RUDY – MALE – BORDER COLLIE -1,5 YEAR OLD – NEUTERED -MEDIUM- URGENT REHOMING (MIDLANDS)

RUDY been with family who really loved him but unfortunately made a hard decision to rehome him. That’s what they say: ” We love him so so much and are heartbroken that we aren’t able to have him with us for the rest of his life as we committed to. The children are devastated too as he really can be so sweet natured and has been so loved by all of us and he has been on great adventures with us. I hope some extra information about him might help to get him his new forever home sooner.

We hand fed him on walks with his dry food to encourage him to walk to our side and keep his attention on us and not other dogs. He is very good at walking to heal (unless he spots another dog and then this can be a little more difficult as he stares them out before barking). Other daily food was given in playful ways to stimulate his mind – kongs, hiding food, tricks, scattering in garden, slow release, puzzles etc. He is a massive people pleaser and loves human interaction and cuddles. He likes going to lots of places and is good in the car and has only ever had an accident in the house when he was poorly with a water infection. He is crate trained and would settle any time in the evening until the next morning – only ever barking if he had eaten something he shouldn’t have and needed to rush outside. He has always been fine when left for a few hours and tends to sleep when on his own.

We have taught him to sit, stay, come, down, by my side, weave (go between legs as you walk), middle (sit between legs), paw, spin, twirl, roll over, stay (released by going back to him), wait followed by ok to release, in (to go into his crate or into the car), up (to get onto something high), catch (to get his treats in the air), find it (to find something hidden or forgotten about when playing) and OK to release from a command / so he knows he has permission.

Things Rudy loves

– being around people

– learning new tricks

– cuddles on the sofa

– belly rub and face fuss

– frisby

– playing tug (this gets him very excited)

– kongs full of fruit, yogurt, meat, veg

– running on fields

– watching the world go by

Cheeky habits

– he will eat most fabrics left with him -Socks have been the worst

– toys don’t last too long

– he gets excited when he sees people and likes to get close to them and sit against them (he sometimes does a little jump but not onto people as such)

– putting paws up to see what’s on the kitchen counters

What went wrong

– Rudy started reacting by barking at other dogs. He also do not like people entering the house at night. He also started to chaise cats too (rescue comment: Rudy is easy exitable and sometimes it is hard for him to rest – he needs goos rutine rest hours, whih will help him to get better control on own emotions – happy to privide materials on how to train calmness)

– once when off lead he started to nip at another dog and would not come back to me and when I grabbed him, he snapped me (grazed / cut skin slightly) (another example of overarrosal – needs to learn some emotional control)

– became reactive at the window

– can nip kids and aduts when overexcited (comment from rescue: a part of Border Collier breed is light nervousless, difficulties to calm settle – menatl stimilation games, teaching calmness will treat all of above, we will be happy to provide all materials for future owners, who are ready to work a bit to turn RUDY to best family dog)

Other information that I deem as important

– Rudy had puppy training and has been to extra recall sessions both with Sound Hounds, we used Southend dog training app for further training, we used Delta One Canines as a behaviourist as Rudy was becoming increasingly reactive towards other dogs and had snapped at us when trying to stop this too (COMMENT FROM rescue: carefully looked through their site, there is no a single word about methods they use and no a single word that they are force-free positive reinforcement trainers. This rise doubts in their methods and if they use out-of dated “alpha” techniques to shut problems (which is always temporary) and not treat them or change dog’s attitude to triggers, then his rising reactivity can be direct consequence of such “training”).

– he has been left at merriroyals (April 2022) and harvest hill kennels (most recently February 2023) with no bother at all but Arden house kennels mistreated him when he was in their care in June 2022 when they said he had been aggressive after a couple of days of us being away and then they didn’t let him out of the kennel again until we got back. He received veterinary assistance at this time as he was collapsing but recuperated at home..”

RUDY have no known health issues vaccinated, DHLPP, kennel cough,  microchipped.