Border collie in search of ‘furever’ home

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This article was published 26/03/2019 (2760 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Bobby is half the dog he used to be, and it has changed his life.

An eight-year-old border collie, Bobby was dangerously obese when he was surrendered to the Manitoba Underdogs Rescue (MUR). His owner, who was living with dementia, could no longer take care of him.

“He’s such a good dog. We need to find him a home,” says Lindsay Gillanders of MUR, noting Bobby has been in care for 2½ years. “He doesn’t have any behavioural issues. He’s just a typical border collie with high energy.

“He’s very friendly and he loves people. He has a very expression-filled face. He’s adorable.”

Bobby is now a svelte 27 kilograms — a long way from the 56 kg he weighed when he came into care. He was panting all the time because it was so hard to haul around so much girth.

“He was so severely overweight that the vets were really worried about the strain even weight loss or exercise would have on his heart,” Gillanders says.

The key to his safe weight loss was that it was done very slowly through a portion-control feeding program and carefully easing him into exercise. It took about a year to get his weight back to its normal range.

“He was on a weight-management dog food and, as he lost some weight, he got stronger through exercise,” she says.

Gillanders says too much food and not enough exercise are a dangerous combination for all dogs.

“We see a lot of obesity in dogs surrendered from seniors or busy people not taking their dogs out enough (for walks and other exercise),” she said. “Treats can be given as another way to distract them, bones to keep them busy or just showing love through treats.”

Bobby has been living for about a year with his current foster family, Dallas and Chris Offenloch, who said Bobby loves to be active and easily maintains his healthy weight.

Bobby is full of vim, vigour and always wants to play. Border collies — and Bobby is no different — generally are high-energy, active and intelligent dogs.

“He’s got that border collie personality and he’s pretty goofy,” Dallas says.

Dallas said she and Chris have a three-ball fetch game that Bobby loves, but he only plays it one way. She said they will throw a large ball, a colourful medium ball and a faded medium ball at the same time.

“He only picks the medium ball that has the colour to it. We throw them all, but that’s the only one he’ll choose. He knows what he wants,” Dallas says, laughing.

Bobby loves herding — an instinctive behaviour for border collies — and he goes to herding classes each week to herd sheep and cows.

Bobby has one quirk that no one has been able to explain, but it’s one that can be easily adapted into any family’s lifestyle.

He loves going for walks, but not on a leash in a residential area. He walks fine on a leash in a park, bush or forest.

“Anybody rural, somebody who lives on a farm or even somebody in the city who lives an active lifestyle, someone who goes hiking or to parks or to the lake; Bobby would be great in any of those (homes),” Gillanders says.

Bobby needs a home without cats, but he does very well with other dogs. He’s better with older children because he’s so active.

Gillanders said Bobby is one of MUR’s longest foster-care residents.

“He’s one of the longest for strange reasons. We’ve had dogs with behavioural issues or medical issues who are forever fosters,” she says. “He’s the longest with nothing wrong with him. He’s a little quirky, but he’s a great dog.”

If you think Bobby is the boy for you, please contact MUR at manitobaunderdogsrescue.org.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca