Blizzard Must Find Another Home :((

9/24/2010

We have tried everything possible to hold on to this dog.  Unfortunately nothing has worked out since he got here.  Had I known that I wouldn't have a place for him where I live I would have never had him sent up here to Maine.  That was the biggest let down from my friends who had originally opened their home to him (and myself). 

Blizzard's habit of bolting out doors and wanting to fight with every non-border collie male he sees was what the final breaking point for his stay here.  He was living with friends of mine, and my husband and I were presently trying to have him shipped to Oregon... where my husband was and where I will be moving soon.  By October 1st, he would have been on his way (or already there) to Oregon.  The urgent phone message on my phone this morning has upped the anti a bit and I have spent the day putting ads in Uncle Henry's, calling BC rescues etc.  This is so totally not what I want to do with this dog that I have invested so much time, love, and even money into.  We have tried so hard to hang on to him and it seems we have failed.  My husband will never get to meet the boy and he so wanted to meet him.

It is my dream that Blizzard will be adopted out to an active family in the country, or maybe even to a farm to help herd.  I could see him doing dog sports and I could see him working on a golf course chasing the birds off the course as well.  He is swift, very strong, and has a good herding drive... not a low drive like his breeders said he had.  They didn't know him from my butt!  Sad but true.  I want him to have a stable family willing to work with him and love him and will keep him into his old age to his dying moment.  He needs consistency.

It so breaks my heart to have to do this to my handsome boy... as thick as he is :)  I tried so hard. I realize now that I will probably not ever do any Border Collie rescueing.  This whole thing with Blizzard has just broken my heart.  What I really was looking for was a future service dog for when Rosie must retire.  I let my heart get in the way though.  I should have known better to not go through a bad breeder with no puppy contract, and to get an older pup who was beyond the ideal socialization period.

As painful as it can be sometimes, we live and we learn.

Please look through his photos and see how awesome he was.  God, I will miss him.

Heartbreak and Hardtimes

The only picture of me and my two Border Collies: Rosie on the left, Blizzard on the right (when you look at the picture)

When I had Blizzard shipped to Bangor from Douglass, Kansas, I did so with the knowledge that I would have a place for him once he got here. There would be a foster period and then I would move into my friend's attic and take over his care. I wanted to direct his training and rehab so I knew what technique was tried and at the same time, love him like he should be. Poor Blizzard was here not even a week when my friend bailed out on me just before Christmas. Not only can you not live in our attic, Blizzard needs to go somewhere else. Mind you this is a Saturday before Christmas (09) which meant he needed to be out by Tuesday, two days before Christmas.

Blizzard posing for a picture for his breeder (about 5 months)

It isn't so much that I had no place to go I could afford, but Blizzard had no where to go either. He had no control over that and I had dragged a dog that already has a few issues into my life (adding yet one more issue to my own list). I felt left out in the cold with no real choices, and this let down angered me... with I ever totally forgive?

I found Blizzard a temporary foster home with a family from my church who I really had never had a chance to learn too much about. I hated doing this because for a family I know little about (pretty much) I was dumping a lot in their arms all at once. One downfall of his placement was that I saw him less frequently than I would have at my friend's house. I did my best to include him on any runs my friend and I did with the dogs, but that wasn't very many times.

Blizzard running with the other dogs (and Rosie)

So after about a month or so, I found him another placement with a friend in MA who trains service dogs. My friend and I did the trip together, with Rosie and Blizzard as the only animals allowed on board for the trip. We were to share expenses, and they were ridiculously high. I ended paying for not only gas but also supper at a not so cheap restaurant, (but it was very good!) Blizzard got along with the two main dogs very easily while I was there and the three of them were out running around in the yard (all fenced in and large) playing chase. Rosie was allowed to join in which she kind of did while at the same time letting all the dogs know that her personal space was about 5 or 6 feet around her.

Blizzard & Rosie on the Trip to MA

With this placement, I was hoping that Blizzard could get some consistent training, and maybe even some TLC too. I wasn't even aiming for a service dog status for him at this point. I just wanted him to be a good pet for an active family. So it is about 2 months now since he has been there and recently I have heard NOTHING of his progress and the training she is doing with him, and no pictures of him have been sent to me for quite a few weeks. What is going on with my dog? Is he getting any better or worse? Is he learning anything at all? Is he going out on walks on a leash (because he really needs that)? AND...

Blizzard in MA with Taffy (Standard Poodle) and Sophie (German Shepherd)

Did Blizzard knock up her Standard Poodle or not?? (I don't want this, and am not in support of overpriced "Designer Hybrids").

The problem is that this family (my own) was split thousands of miles apart from each other. My husband is in Oregon, and I should have been there by now, but once he got there, his funding to complete the move were pulled and I got left behind. Blizzard, Rosie and the 3 cats and I should be there with my husband living in a house together in Oregon.

Rosie & Blizzard

Right now I am going to again look at my options and see if there is something better I could be doing for that poor dog. All we need is money to move and that would take care of everything. Problem is, that costs a plane ticket (for my husband to fly back over here) and close to $3,000 to pack and load a truck which will be driven by professionals because my husband is just not safe driving stuff like that... and towing a Subaru Forester behind. Where would everyone sit even? To drive out I think we need another $1,200. That would have to be worked out. I am living beyond my means, though my husband is trying to help out which means not much is saved for a move. Blizzard costs $75 to be in MA, plus I send food, Frontline Plus and Interceptor on a regular basis. (I would pay for that anyway if he were here). We just need a loan or something and all the chaos could end.

My husband, Chris, Rosie, my service dog, and me at the beach 2009

Some options people might give me are not options for us. One is to get rid of Blizzard... Sell him (as a stud) and try to get my money back. Someone suggested. Give him up to a Border Collie Rescue. Not an option for me. First of all, he cost to damn much for me to just hand this guy over to strangers. Second, I want him, Third... even though they have never met, my husband wants this dog. He has fallen in love with a dog he has never met. Going to more foster homes isn't a different approach. Giving a pet away via humane sociely or rescues doesn't tend to look very good on a puppy application either (and leaves a sour taste in my mouth too).

Blizzard in his Crate in MA

I can only pray and beg that this move will take place very soon so I can just pick up Blizzard, put him in the car with all the other animals and drive off in to the sunset (literally).

But is there something better in the meantime for my boy??

Blizzard: Looks like fun!