nature of a collie, I've intentionally looked for working, agility or VERY experienced collie homes.
Click to expand...

Yes I agree. My Mum knows someone who wants a collie as a pet and wants to see photos of Bob - IMO you have to see the dog properly, not just a pic of him looking cute waiting for his tea.. I worry that someone would take him and then be shocked at the amount of energy he has and they wouldn't cope, plus he would be bl**dy miserable.
 
I would snap patches offer up and drive to her and rehome him to a lovely home:rolleyes:
If you do go down the selling route u can menton re retuning if it does not work out but im not sure how effective it would be if u sold him on, our rescues are obviously chipped, and contracted back to us and they are neutered, so owners have little choice but to give back and they have little alue to sell on if they are neutered and their chips are not tranfearable:rolleyes:
The worry is once he is gone u have no say over where he ends up or how many homes he ends up in unfortunately.
 
Mymare - Cayla has a point there - if there is anyway you could get Bob to Patches - he would have a fantastic working home. But - I realise that right now it would be almost impossible for you to do so. Gah - if only I was closer, I would pick him up and drive him there for you - hugs xxx
 
Patches said:
What a shame you're in Scotland and so far from us. I would happily take on your Bob to work alongside our collie who is 18 months old, Bess.

We live on a large dairy farm, so it's cow herding here instead of sheep herding.

How sad for you. I can't even begin to imagine how devastated you must be. What a big change for you in lifestyle.
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Patches, which area are you in?
 
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