LANCE A Spirit Unbroken by Walter Stoffel
I have read books about dogs. All sorts of dogs, Hero dogs, Champion dogs, rescue dogs, working dogs, etc, etc. Fact and fiction. All breeds, mutts and Border collies. And I have read hundreds of books over the years.
But this is THE best book about a dog that I have ever read. and it's fact, not fiction. I was ready to sit down to read accompanied by a box of tissues, I found I didn't need them, except to wipe away the tears of laughter that at times streamed down my face. This is not a tear jerker. This is a book that has been written with humour and a humble admittance by his "rescuers" of their total lack of knowledge of what is a Border collie. But they learn quite a lot along the way. I was gobsmacked at the unbelievable naivete of Walter and Clara when they took on Lance and their jaw dropping courage to keep him and love him to a ripe old age in spite of the many "glitches" along the way.. If you are going to read a book about a dog, you must read Lance by Walter Stoffel.
But this is THE best book about a dog that I have ever read. and it's fact, not fiction. I was ready to sit down to read accompanied by a box of tissues, I found I didn't need them, except to wipe away the tears of laughter that at times streamed down my face. This is not a tear jerker. This is a book that has been written with humour and a humble admittance by his "rescuers" of their total lack of knowledge of what is a Border collie. But they learn quite a lot along the way. I was gobsmacked at the unbelievable naivete of Walter and Clara when they took on Lance and their jaw dropping courage to keep him and love him to a ripe old age in spite of the many "glitches" along the way.. If you are going to read a book about a dog, you must read Lance by Walter Stoffel.
Get the new release from Diamond Publishing International :
Lance: A Spirit Unbroken
What would you do if there was a dog in your neighborhood forced to live outside on a run day in/day out, at the mercy of abusers, wild animals and brutal weather? Walter Stoffel, the author of Lance: A Spirit Unbroken does nothing—at first. Then, after they accidentally meet, he begins walking Lance, a Border Collie, on a regular basis. As the author says: “I soon realized Lance was a very unique dog. He had an in-your-face personality. Very high-profile. His energy demanded energy from me I didn’t know I had. He also fooled me. I really had no idea just how harsh his life had been. I thought If he was so badly abused, how could he be so dynamic? I figured a lot of what I’d heard about him and his owners was just local gossip. I was wrong and it almost cost this dog his life.” One day, he overhears a conversation in which Lance's owners joke about killing their dog. That sets in motion a nail-biting, last-minute rescue.
After snatching Lance from the jaws of death, the author and his wife make a disappointing discovery: Lance turns out to be a semi-feral dog. During the first twenty-four hours of his liberation, he attacks both the author and his wife, and soon proves to be a threat to anyone he can get his teeth on. His rescuers are forced to ask themselves a painful question: Do we euthanize the dog we rescued? Making their soul-searching even more difficult is Lance’s alter ego. When not threatening, he's getting into all kinds of highly entertaining mischief. Among the many "victims" of this four-legged comedian are a State Trooper, the local school bus driver, and a neighborhood drug dealer. Car rides with Lance are both life-threatening and rollicking, and his swimming contest with a swan unforgettable. When he’s not menacing, he’s entertaining.
This humorous and—at times— heart-wrenching and thought-provoking account of the unorthodox rescue of an unorthodox dog has been called "riveting", "spellbinding", and "inspiring" by readers.
Lance: A Spirit Unbroken appeals to:
– Dog lovers in particular and animal lovers in general
– People in recovery (there are numerous references to Twelve-Step Group philosophy)
– Survivors of child abuse (the author reveals his unique, poignant connection with Lance)
– Any reader that can laugh, cry or enjoy having his/her faith in mankind restored
Lance: A Spirit Unbroken has been released by Diamond Publishing International, where we deliver one-of-a-kind, impactful stories that the reader will never forget.
READ CHAPTER 1 FOR FREE AT WWW.LANCEASPIRITUNBROKEN.COM NOW !
+ + + + + + + + + + + + +
Lance: A Spirit Unbroken
What would you do if there was a dog in your neighborhood forced to live outside on a run day in/day out, at the mercy of abusers, wild animals and brutal weather? Walter Stoffel, the author of Lance: A Spirit Unbroken does nothing—at first. Then, after they accidentally meet, he begins walking Lance, a Border Collie, on a regular basis. As the author says: “I soon realized Lance was a very unique dog. He had an in-your-face personality. Very high-profile. His energy demanded energy from me I didn’t know I had. He also fooled me. I really had no idea just how harsh his life had been. I thought If he was so badly abused, how could he be so dynamic? I figured a lot of what I’d heard about him and his owners was just local gossip. I was wrong and it almost cost this dog his life.” One day, he overhears a conversation in which Lance's owners joke about killing their dog. That sets in motion a nail-biting, last-minute rescue.
After snatching Lance from the jaws of death, the author and his wife make a disappointing discovery: Lance turns out to be a semi-feral dog. During the first twenty-four hours of his liberation, he attacks both the author and his wife, and soon proves to be a threat to anyone he can get his teeth on. His rescuers are forced to ask themselves a painful question: Do we euthanize the dog we rescued? Making their soul-searching even more difficult is Lance’s alter ego. When not threatening, he's getting into all kinds of highly entertaining mischief. Among the many "victims" of this four-legged comedian are a State Trooper, the local school bus driver, and a neighborhood drug dealer. Car rides with Lance are both life-threatening and rollicking, and his swimming contest with a swan unforgettable. When he’s not menacing, he’s entertaining.
