Tucker is a happy-go-lucky Border Collie pup whose tail is always wagging, whose eyes just sparkle with mischief and who loves to chase tennis balls. To top off these great traits Tucker has beautiful markings. He is approximately seven months old and smooth coated. His coat has a wonderful sheen to it and glistens when the light hits it. He weighs 37 pounds and is 19 inches tall. He could stand to gain a few pounds but I do not expect he will get much taller than what he is now.

We don’t know anything about his background other than the fact that he was an owner relinquishment, along with two other dogs, to a Springfield, Missouri shelter.

He gets along with other dogs. He loves to play rough and tumble games of chase with the dogs in his foster home. We have not had a chance to test his reaction to cats but I suspect he might want to chase them.

Tucker loves kids. (Actually Tucker loves everyone.) He is probably too rowdy for young children (under 6) though. He has a good start on housebreaking, is crate trained and has learned “sit” and “down” in just a few days at his foster home. Even though no one has taught him the “watch me” command he has great eye contact and is very eager to learn. When excited he pulls on the leash some. His foster home will continue to work with him on basic obedience commands and on walking nicely on a leash. He is very treat motivated so he is easy to train. Initially he did not respond to our underground fence but after a couple of training sessions whereby he wore two training collars he respects the fence boundaries.

He is a puppy and like most puppies he likes to chew on things. However, if you tell him to “leave it” he immediately drops whatever he is chewing on and he will redirect his attention to chew toys.

He is ready to go to an active family who has plenty of love and attention to give to him.

Avery is a perfect combination of playful, cuddly, and athletic. Abandoned at a nearby park during the recent cold spell, this little guy was found covered with ice and scared. He is recovering nicely from his ordeal thanks in part to his easy-going personality.

Taking cues from his foster brother, Avery is fitting in great in his foster home. Already house trained, Avery quickly became crate trained and is learning his new name. Initially a shy guy, Avery warms up to people and becomes attached. This little fellow believes beds and couches are for cuddling and uses his small size (he is a mere 32 pounds) to his advantage so he can curl up on laps.

Avery is no less attached to other dogs. He thinks nothing of sharing a dog bed or chair with his foster brother and seems to believe that the closer they are, the better. Avery is starting to enjoy toys and it’s a blast to watch him throw a toy across the room and then go get it. He’s not so sure about others throwing the toys yet, though. Avery does fine with cats and children as well. We suspect that this strikingly beautiful tricolor may have some sheltie in him due to his long nose. At approximately two years of age, Avery has nice manners and makes a wonderful family dog.

Hello!!! I'm Jesse! I'm a 2 or 3 year old Border Collie boy.I LOVE to play with toys, if you throw them for me, I don't always bring them back, but I'll chase and play with them. I also LOVE to be belly up on the couch while the person who feeds me, (the other dogs call her Mom... she doesn't have four legs though) reads a book or watches the talking picture box. She usually scratches my belly while I'm laying there. She laughed at me last night, I was asnooze in her lap and snoring she said!

I get along with her dogs and kitties.. Did you know that if you stare at the tabby cat, she'll smack you with her paws??? So I don't stare at her any more.
That mom person says that I have energy, but not alot of it. Before she made me type out this note, I was asleep in the recliner! A dog has to have his beauty rest! I have my own room, that I sleep in at night, and when that mom person is gone. I like it in there. Nice and quiet, and you can get lots of beauty sleep. I don't potty in the house. And I like to be right with that Mom person.. she says I'm like a shadow.. whatever that is.

I want a home that wants to do something, like maybe running or jogging, I think I might like agility or obedience too.. That Mom person said she would show some of that agility stuff to me as soon as it wasn't muddy outside.
Toodle do!
Jesse

Update: 1/17/06: Well! What 3 weeks has done for Mr. Jesse! He is the ULTIMATE cuddlebug. He LOVES to be with me, constantly. If I'm on the couch, he's on the couch, if I go to the kitchen, he goes. He loves to just be touching you, doesn't have to be laying on you, but a paw will do for him. He gives high fives, and he's learned basic obedience very quickly with a clicker and some food.

His energy level is actually lower than what I first thought it would be. He is perfectly content to lay on the couch with you if you're there, or if you're not there, and at the computer, he's underneath the desk, warming your feet.

He's an absolute love, and really just wants someone who would love him, and toss a toy once in awhile.

Meet Teddy! He got his name because he is just a big Teddy Bear. He is snuggly and cuddly and loveable. His favorite activity is laying his head in your lap to be petted. Teddy has the sweetest face and beautiful eyes, along with striking tri-colored markings. He’s smart, too…he knows sit and stay and he was picking up “down” in about 5 minutes. He will play fetch and is crate trained.

Obviously, Teddy is not a full border collie. He looks like he is part Bernese Mountain Dog, which were developed in Switzerland to drive cows and pull carts. They are calm, intelligent, loyal, good-natured, agile and sturdy. They supposedly make good house dogs and devoted family dogs. That pretty well sums up Teddy, add Border Collie brains and this is a pretty awesome dog.

Teddy came to us from a shelter in southern Missouri where they had picked him up as a stray. We were able to get him just before he was to be euthanized. He has had all his shots, is heart worm negative and has been neutered. We have only had him a few days, but he has had no accidents at all, and has perfect house manners. He is very gentle for his size. He gets along with our dogs and is fine with our cats. Our 11 year old son thinks he’s great, and I think he’d be fine with younger children, too. He is very gentle for his size. Teddy weighs about 65 pounds, and could maybe loose a few, but is not very overweight.

This guy would make a great family pet. He loves attention and is very people oriented. He would rather be with us than play with the other dogs. He is just as happy to sit and be petted as he is to play fetch outside, as long as he is doing it with his people.

We think this little guy is going to make someone a wonderful dog, maybe even be that life changer every dog person has in their life. He has come to us without all the emotional baggage many rescue dogs have. His happy smile and willing, trusting attitude has won him the nickname of "little wiggle-butt." In this first week, he has already begun to ask to go outside for potty, learned sit and down and is doing well on loose lead walking. He has determined that you must approach any of our three cats softly and with respect or they will make your face hurt. Yesterday, he went into his crate on is own and napped while I slept on the bed.

He personifies the analogy of a puppy being a little mobil "sponge." He naps and plays with Fez and Duke, our older dogs like litter mates. Favorite games with his foster brothers include tug, chase, watch the horses and wrestle. He is fast and agile, fearless and combined with his obvious intelligence and willingness to please, he should make a wonderful obedience or agility dog. Yet, he is not over the top with energy and is content to lay at my feet when I want to relax.

We named him Oliver Twist in honor of my good friend who has a wonderful red and white border collie named Oliver and because when the little one approaches, he performs this appeasement behavior where he twists his little butt towards you offering a friendly posture. It's so cute! Just one more thing...to whoever gets to give Oliver Twist his forever home, can we have visiting privileges

Sid's Angel is John, Renna and Nellie

Sid is a young (6-8 months) boy, with the most beautiful blue eyes! What a fun little boy this is! He is so loving...thinks the whole world is his bestest friend! Hard to get pictures of him, as he is always RIGHT there!!! LOL!

Sid is learning sit, and is getting good at it. Loves my treats! Is learning "wait" (as in at the door), and I'm trying to teach him OFF! He has learned I don't appreciate him jumping on my clean newly folded clothes, but hasn't quite grasped the concept of not jumping on the kitchen counters.

He is fun to drive with...he stays in the back seat, but sneaks up, and gooses you in the ear with his cold nose! But he does sit and stay in the back, for the most part, and watches the world pass by out the window.

Sid has now been neutered, and will get his booster vaccinations in the upcoming week!

One of the very first working dogs I ever met was named Kip, and I always said it would take a special dog to earn that name. I think our Kip is trying his best to fit that bill!

Kip came to us from a shelter; the folks there simply fell in love with him, and contacted us to help find him his forever home. A stray, but Kip knew sit, down, stay...obviously, someone trained this dog in his first life. I thank the folks at the Ark City, Ks shelter for caring so much for this special boy, to go the extra for him!

Kip is probably about two years old, a sm0oth coat. He has taken to the house, like a fish to water. I was concerned that he might be a "marker", but that fear has been unfounded. Crate trained, and not a chewer, he is a pleasure in the house..follows me around, and crashes on the floor near me. He is still unsure of my husband, but is realizing that he is not so bad, afterall.

