UPDATE 7/29/03 on the Montana Collies
Statement by AWCA President Jean Levitt, reporting from Camp Collie, Great Falls, MT
*Permission to crosspost*
Adoption Applications Closed
At this time no more applications will be invited. We are continuing to process applications already received. We still have collies for adoption. However, most of the Montana collies are now living in their forever homes.
Early Reports
We are hearing from adopters that most of the Montana collies are fitting into their new homes just fine. They are fascinated by their reflection in mirrors, and learning to go up and down stairs. One stole a boneless porkchop off his person’s plate, and one has learned to herd a skunk.
Privacy
AWCA will never reveal the names of the adopters of the Montana collies, to protect their privacy. We do, however, want to share with you some of their stories about their new family members.
PRESENTING...
By L. S.
I drove to Great Falls to pick up Shasta, my female blue merle rough with one blue eye and one brown. She had just been spayed late the day before. She was lying in her pen with her roommate, resting peacefully, when I briefly stopped by to say hi. I went to the office to complete my paperwork and then came back to get her. She was now lying by the door of her pen. I think she knew it was her time to go. It was such a special event picking her up. Everyone was so excited for us. There were lots of hugs and pats and well wishes. We received a bag of goodies, got our picture taken, and were escorted to our car by Rev and Kay.
Then the first little problem occurred. After her recent spay experience, Shasta obviously did not want to get back into a crate. But being the gentle, compliant collie she is, after a little prodding, she entered her kennel. I turned on the air conditioner, made sure she was comfortable, and drove off. I forgot about the dip at the end of the driveway at Camp Collie! I hit it with a big bump and over went the kennel, landing on a slant. Shasta stood calmly inside. She is such a good girl! I pulled over and got her straightened out, none the worse for wear. She was probably thinking that this was nothing compared to what she has already been through this past year!
I headed down the highway towards Helena, playing an Enya tape to help soothe her. She rested comfortably until we got about halfway back to Helena. Then she got up, turned a full circle in her kennel, pressed her beautiful head against the door and very quietly threw up. I would hardly have realized what she had done if I hadn’t smelled something sour. Then she stood hunched in the back of the kennel so as not to have to step in her vomit. That’s what I like – a nice, neat dog! I pulled over on the side of the highway and put a clean blanket in her pen. (I had come prepared!) She showed her appreciation by scraping at the blanket until she got it the way she wanted it, plopping down on it and falling asleep. I’m not sure why she got sick. It could have been from the surgery, the heat, the added stress of another new experience or simply carsickness.
We got home about 5:30 p.m. I took her into my yard to get acquainted with her surroundings. I live on a busy street and she didn’t quite know what to make of all the vehicles driving by. She was not panicked, just cautious, and eventually realized that the cars could not get to her. The neighbors came over to meet her and she politely allowed them to pet her. Their little dachshund, Tootsie, really captured her interest. Maybe they will be friends someday.
Shasta is definitely not used to grass. She kept walking from my sidewalk into my big flowerbed. She was obviously more used to dirt and stones than she was to grass. She has so much to discover!
I took her inside to see her new home. She found nooks and crannies I hadn’t thought about in ages. Even the stairs did not stop her. She went up and down them like she’d been doing it her whole life. Nothing slipped by her. She methodically went from room to room, sniffing at everything. She even checked both sides of the toilet and behind the bathroom door. In the bedrooms, she checked out the beds by jumping up on them. She checked out the couch the same way. I thought she would rather lie on the floor because it was cooler. I was wrong! So I pulled out her cushy dog bed and she immediately got on it and curled up.
Then it was time to meet the cat. I own a 15 lb. Angora named Splash. When Shasta saw him, she immediately perked up with curiosity. But Splash let her know with a hiss that she should keep her distance. Shasta’s ears went down and she looked away when she saw Splash looking at her. Good dog, just walk away. Later in the evening they happened to meet in a doorway and sniffed noses ever so briefly.
She wouldn’t eat her dog food tonight, but I didn’t push it. At least she was drinking water. She managed to find a bag of beef jerky I didn’t know I had! Luckily I got it away from her before she devoured it.
I haven’t been able to get Shasta to go to the bathroom outside, so I will have her sleep in her kennel tonight to make sure she doesn’t have an accident on my carpets.
Shasta ate her breakfast this morning! I had added a bit of moist food and a tad of warm water. She gobbled it right up. I am still unable to get her to go to the bathroom outside. She prefers to use the newspapers in her pen in the garage.
I stayed home for the morning to help Shasta get used to things. I left my screen door open so she could go in and out if she felt like it. She finally did go outside and I was thrilled that she had gone to explore the yard. When she didn’t return, I decided I’d better go check on her. There she was with her butt in the air and her front paws deep in a hole where she was digging furiously. It was already almost a foot deep by the time I discovered what she was up to. There was my collie with the beautiful white ruff and legs, now a dingy gray! She looked mighty pleased with herself. I called her away from the hole because I thought she might hurt or infect her stitches from the spaying.
She is a very even-tempered collie, always quiet and calm, and has the habit of coming up to me and standing very still. I turned around tonight and almost fell over her because she was quietly standing behind me. I love cupping her muzzle in my hands and covering her face with kisses. She never pulls away. In fact, she frequently comes up to me for a hug, a kiss and reassurance.