This humorous and—at times— heart-wrenching and thought-provoking account of the unorthodox rescue of an unorthodox dog has been called "riveting", "spellbinding", and "inspiring" by readers.
Lance: A Spirit Unbroken appeals to:
– Dog lovers in particular and animal lovers in general
– People in recovery (there are numerous references to Twelve-Step Group philosophy)
– Survivors of child abuse (the author reveals his unique, poignant connection with Lance)
– Any reader that can laugh, cry or enjoy having his/her faith in mankind restored
Lance: A Spirit Unbroken has been released by Diamond Publishing International, where we deliver one-of-a-kind, impactful stories that the reader will never forget.
READ CHAPTER 1 FOR FREE AT WWW.LANCEASPIRITUNBROKEN.COM NOW !
+ + + + + + + + + + + + +
WHEN SEARCHING FOR A LOST DOG
Survival mode explained.
This is so often said with disbelief, and the owners of the lost dog will often feel/hear a sense of disdain in the question from the askers. It often comes off as – “My dog always listens. Why didn’t you train yours better?” Or “Wow. Your dog must not be happy with you if he/she won’t come to you. My dog would.” (tip – this is one of the WORST questions you can ask an owner who is going through the torment of trying to capture their lost pet. They are often bewildered, hurt and coming to grasp with the fact that their beloved pet doesn’t see them as a safe place right now. It is perfectly normal and expected, but still heart wrenching to experience).
The first and most critical part of searching for any missing pet is to understand that you are NOT LOOKING FOR “YOUR” LOST DOG. You are looking for a dog that is lost. Depending on your dog’s history, there is a 50-75-90-99% chance that your dog, being lost, is not exhibiting the same behaviours you would normally expect. Understanding the potential behavior patterns of a missing pet is a critical aspect of getting started in any pet search, and Survival Mode is by far one of the most common issues you will encounter.
Survival mode is a regression to a dogs primal instincts. It can be severe or partial, but is almost always temporary; once a dog in survival mode is captured, they will generally return to their earlier personalities with very little noticeable change.
A dog that has entered Survival Mode prioritizes things in the following order: Survival, Food, Water, Shelter. When a dog has entered survival mode, very often EVERY human is viewed as a predator – even the one that has fed, loved, walked, bathed and pampered them for the last 2-4-12 years.
When a dog regresses to their primal instincts, it means that in their mind, they are on their own. All humans are predators who want to capture and harm them. People yelling (calling a pets name), shaking a food container (loud noises), cars, other dogs barking and pursuing, squeeking toys, a door slamming – these will all invite a fight or flight response. In most (95%+) this will result in a flight response rather than fight. With survival (safety) being the first concern, oftentimes, when a dog in survival mode sees, hears or smells something familiar to them, they will do the exact opposite of what you would expect. They will leave the area and avoid it in the future, as there will now be a negative connotation to that particular spot.
Our belief is that there is a struggle between the “nature” vs. “nurture” portion of the dogs brain. They have regressed to primal instincts – to survive – yet, there is still a yearning for the comfort of that sight/smell/sound….the conflict must be immense, especially in a dog that is strongly bonded with their owners. The conflict causes discomfort and unease, leading the dog to avoid the area in the future. We believe they do experience emotions and feelings – but also know that at a certain point, their instincts overtake their conditioning.
The point in time where a dog enters Survival Mode is different for every dog. For some – it is instantaneous. For others – it can take days or a week or more to kick in. There is very little correlation with previous behavior/life history to regression into this mode, though certain breeds and personality profiles are more prone to an immediate transition when they get lost. We can’t answer why the “switch flips” for some dogs sooner than others, all we know is that it is something to be aware of whether your dog has been missing for 30 minutes or 6 weeks.
For most lost dogs, it’s a single event that starts the transition and from there, it can progress quickly – a well adjusted, well trained, well loved dog can turn “skittish” in a heartbeat. It IS NOT the owners fault. It IS NOT the dogs fault. It simply is a fact when you are dealing with dogs – that some will enter survival mode almost immediately upon going missing, and others manage for days and maybe even weeks before dropping over the cliff into survival mode.
However it happens, it is a real concern and is definitely something every owner of a lost dog should be educated about. The search process and methods used to catch a dog in survival mode needs to be handled delicately in order to avoid scaring them out of a specific area."
Survival mode explained.
This is so often said with disbelief, and the owners of the lost dog will often feel/hear a sense of disdain in the question from the askers. It often comes off as – “My dog always listens. Why didn’t you train yours better?” Or “Wow. Your dog must not be happy with you if he/she won’t come to you. My dog would.” (tip – this is one of the WORST questions you can ask an owner who is going through the torment of trying to capture their lost pet. They are often bewildered, hurt and coming to grasp with the fact that their beloved pet doesn’t see them as a safe place right now. It is perfectly normal and expected, but still heart wrenching to experience).