Kip still doesn't understand toys, but plays well with my dogs. He learns quickly; too quickly, perhaps, as my young Golden taught him to jump the front yard gate(which is only 3 foot tall), but stays behind the six foot fence in the backyard!

Won't you consider taking our special Kip into your hearts, forever?

Sid and Gin (right) playing!

Gin (left) and Sid.

Gin was a stray from the shelter, and never claimed.

She rode well in the truck, staring out the windows. I think she was perhaps worried about her next stop in life, but I think she is enjoying that stop! She does very well with the "pack" here, and appears at this time to be in awe of my cats. She loves to play ball, but hasn't figured the fectching thing out totally yet!

From the first night, Gin has been comfortable in the house; going up and down the stairs, and crating well at night. She knows sit, but she is still busy exploring the house and grounds here, and doesn't always come yet when called. I expect that to change, once she has been here a bit.

Maddy is very inquisitive, she has a great personality. She will need lots of loving attention and reassurance.

She came from the shelter where she was very scared. She learned her new name in just a few days.
She has alot of energy-she loves to run and play with the other dogs at her foster home. She is still learning to come-we haven't worked on sit or down yet. She loves shoes-even the ones still on your feet. She is small and petite 18 inches and 25#s. She could use a little more weight. She has a good appetite, so that will come. She loves to curl up in your lap and is the perfect size for it. She has a beautiful coat of hair. The first thing you notice are her eyes-they are very
captivating and intense. I'm not sure about her reaction to cats or young kids. She has warmed
up nicely to our 16 year old son.

At nineteen weeks old, this pup is all play and sweet kisses. Lark thinks toys are the best invention ever made and loves all kinds. She even loves squeaky toys that no longer squeak. Lark also loves to doggie wrestle and doesn’t care if the other dog is four times her size. When she finally wears out Lark is a great cuddler. Of course, she’s smart as a lark!

Lark responds to her name, sit, and come and she has made tremendous strides in the last week towards being housetrained. Lark is fine with cats.

Lark is currently around 23 pounds and she is working hard to grow into her ears (which are big and adorable and have golden hair trailing from them.) Lark will likely be a 30-35 pound adult dog.

Zen and Cash (Cash will be listed soon) were released by their owner/breeder, when they couldn't sell them. Beautiful six month old boys, my husband's description of them was simple.... "CUTE"!!! and cute they are!

Their sire was a working dog, and these young boys do show alot of desire to herd things...each other, the other dogs, and my horses(thru the fence). Very biddable dogs, I think they could grow up to be anything a caring owner would wish them to be, from working, to obedience to agility.

Zen is the more outgoing to the two, but Cash's sweet personality makes him my favorite. Zen wants to explore everything; Cash wants to lay by your side!

Both rough coated black and white kids, we will have more pictures of them soon!

Holly was an owner release girl, a cute little black/white sweetie. Kept in a kennel run all her life, she came to us a bouncy young lady, loving, with no manners. I think she felt her name was "OFF" the first few days here!!!

Smart as a whip, and very wanting to please, Holly tries her best to make you happy! What makes her the happiest is being loved on! (and food...food is important!!)

Holly is now about ten months old, and is more than ready for obedience training. She apparently never had toys, but is learning all about them here!

Very camera shy(the flash scared her!), I do hope to get better pictures of her, as she is very, very pretty! She is ready to win your heart over, if you will let her!

Skye is a happy, playful, affectionate girl. She is very sweet and friendly to everyone. She is always busy and on the go, usually carrying around a toy or something in her mouth. She is barely out of puppyhood...probably about 11 months old, and is still learning what is a dog toy and what is a vacuum attachment or bottle out of the recycling bin...you never know what she might walk by with.

She has won over our crabby older dogs, and they play together very well. Our two usually are not so nice to our foster dogs, especially the energetic ones, but Skye's sweet personality has won them over. She has not managed to win over all of our cats, she likes to chase them if they run. For the confidant cats that will stand up to her, she is curious but does not chase them.