I wondered what Shasta might do when I was out of sight taking a shower. I found her spread out on my bed, with her head on my pillow! Later on, when I was working on my computer, I turned around and found her sleeping in my lounge chair. I set a big basket on it to keep her from using it. So she tried the rocking chair, but fell off when it started to rock. If I didn’t know her history, I would swear she has been a housedog all her life. She certainly knows what she likes!
She is still not used to the grass and every chance she gets, she will avoid stepping in it. She never lies down in the grass, but rather, prefers to stand and look around. While watering my lawn, I tried lightly spraying her foot with the hose. That was quite a shock to her and she jerked her foot away. She is sensitive to changes in texture on her feet. Even stepping onto a small throw rug startled her when she touched it until she realized what it was.
Having Shasta is like having a small child. Everything is new to her; there are so many things to learn about. She has no concept yet of what it means to “romp and play”. She follows me everywhere and stays close by, as if on her leash. Whenever she passes by a flower, though, she stops to smell it.
I can’t count the number of times today I have had to pull her away from the hole she was digging. Every time she goes outside, she makes a beeline to that hole. She is obsessed with it! I finally had to put up a fence to keep her away.
Shasta discovered the bathtub this morning. It wasn’t enough to sniff it; she had to jump into it to get a closer look. She smelled all the soaps and shampoos and then jumped back out.
She is already learning her name and is quite responsive to “come”. I’m not sure this will remain the case once she gets more comfortable romping around on her own.
I am still unable to get her to go to the bathroom outside. She prefers to use the newspaper in her pen. I have only seen her go once a day so far. She must have a bladder of iron!
Shasta barely notices the cars anymore. But she doesn’t miss a dog or person walking by. Her habit of charging the fence and barking, like all the collies did at Camp Collie, is so ingrained in her that I think this will be one of the most difficult issues I will have to deal with. At least she is not an incessant barker.
Splash, my cat, is no longer hissing at Shasta. He makes it clear that he is not willing to move out of the collie’s way, but he will now tolerate Shasta politely passing by. Shasta is still hesitant about getting too close and is very aware that this is the cat’s domain and acts accordingly.
I went home for lunch today to check on her. She was quietly lying in her pen in the garage. She had been gently nibbling on a chew bone. I have a plush toy in her pen, but so far she has shown no interest in toys of any kind.
I took her outside, hoping she would mosey around on her own, but she still prefers walking along beside me. If she does wander off, it’s not for long, and she quickly returns to my side.
I decided to introduce her to some of her dog cousins tonight. So I put her in the car (which was an adventure in itself for her to see everything whizzing by) and drove to my sister’s house. All the barking dogs frightened her. What I thought would be an exciting experience was actually more fearful. We took it slowly because we weren’t sure how she would react to another breed (my sister has golden retrievers and a rescued Shepard-cross). We first introduced her to one golden. She stood very still, trembling, while the golden inspected her. She didn’t want anything to do with him. When we brought out the rescued dog, she showed immediate interest in him, as if she knew he understood what she was going through. Eventually, she began to relax and sniff around. She still prefers to be indoors to outdoors. When we went into the house, Shasta immediately went over to my sister’s lounge chair and jumped into it. What is it about furniture??
What a day this has been! I can’t believe all the breakthroughs that have happened!
I decided to let Shasta sleep in my bedroom last night where I had a fan because it was so hot. She stayed on her dog bed all night. What a good girl! While I was standing by my closet this morning, she came up behind me and licked the back of my leg. It was the first kiss I’d gotten since I brought her home.
She already knows the routine of being locked up before I go to work. When I was ready to leave, I called her and she headed in the opposite direction. Even a treat was not enough to coax her. I finally had to leash and lead her to her pen. I am discovering that collies only have to do or see something once and they never forget. She even continues to check her hole every day to see if the fence miraculously disappeared so she can start digging again!
When I came home for lunch, I sat down in the middle of my lawn. She slowly came over by me (it meant walking in the grass, you know) and after standing for quite some time, she finally laid down. That was monumental for her! She has finally discovered the joy of cool grass on a hot day. Now that’s all she does. She even lay down tonight by the fence facing the busy street and calmly watched the cars go by.
But what I’m most excited about is the fact that she went to the bathroom outside today!! Yippee! I praised her profusely for that little act! Even though she has not had an accident in the house, I was wondering if she would ever be willing to give up her newspaper.
There is a definite change in her comfort level now. I think she knows she’s home! What a sweet girl she is, this little companion of mine. My collie and me, we’re going to be just fine!
Thank you, L. S., for sharing your first experiences with your new family member.
AWCA is receiving many more stories of the Montana collies in their new homes. We will share them with you.
Calmly,
Jean Levitt, President AWCA
Lisa King, Director of AWCA Rescue
and the Officers and Members of AWCA
PLEASE help us help Toole County Sheriffs Office to pay for Camp Collie until all animals are on their way to loving homes.
AWCA Rescue
Bethany Burke, AWCA Treasurer
2807 Lee Trevino Ct.
Shalimar, FL 32579
and especially
Toole County Community Collie Rescue Fund
First State Bank of Shelby
260 Main St.
Shelby, MT 59474