The first and most critical part of searching for any missing pet is to understand that you are NOT LOOKING FOR “YOUR” LOST DOG. You are looking for a dog that is lost. Depending on your dog’s history, there is a 50-75-90-99% chance that your dog, being lost, is not exhibiting the same behaviours you would normally expect. Understanding the potential behavior patterns of a missing pet is a critical aspect of getting started in any pet search, and Survival Mode is by far one of the most common issues you will encounter.
Survival mode is a regression to a dogs primal instincts. It can be severe or partial, but is almost always temporary; once a dog in survival mode is captured, they will generally return to their earlier personalities with very little noticeable change.
A dog that has entered Survival Mode prioritizes things in the following order: Survival, Food, Water, Shelter. When a dog has entered survival mode, very often EVERY human is viewed as a predator – even the one that has fed, loved, walked, bathed and pampered them for the last 2-4-12 years.
When a dog regresses to their primal instincts, it means that in their mind, they are on their own. All humans are predators who want to capture and harm them. People yelling (calling a pets name), shaking a food container (loud noises), cars, other dogs barking and pursuing, squeeking toys, a door slamming – these will all invite a fight or flight response. In most (95%+) this will result in a flight response rather than fight. With survival (safety) being the first concern, oftentimes, when a dog in survival mode sees, hears or smells something familiar to them, they will do the exact opposite of what you would expect. They will leave the area and avoid it in the future, as there will now be a negative connotation to that particular spot.
Our belief is that there is a struggle between the “nature” vs. “nurture” portion of the dogs brain. They have regressed to primal instincts – to survive – yet, there is still a yearning for the comfort of that sight/smell/sound….the conflict must be immense, especially in a dog that is strongly bonded with their owners. The conflict causes discomfort and unease, leading the dog to avoid the area in the future. We believe they do experience emotions and feelings – but also know that at a certain point, their instincts overtake their conditioning.
The point in time where a dog enters Survival Mode is different for every dog. For some – it is instantaneous. For others – it can take days or a week or more to kick in. There is very little correlation with previous behavior/life history to regression into this mode, though certain breeds and personality profiles are more prone to an immediate transition when they get lost. We can’t answer why the “switch flips” for some dogs sooner than others, all we know is that it is something to be aware of whether your dog has been missing for 30 minutes or 6 weeks.
For most lost dogs, it’s a single event that starts the transition and from there, it can progress quickly – a well adjusted, well trained, well loved dog can turn “skittish” in a heartbeat. It IS NOT the owners fault. It IS NOT the dogs fault. It simply is a fact when you are dealing with dogs – that some will enter survival mode almost immediately upon going missing, and others manage for days and maybe even weeks before dropping over the cliff into survival mode.
However it happens, it is a real concern and is definitely something every owner of a lost dog should be educated about. The search process and methods used to catch a dog in survival mode needs to be handled delicately in order to avoid scaring them out of a specific area."
DOMINANCE: Fact or Fiction?
by Barry Eaton
Every dog owner should read this book, and it should be compulsory reading for dog trainers and behaviourists, in fact anyone who owns or wants to own a dog.
A brilliant book that dispels the myth about dogs and dominance.
For years dogs have been misunderstood and at times mistreated because of outdated beliefs that dogs are wolves and must be treated as such. This book simplifies the myths around the dominance theory and highlights how ridiculous they really are.
This book gives the facts and dismisses the myths about dogs and their behaviour. So much misunderstanding around and dog's suffering due to people who are way off beam.
Barry Eaton deserves a medal for having written this book, and in simple terms that anyone can understand.
Congratulations for a well written, long awaited for little book with a big important message.
A brilliant book that dispels the myth about dogs and dominance.
For years dogs have been misunderstood and at times mistreated because of outdated beliefs that dogs are wolves and must be treated as such. This book simplifies the myths around the dominance theory and highlights how ridiculous they really are.
This book gives the facts and dismisses the myths about dogs and their behaviour. So much misunderstanding around and dog's suffering due to people who are way off beam.
Barry Eaton deserves a medal for having written this book, and in simple terms that anyone can understand.
Congratulations for a well written, long awaited for little book with a big important message.
IN DEFENCE OF DOGS
By John Bradshaw
Every dog lover, dog owner or prospective dog buyer should read this book. It will change how you feel about dogs and, likely enough, how you treat them, too...Sparkles with explanations of canine behaviour (James McConnachie Sunday Times )
Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the complicated psychology behind the growl, the rising hackles and the wagging tail (Roy Hattersley Daily Telegraph )
A wonderful, reassuring, and encouraging book ... distinguishes canine science from canine folklore (Jonathan Mirsky Literary Review )
A lovely and clear-headed book on all things dog-emotion, mind, and breed. John Bradshaw's authority and experience are matched by the thoughtfulness and humanity of his writing. Read this before you bring a dog into your life. (Alexandra Horowitz author of 'Inside of a Dog' )
Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the complicated psychology behind the growl, the rising hackles and the wagging tail (Roy Hattersley Daily Telegraph )
A wonderful, reassuring, and encouraging book ... distinguishes canine science from canine folklore (Jonathan Mirsky Literary Review )
A lovely and clear-headed book on all things dog-emotion, mind, and breed. John Bradshaw's authority and experience are matched by the thoughtfulness and humanity of his writing. Read this before you bring a dog into your life. (Alexandra Horowitz author of 'Inside of a Dog' )
THE CULTURE CLASH
by Jean Donaldson
Jean Donaldson articulates what many dog owners have felt for some time: that yanking, yelling and regimentation do NOT constitute positive training methods. She rightly calls slip-collars and choke chains "strangulation collars," and makes it clear that the "leash correction" is simply a punishment -- and not a very effective one at that. Her whole training ethos is based on the premise that dogs are dogs, not people. That may sound pretty obvious, but it doesn't seem to be, at least not to traditional dog trainers. If you have a dog that likes to be a dog (interacts with both humans and dogs in the same manner, and doesn't like to be restrained in any way) Donaldson's training methods will save your sanity -- and perhaps your dog's life.
ISBN-10: 1888047054. ISBN-13: 978-1888047059
ISBN-10: 1888047054. ISBN-13: 978-1888047059
JUDGING THE BORDER COLLIE
(From a Working Perspective) by Janet E Larson. Read the complete article on this website:
http://www.winslowsaussies.com/JudgingTheBorderCollie.pdf
She purchased her foundation bitch, Caora Con’s Bhan-righ, a grand daughter of Gilchrist Spot and Wiston Cap from Arthur Allen in 1972. Four dogs from this original line graduated from Guiding Eyes for the Blind, many have competed in herding trials, earned obedience and Schutzhund titles to include: VX-Caora Con’s Black Bison-SchH3, CDX, WC; VX, HCh-Caora Con’s Black Magnum-BH, SchH2, HX, CDX; HCh-Thornhill Meg-HX; Ch.X-Ivyrose Maya-HS, HX; Ch.X-Caora Con’s Ceitlyn-PT, HS, HIAs; Ch.X- Caora Con’s Pendragon-PT, HSAs and Ch- Caora Con’s Ceiradwen-PT. Her Group placing, Nationally ranked, V, Ch.X-Caora Con’s Gaidin Lan-HS, CDX, BH, TT is also descended from these original dogs. She is a strong believer in the “total dog” concept: working ability, temperament, soundness and good structure.
UNDERSTANDING THE BORDER COLLIE
By Carol Price
The Essential Guide to Owning Border Collies and Collie Crosses as Pets
The Border Collie is one of Britain's oldest strains of dog, bred to herd livestock. Despite its appealing qualities, it does not slip effortlessly into becoming a family pet, and accounts for almost half of all abandoned dogs in Britain.
The popular Border Collie has been called many things: from bright, obedient, and versatile, to mad, bad and impossible. If you want to know the truth behind these conflicting labels, and what it takes to bring out the best, rather than the worst in your pet Collie, then this book is for you. It takes you into the Collie's mind, discussing the instincts, sensitivities and reflexes that drive this traaditional working breed and govern it's personality and behaviour.
Take a compelling look at the world of collie Rescue. Learn how to choose the best Collie for you, how to train it, how to care for the health of young or ageing Collies, and much much more.
The popular Border Collie has been called many things: from bright, obedient, and versatile, to mad, bad and impossible. If you want to know the truth behind these conflicting labels, and what it takes to bring out the best, rather than the worst in your pet Collie, then this book is for you. It takes you into the Collie's mind, discussing the instincts, sensitivities and reflexes that drive this traaditional working breed and govern it's personality and behaviour.
Take a compelling look at the world of collie Rescue. Learn how to choose the best Collie for you, how to train it, how to care for the health of young or ageing Collies, and much much more.
ABOUT BORDER COLLIES
The Border Collie was originally called A Working Sheepdog and was known as the shepherds companion. Border Collie is now the breed’s recognised title but you will still find that the International Sheep Dog Society’s registration cards read ‘this is to certify that The Working Sheepdog (Border Collie)is registered etc’. The Kennel Club’s classification of a Working Sheepdog can be a cross breed, i.e. a dog that looks like a collie but has no formal registration to prove its breeding. This often leads to some confusion and you will find more about it on our Breeding and Stud page. To shepherds and the majority of collie owners the title means a dog that works sheep and any dog with those capabilities will usually carry good breeding.
There are many misconceptions about this wonderful breed and many are born of a lack of knowledge and of ill informed information. There are many books and websites pouring out such information and causing confusion for both present and potential owners.
Farmers and shepherds did not breed purely for work ability and with little regard for temperament.
I was told many years ago when I was looking for a potential stud dog to find out what it had been like when it was younger, how difficult or had it been to train and to make sure it had the right temperament. What many people don’t realise when they give out this misrepresentation is that a good sheepdog must be able to handle the most truculent ewe and be able to switch in a second to a kind gentle mentor when moving new born lambs. It must be able to judge each flock or individual sheep and handle them or it accordingly, and it is of little use if it constantly wants to use its teeth.
Also we must use common sense when we hear such derogatory remarks, for the breed that we have today was bred by those same people who are being accused of not breeding for temperament, and those shepherds were the ones who kept breeding on good lines. If we have a problem in temperament today then we must look to modern and commercialised breeding for the root of the problem not to the ones who spent a century giving us strong gentle dogs.
So one myth expelled, the shepherds who bred these dogs originally did breed for good temperament. This isn’t to say they didn’t have throwbacks but those dogs didn’t go into the gene pool.
Border Collies do make good companions. I am tired of hearing rescue establishments say they don’t make good companions, and if their argument is that the more people they put off having a collie the less there will be in pet homes then what on earth are we going to do with them all. The supply by far exceeds the demand.
Mainline Megan, Loch’s daughter, eyeing her sheep and keen to go, happy to work and equally happy to meet people at seminars. Gentle, fun-loving and kind. To state that they should all be on working homes is fine but we don’t have enough shepherds or sheep in this country to provide them all with working homes. So let’s get real. They do not thrive on being kept shut in a house with no exercise, they do not enjoy being cooped up with no exercise, they don’t like being pulled and nipped by children, they don’t like being shouted at, but what dog does enjoy any of those things? Contrary to common belief collies are very sensitive, yes even the bolshy ones. The quieter and calmer these dogs are handled the better they respond. No, they don’t want to be at the top of a high rise flat but neither is the answer to buy an acre of land and let them run wild on it. They need parenting, they need to be loved, they need to belong and they need both mental and physical boundaries.
They don’t have to be doing agility or any other of the disciplines. Collies were around long before these events were ever thought of and they survived. In fact if not handled correctly some of the disciplines can really wind them up.
They do need a sensible low energy diet, they do need teaching how to walk on a lead and they do need a pack leader – not a dominant aggressive one, but one who understands them and their needs.
They don’t need hours of walking every day, they just need a sensible walk, some quiet and constructive mental stimulation and a quiet time to themselves where they can rest and actually enjoy their own company. Dogs are perfectly capable of being content and quiet if we allow them to be.
There are far too many collies in rescue and, sadly, many of them are young dogs who have been taken in to rescue because their owners can’t cope with them. This is not the fault of the breed and in many cases nor is it the fault of the owner, but a mixture of poor advice and training techniques that wind collies up rather than teach them patience.
My own line of dogs come from a very strong working strain, their ancestry dates back to the beginning of the stud book. They are bred to work, and they love it, they also accompany me on seminars and they work with children. Some of them live in the house and when away from home they will not disgrace themselves if they spend the night in a hotel. Meg, the start of my line, shepherded over a thousand sheep, we competed in nine National and one International Trial and she slept on my bed! Her progeny has in the past competed and succeeded in other disciplines and they are also in companion homes. Bred from strong working lines they have all the qualities needed to adapt to any situation and that includes working or simply being part of a family.
Good breeding is essential and I would urge anyone looking for a puppy not to be swayed by countless accolades, they mean nothing if the dog hasn’t been bred compatibly, you need to see parents, grandparents and any other sons and daughters. I would also recommend buying from someone who is breeding for a puppy for themselves rather than one of the many commercial breeders.
Before deciding on having a Border Collie you need to ask one question, “How much of myself am I prepared to give.” Border Collies are very intelligent and sensitive, being a part of your life for a game with a ball, a half hour walk or a weekly training session isn’t enough, they need to be part of your life and they need a leader who is strong, quiet, gentle and understanding. The dogs know what they need the rest is up to us.
Barbara Sykes MCFBA MBIPDT TLCB
Consultant in canine behaviour - TLC-Thinking Like Canines Training
Mainline Border Collie& Behavioural Centre and the Freedom of Spirit Trust for Border Collies rescue
There are many misconceptions about this wonderful breed and many are born of a lack of knowledge and of ill informed information. There are many books and websites pouring out such information and causing confusion for both present and potential owners.
Farmers and shepherds did not breed purely for work ability and with little regard for temperament.
I was told many years ago when I was looking for a potential stud dog to find out what it had been like when it was younger, how difficult or had it been to train and to make sure it had the right temperament. What many people don’t realise when they give out this misrepresentation is that a good sheepdog must be able to handle the most truculent ewe and be able to switch in a second to a kind gentle mentor when moving new born lambs. It must be able to judge each flock or individual sheep and handle them or it accordingly, and it is of little use if it constantly wants to use its teeth.
Also we must use common sense when we hear such derogatory remarks, for the breed that we have today was bred by those same people who are being accused of not breeding for temperament, and those shepherds were the ones who kept breeding on good lines. If we have a problem in temperament today then we must look to modern and commercialised breeding for the root of the problem not to the ones who spent a century giving us strong gentle dogs.
So one myth expelled, the shepherds who bred these dogs originally did breed for good temperament. This isn’t to say they didn’t have throwbacks but those dogs didn’t go into the gene pool.
Border Collies do make good companions. I am tired of hearing rescue establishments say they don’t make good companions, and if their argument is that the more people they put off having a collie the less there will be in pet homes then what on earth are we going to do with them all. The supply by far exceeds the demand.