Skye is house trained and will walk OK on a leash, but still needs so me work on paying attention and not pulling if she gets excited. She has learned sit, down and stay very quickly. We are working on "leave it", which she is getting really good at, unless it is a moving cat that you are trying to get her to leave alone. Skye also is very agile and fast...I think she would do well at agility or flyball. She is a petite girl, weighing about 33 pounds and measures 17 inches tall at the shoulder. She is smart and she is gorgeous! Her coat is mostly a soft black and a little wavy, she has a hint of brown above her eyebrows and on the back of her ears. She has white toes, and a thin blaze on her nose, with white on her chest. Her eyes are very warm and expressive, and she is so cute when she listens to you, she tips her head and pricks up her ears and really pays attention.

This is one sweetheart of a dog, she will be hard to let go. She loves kids, but may be a little too rambunctious for smaller children that she could knock over. If you want a sweet, active, fun dog, this is the girl for you!

Sam is a 3-4 month old male border collie. He was adopted from the Jeff City shelter as a Christmas present and was later found wandering the streets alone, the family was no longer interested. How anyone could dump a little 3 mo old pup on the street in the dead of winter, I have no idea, especially one as darling as Sam.

Sam is a very confident little guy, not too thrilled about the vacuum cleaner but then, neither am I! We have all adult dogs in our house, ranging from 2 yrs to 7 yrs old. None of them are all that thrilled about Sammy’s desire to play with them (they’re all grouches) but Sammy doesn’t give up easily. He is however, learning to respect his elders and that biting them to get them to play is not always a good thing. They are teaching him that if he must, to bite gently to initiate play. We "the humans", are teaching him that we don’t like biting period and there are rules that he must adhere to. He’s in that mouthy stage right now because he’s starting to loose his baby teeth so he needs appropriate things to chew on to sooth his gums. Other than that, he is a remarkably good puppy. He doesn’t cry in his crate, keeps himself entertained very well when provided with appropriate toys and rarely chews on anything inappropriate…well, except shoes, he LOVES shoes! He’s just teaching us to pick up after ourselves. He’s also doing pretty well with potty training. We’ve learned what his signals are, he doesn’t signal to us but as soon as I tell him “lets go outside!” he runs to the back door and outside to go potty so he’s getting the idea.

Sam is a darling pup, but what pup isn’t so its important to note that he will not be good with small children. He is fairly dominant, even though he submits when pressured to, he bounces back very quickly and doesn’t hesitate to challenge on a regular basis. Sam is the kind of pup that would be perfect for someone who wants a dog that isn’t afraid of new situations (as long as his socialization continues after adoption) and that loves to learn new things. We believe Sam will need someone that isn’t a pushover and can maintain leadership with him. Once that relationship is established, he will be a very loyal and devoted companion.

We just adore this little guy and he makes us laugh all the time! Sam has been introduced to a cat and shows interest but thankfully respects the warnings that are spat at him. He has a great sense of humor, loves to play and would do well with another dog that is willing to let him take the lead.

Meet Chris! Chris is a shy tri color boy, who after he gets to know you, he warms right up to you, and wants his belly rubbed!

Chris is coming along nicely and showing some real talent in herding. He's so atheletic and biddable, his eyes pierce right through you when he figures out that you're going to work with him on something, his intelligence is just outstanding. I think Chris could do just about anything if someone wanted to teach him.

I took him to sheep on Sunday, and he's very quiet, doesn't rush, and he listens very well. Which is unheard of in a dog that basically came to me with little or no training. He gathers nicely, and even pulled them off the fence. With some training, I think he would really make a herding dog for either fun or every day life.

He loves his tennis ball and is quickly learning that if he brings it back to me, I will throw it again for him. He leaps for the ball when it's thrown in the air, his timing is a bit off, but that too is coming along and getting better with each session.

His shyness is slowly leaking away, he's come from hiding in his crate when people come over, to coming out and standing at a safe distance, then eventually nudging the hand of the strange person for a pet.

Paislee is a 5 month old female. She came to us with an injured paw, a case of worms and no vaccinations.
We now have her current on her vaccinations, she is worm free and her paw is healing. Overall, she is in excellent physical shape and has been gaining weight at a steady pace.