Mainline Megan, Loch’s daughter, eyeing her sheep and keen to go, happy to work and equally happy to meet people at seminars. Gentle, fun-loving and kind. To state that they should all be on working homes is fine but we don’t have enough shepherds or sheep in this country to provide them all with working homes. So let’s get real. They do not thrive on being kept shut in a house with no exercise, they do not enjoy being cooped up with no exercise, they don’t like being pulled and nipped by children, they don’t like being shouted at, but what dog does enjoy any of those things? Contrary to common belief collies are very sensitive, yes even the bolshy ones. The quieter and calmer these dogs are handled the better they respond. No, they don’t want to be at the top of a high rise flat but neither is the answer to buy an acre of land and let them run wild on it. They need parenting, they need to be loved, they need to belong and they need both mental and physical boundaries.
They don’t have to be doing agility or any other of the disciplines. Collies were around long before these events were ever thought of and they survived. In fact if not handled correctly some of the disciplines can really wind them up.
They do need a sensible low energy diet, they do need teaching how to walk on a lead and they do need a pack leader – not a dominant aggressive one, but one who understands them and their needs.
They don’t need hours of walking every day, they just need a sensible walk, some quiet and constructive mental stimulation and a quiet time to themselves where they can rest and actually enjoy their own company. Dogs are perfectly capable of being content and quiet if we allow them to be.
There are far too many collies in rescue and, sadly, many of them are young dogs who have been taken in to rescue because their owners can’t cope with them. This is not the fault of the breed and in many cases nor is it the fault of the owner, but a mixture of poor advice and training techniques that wind collies up rather than teach them patience.
My own line of dogs come from a very strong working strain, their ancestry dates back to the beginning of the stud book. They are bred to work, and they love it, they also accompany me on seminars and they work with children. Some of them live in the house and when away from home they will not disgrace themselves if they spend the night in a hotel. Meg, the start of my line, shepherded over a thousand sheep, we competed in nine National and one International Trial and she slept on my bed! Her progeny has in the past competed and succeeded in other disciplines and they are also in companion homes. Bred from strong working lines they have all the qualities needed to adapt to any situation and that includes working or simply being part of a family.
Good breeding is essential and I would urge anyone looking for a puppy not to be swayed by countless accolades, they mean nothing if the dog hasn’t been bred compatibly, you need to see parents, grandparents and any other sons and daughters. I would also recommend buying from someone who is breeding for a puppy for themselves rather than one of the many commercial breeders.
Before deciding on having a Border Collie you need to ask one question, “How much of myself am I prepared to give.” Border Collies are very intelligent and sensitive, being a part of your life for a game with a ball, a half hour walk or a weekly training session isn’t enough, they need to be part of your life and they need a leader who is strong, quiet, gentle and understanding. The dogs know what they need the rest is up to us.
Barbara Sykes MCFBA MBIPDT TLCB
Consultant in canine behaviour - TLC-Thinking Like Canines Training
Mainline Border Collie& Behavioural Centre and the Freedom of Spirit Trust for Border Collies rescue
BRAIN GAMES FOR DOGS
By Claire Arrowsmith
Most dog owners would readily agree that it s important to keep pets physically fit and well-exercised for them to enjoy a good quality of life. But how many also think about what s going on inside their dogs heads? Bored dogs are notoriously prone to behavioral problems, such as exercise, barking, destructiveness and separation anxiety. As this fascinating book reveals, dogs also need mental stimulation to exercise their brains, boost their self confidence and strengthen the bond that they enjoy with their human families. Brain Games For Dogs is brilliantly conceived compendium of fun games, tricks and activities that you can enjoy with your dog that will help to stretch and challenge it mentally and allow it to enjoy a top quality workout for the mind. Illustrated throughout with newly commissioned colour studio photography Brain Games For Dogs emphasizes the pleasure of working together with a dog to tackle new challenges and of using the power to play to stimulate and unlock your dog s full mental potential.
© Barbara Sykes - Mainline Border Collie Centre
I wonder how many readers have walked out with their collie to have someone ask, “It isn’t pure bred is it?” And even worse, “What breed is it?” How dare they? Our much loved collies being maligned because they don’t understand all that’s gone into them!
It is true that they can come in many different shapes, sizes and colours but then has there ever really been a breed that has needed to be so versatile? The Border Collie’s first title was that of Sheepdog, a dog bred to be able to work sheep. The title and the breeding doesn’t mean it has to work sheep but its build and intelligence should be of such that it could work sheep. A sheepdog has to be capable of being able to do many different things, it has to be able to gather sheep in, to drive them away, to shed a number of sheep from a flock and then shed one from that number, but more importantly – it has to be a thinker! It’s no good sending a collie up a hill to gather sheep if it can’t work out it has to bring them all and not just the first ones it sees. Neither is it any good if it can’t figure out a way to let the shepherd know that it’s left one behind because it is poorly. It also has to have the sense to know that to leave a lame one behind could result in that sheep hobbling in a different direction and getting lost (making the job even harder for both man and dog!). From that intelligent realisation it then has to work out how to get the flock on its way back to the fold and to keep going back for the lame one without losing or endangering either. When the sheep are finally gathered in the dog’s work isn’t finished, it must know how to deal with truculent ewes and stubborn rams, how to be firm with giddy youngsters and then switch in the blink of an eye to a gentle guardian when a lost lamb needs to find its mother. Above all a sheepdog has to remain calm, if it becomes excitable it won’t be able to think clearly and then work, so sheep and shepherd will all be in a muddle. In the days before quad bikes and 4x4’s shepherd and dog would spend every day in each other’s company they would be on the same wave length and would understand each other with little need for words. Things have changed, there are fewer shepherds in our modern world working the hills and there are more companion dog owners but our dogs haven’t changed, they still need to use their brains, they still need less talk and more companionship and they still need to be kept calm. They also need to be understood as individuals explained perfectly in the quote: “If I have five different dogs, then I have to be five different men!” We all have to adapt to each dog, we can’t expect them to change for us. But with such variations in the breed we need to be able to identify the different characteristics in each dog to be able to understand them? From the above paragraph we can see why our ancestors needed to breed something special but how did they get them to be so intelligent and versatile?