She does well with other dogs. She plays hard as puppies do but is not aggressive. She has been exposed to cats a couple of time and has ignored them. I would suspect that she would be more attentive to them and perhaps make contact if another dog was actively engaging the cat. She is fine around kids. She has jumped up for attention a couple of
times but that is easily corrected. She has been respectful of the boundaries associated with our yard. It is fenced and she has made no attempts to breach it. Her recall is pretty good when she is not distracted. As with all young dogs she will require close monitoring in a high distraction environment. She is house broken and has taken to crate training very well.

Cash is a beautiful young man, about 8 months old, that was turned in by his breeder, along with his brother. He has a wonderful, very biddable, personality. When Cash came here, he was a bit on the shy side, but as he grows older, and more comfortable, he is gaining confidence every day!

Cash is very good with other dogs, and loves wrestling in the yard with them. He likes to "herd" my Golden Retrievers. Slightly afraid of my cats (did I mention he was a smart boy???), he should do well with most cats. Cash is a very "herdy" boy, being sired by a working cow dog, and would probably make someone a very useful working dog. Whatever his job will be as an adult, his first job is loving his people!!!

Cash is crate trained, and learning about houses! He has a fairly solid recall, and is learning "sit" and "down". He is layed back enough that I feel he will be good around children, although small children he may herd.

Cash needs a loving, active family, perhaps with livestock, or another job to do!

Carson

Carson and Cody are purebred 8 week old male border collies. They are typical BC pups that will need plenty of socialziation and training and are ready for both. Potty training has begun but will need to be continued after adoption. Stay tuned for more updates.

Sailor is 10 months old with one blue eye and one brown. He is very friendly and fun loving. He stands 19 inches and weighs 30#s.

He was turned into the shelter by an older couple that said he was just a little too much dog for them. He was well cared for, has good manners, knows some basic obedience and comes when called. He gets along with the other dogs in his foster home and has been around cats. He likes to play ball and frisbee, go outside and romp in the yard or just hang out in the house with his foster family.

He will require a fence as he has shown a little too much interest in the passing cars. He's a real cutie that just melts your heart.

Cisco is an affectionate, lively, neutered male who was adopted from the Central Missouri Humane Society about 4 weeks ago. He was listed as a “stray” at CMHS. The staff at the Humane Society estimated his age at somewhere about 1 year. He went to a home that had room to roam, but didn’t have adequate fencing to keep him from roaming too far. It is apparent now that Cisco needs a fenced yard to keep him safe and a family that can give this energetic Border Collie a job to do, be it herding, agility, obedience or Frisbee.

Cisco has a strong “herding” instinct as well as high drive. He enjoys toys and is interested in playing ball, although he hasn’t caught on that if he returns the ball the fun continues. The ideal home for him would not have young children as he gets pretty wound up and wants to herd the children by nipping at them. He also loves to herd cats so he needs a home with no cats or a home with dog savy cats.

Cisco is a real gentleman in the house. He is well house broken with no “accidents”. He is crated trained but has never been in a crate for more than a few hours at a time. He loves to give hugs and kisses. He is current on all shots.

Cisco has been started on basic obedience commands. He has learned “sit”, “down” and “off”. Cisco appears to be quite intelligent and would surely excel at obedience if someone takes the time to work with him.

Cisco still has a lot of pup left in him. Being a young dog he loves to chew and needs supervision to ensure that the chew toy he picks is an appropriate toy.

Riley's Angel is Kara Gilmore

Riley spent the first year and a half of his life alone on a chain, but he has no regrets and appears to be ready to conquer the world. He has a zest for life and learning (and TOYS!) that will help him thrive in his new home.

Riley has been getting along great with the other dogs in the home. He does not seem to care much about pack hierarchy – he cares a lot more about where the toys are than who is the top dog. My male dog is not great with other males, but after he and Riley “got to know each other” they have settled in really well together. He really views the other dogs as playmates, and is happy to hang out with the gang.

Riley is a quick study, and has been doing a great job with basic manners – sit, lie down, wait, stay. He runs into his crate when you ask him, and stays very quiet in there.

Riley is looking for a home where he can continue to spread his wings and learn new things. Riley is great at entertaining himself but enjoys even more the interaction with people and other dogs. He is very fast and loves to play games -- if you are looking for a dog for agility, flyball, Frisbee or search and rescue (we think he’d be a great SAR dog!) then Riley is the dog for you!