We are not the founders of the collie, we have not discovered something amazing, our ancestors did that! Centuries before the industrial revolution, Britain's wealth was built on wool. Domestic sheep were herded by Neolithic man and its likely sheepdogs were associated with him as well. The Romans brought pastoral dogs to Britain as they did sheep and John Caius, a doctor writing in the 1500s, mentions the "shepherd's dogge", in fact his could be the earliest reference to the way British sheepdogs worked. But these were collies in the making, they hadn’t quite got there so long ago. Other breeds will have been into introduced into the gene pool over hundreds of years to try and perfect what was already on its way to being one of the longest established breeds of working dogs.
Greyhounds are reputed to be connected to ancient Egypt, where depictions of smooth-coated sighthound types have been found such as the Saluki but analyses of DNA reported in 2004 suggest that the Greyhound is not closely related to these breeds but is a close relative to herding dogs. The turn of speed a greyhound can introduce into a herding dog would be valuable
Deerhounds have a number of characteristics that set them apart. While not as fast as a Greyhound on a smooth, firm surface, once the going gets rough or heavy they can outrun a Greyhound. The environment in which they worked, the cool, often wet, and hilly Scottish Highland Glens, contributed to the larger, rough-coated appearance of the breed and would provide the stamina and agile body needed in a shepherd’s hill dog.
In 1790, Thomas Bewick wrote, ‘The Cur Dog is a trusty and useful servant to the farmer and grazier and, although it is not taken notice of by naturalists as a distinct race, it is now so generally used, especially in the North of England, and such great attention is paid in breeding it, that we cannot help considering it as a permanent kind. They are mostly black and white in colour with their ears are half-pricked’.
Unlike many canids, foxes are not usually pack animals. Typically, they live in small family groups, and are opportunistic feeders that hunt live prey such as rodents, grasshoppers and insects using a pouncing technique practised from an early age. Foxes are omnivores and their diet also includes a wide variety of fruits and berries.
In the last two hundred years we have gone from around forty breeds of dogs to over four hundred breeds but dogs are dogs and they all come from the same foundation Canis Lupus. Wolves are social predators their packs are small and resemble a family unit usually consisting of biological offspring and occasionally adopted subordinates. Wolf is the foundation of all our dogs and the forty breeds evolved from a human need for help to speed up, or protect, certain aspects of their lives. Coach dogs, guarding dogs, dogs to hunt vermin, dogs to hunt for food, dogs to protect sheep and cattle, dogs to herd sheep and cattle, the list is endless but the main criteria all those years ago was only to mix breeding to improve upon the existing breed’s ability to do the job it was needed for – not for appearance or human gain, other than ease of work and safety.
Border Collies as we know them today didn’t suddenly materialise, the breed is a result of careful breeding by such people as Adam Telfer with Hemp, born in 1893. This great dog was followed by such masters as Kep, 1901, who could control sheep with his strong eye. Wilson’s Cap who lived through the war years and had no trialling career but sired many amazing pups, proving that accolades are not as important as good breeding, and from Cap’s line came the great Wiston Cap in 1963. The shepherds who bred these dogs and many others like them worked hard to keep the strong lines of the breed secure, but their predecessors worked just as hard and probably without realising what a great gift they were leaving for these shepherds.
A Border Collie needs to be able to produce speed – Greyhound. Some collies have to be able to produce speed and be agile on hilly and rough ground – Deerhound. A wish to serve, be loyal and work on the land alongside human beings – The Cur. Be able to work large animals such as cattle and not be phased by their size – The Wolf. Put all these into the gene pool over a period of hundreds of years and bingo, you have the foundation genes to create the perfect working companion – the Border Collie.
There are many small boned Border Collies to be seen they are fox like in appearance with fine features, quick movements and can often be quite shy and nervous of strangers. They will like to dig and if they are frightened are not beyond burying themselves in the undergrowth or even digging a hole to hide in. These dogs are usually very intelligent but also very sensitive, they need careful handling and often don’t mature and feel confident until they reach four or five years old. Their part in the gene pool is to provide stealth and cunning and to be able to ‘read’ a situation before deciding how to deal with it. These dogs can work on their own initiative once they feel confident in their handler.
Larger collies are often steadier than the fox like ones and although sensitive to situations are not as easily affected by them. They will bring speed to the gene pool and a brave heart but the faster ones will not be as nimble as the smaller ones. The medium ones will bring both speed and stamina, able to work on the hills and although not as fast as others they will be far more able to work on rough ground. Often these dogs will work a large flock and the more fox like ones will use their cunning to seek out and outwit sheep that have gone astray.