Update April 24, 2007

Riley continues to thrive in his foster home, and is thoroughly enjoying his new-found freedom. He loves playing any kind of fetch, but the Frisbee is quickly becoming his favorite toy.

Riley has been learning a little bit of agility (tunnels and jumps), and shows a lot of talent in this area. He is very fast, very high drive and a quick learner. Riley also makes quick turns and responds quickly to commands. We think he would make an awesome agility dog.

Riley also shows promise as a herding dog. In his first time on sheep, here is what one of our volunteers said about his skills:

“That tail dropped as soon as he saw the sheep and at one point he had one in a corner and she turned and stomped at him and he just kept walking up on her, she turned and moved out of the corner...VERY impressive for a first time out!! Not once did he grip and he looked as cool as a cucumber the whole time. He would be a blast to train as a stockdog.”

As we thought he would, Riley shows working potential in a lot of areas. In addition, he’s become an excellent house dog, fitting in perfectly with the pack. After he runs and plays hard, he loves to just hang out for some serious love and attention. He will make someone a very nice performance/working dog.

Skye is a very small 2 to 3 year old male border collie who can melt your heart with his gentle, happy-go-lucky soul. Skye is one of those rare border collies who would make a great family pet even for a family with younger children. He likes to chase balls and play with toys but would never think of knocking down a child to get at the ball. He gently drops the toy at your feet and waits for you to throw it again. With everything he does Skye is a real gentleman. When not playing with his toys Skye loves to cuddle with you on the couch.

Skye previously belonged to an older gentleman who had to go to a nursing home. The owner’s family dropped Skye off at an animal shelter where he lived for 4 months. A kind MoKan volunteer pulled Skye from the shelter. When Skye came to live with his foster family he was very confused, sad, thin and his coat was very dull and dry. Within a few weeks the sparkle came back into his eyes and he began prancing around the house with what we term his “happy dog dance.” He has also put on a few pounds and his dull, dry coat now shines.

Skye is approximately 16 to 17 inches tall and weighs 30 pounds. He has a beautiful split face with lots of ticking on his face. Skye is undeniably beautiful and to keep him looking his best his adoptive family will need to be willing to spend time brushing him on a regular basis. Skye has a very thick undercoat that will mat if he is not brushed regularly.

When he came into foster Skye was not housebroken and did not know how to walk on a leash. He is now completely housebroken, walks on a leash like a dream and knows several commands including sit, down and shake. He is very willing to learn more he just needs a family of his own to teach him. Skye gets along with all the dogs in his foster family well. This is quite a feat as one of the dogs is an old, cranky female terrier who usually hates fosters.

Skye is crate trained and respects an underground fence. He has not been around cats but I suspect he would do fine especially if the cats were already dog savvy. He is neutered, has had all his shots and is on heartworm preventive. Don’t pass up this gem. Great dogs like Skye are not easy to find.

Gizmo is approxametly two years of age and was a stray from Kansas City Missouri. This guy is a lover! His favorite spot is next to his people. He gets along well with everyone human and canine (We are not sure about cats) but guess with his mellow temperment that any dog savy cat could quickly "inform him" of his place. Gizmo will make a great family dog as he doesn't have the high drive of many Border colllies so playing, cuddling and being part of a family are all he asks. In return Gizmo will make a wonderful addition to the right family.

Beauty, brains, and heart; this girl has it all. Kate’s young age (she’s about 10-12 months old) keeps this free-spirit playful. She can play for hours and her tail wags for all doggie playthings - balls, squeaky toys, bones, other dogs, rope toys, sticks, etc. Actually, it is seldom that her tail isn’t wagging. Kate plays very well with her canine pals and is great at catching balls. Like the rest of us, Kate has spring fever and enjoys being outdoors. After a long day of playing hard Kate likes to cuddle up with her person. Kate does well with older kids, although we haven’t had her around any little kids yet.

Kate is very smart and learned her new name in just a few days. She was so proud when she learned to go down the basement stairs that she immediately ran up and down a few times after taking the initial plunge. Found as a stray, Kate is healing from a neck wound from where a collar likely grew into her skin. She is healing nicely.

Kate is approximately 45 pounds but is working hard on shedding a few of those pounds. Kate is a fabulous dog who will make any family proud to call her their family member.