So how many times have you seen a collie that is lean and resembles a greyhound, or one lean but with a long coat, or a small fox like one and been told they are a collie cross? Collies come in all shapes and sizes, a variety of colours and coat lengths and textures. Are they crosses? To be honest every breed is a result of a crossing of breeds going right back to the wolf and then to a time when man discovered that to breed crosses correctly gave him a working companion. But once the line being bred has reached its optimum then it’s the time to stop and appreciate the quality, because to carry on mixing can introduce faults. Rather like a Christmas cake it doesn’t matter who originally decided what the recipe should be like it is now generally accepted that a Christmas cake has fruit, nuts, cherries, marzipan and icing. The recipe can be adjusted slightly, cherries can be left out if not liked but the rest of the fruit weight must be adjusted. Nuts can be left out but there still needs to be an adjustment to the recipe. If adjustments aren’t made the recipe becomes unbalanced and the cake can crumble, if too much is altered the cake ceases to be a Christmas cake!
The foundation for our beloved Border Collies has been developed over hundreds of years and in the last two hundred years it has become the ultimate working companion – the best of the best.
In the next issue: recognising and understand the different characteristics and how colour genes can pass on family traits.
© Barbara Sykes
Mainline Border Collie Centre
http://www.bordercollies.co.uk/
It is true that they can come in many different shapes, sizes and colours but then has there ever really been a breed that has needed to be so versatile? The Border Collie’s first title was that of Sheepdog, a dog bred to be able to work sheep. The title and the breeding doesn’t mean it has to work sheep but its build and intelligence should be of such that it could work sheep. A sheepdog has to be capable of being able to do many different things, it has to be able to gather sheep in, to drive them away, to shed a number of sheep from a flock and then shed one from that number, but more importantly – it has to be a thinker! It’s no good sending a collie up a hill to gather sheep if it can’t work out it has to bring them all and not just the first ones it sees. Neither is it any good if it can’t figure out a way to let the shepherd know that it’s left one behind because it is poorly. It also has to have the sense to know that to leave a lame one behind could result in that sheep hobbling in a different direction and getting lost (making the job even harder for both man and dog!). From that intelligent realisation it then has to work out how to get the flock on its way back to the fold and to keep going back for the lame one without losing or endangering either. When the sheep are finally gathered in the dog’s work isn’t finished, it must know how to deal with truculent ewes and stubborn rams, how to be firm with giddy youngsters and then switch in the blink of an eye to a gentle guardian when a lost lamb needs to find its mother. Above all a sheepdog has to remain calm, if it becomes excitable it won’t be able to think clearly and then work, so sheep and shepherd will all be in a muddle. In the days before quad bikes and 4x4’s shepherd and dog would spend every day in each other’s company they would be on the same wave length and would understand each other with little need for words. Things have changed, there are fewer shepherds in our modern world working the hills and there are more companion dog owners but our dogs haven’t changed, they still need to use their brains, they still need less talk and more companionship and they still need to be kept calm. They also need to be understood as individuals explained perfectly in the quote: “If I have five different dogs, then I have to be five different men!” We all have to adapt to each dog, we can’t expect them to change for us. But with such variations in the breed we need to be able to identify the different characteristics in each dog to be able to understand them? From the above paragraph we can see why our ancestors needed to breed something special but how did they get them to be so intelligent and versatile?
We are not the founders of the collie, we have not discovered something amazing, our ancestors did that! Centuries before the industrial revolution, Britain's wealth was built on wool. Domestic sheep were herded by Neolithic man and its likely sheepdogs were associated with him as well. The Romans brought pastoral dogs to Britain as they did sheep and John Caius, a doctor writing in the 1500s, mentions the "shepherd's dogge", in fact his could be the earliest reference to the way British sheepdogs worked. But these were collies in the making, they hadn’t quite got there so long ago. Other breeds will have been into introduced into the gene pool over hundreds of years to try and perfect what was already on its way to being one of the longest established breeds of working dogs.
Greyhounds are reputed to be connected to ancient Egypt, where depictions of smooth-coated sighthound types have been found such as the Saluki but analyses of DNA reported in 2004 suggest that the Greyhound is not closely related to these breeds but is a close relative to herding dogs. The turn of speed a greyhound can introduce into a herding dog would be valuable
Deerhounds have a number of characteristics that set them apart. While not as fast as a Greyhound on a smooth, firm surface, once the going gets rough or heavy they can outrun a Greyhound. The environment in which they worked, the cool, often wet, and hilly Scottish Highland Glens, contributed to the larger, rough-coated appearance of the breed and would provide the stamina and agile body needed in a shepherd’s hill dog.
In 1790, Thomas Bewick wrote, ‘The Cur Dog is a trusty and useful servant to the farmer and grazier and, although it is not taken notice of by naturalists as a distinct race, it is now so generally used, especially in the North of England, and such great attention is paid in breeding it, that we cannot help considering it as a permanent kind. They are mostly black and white in colour with their ears are half-pricked’.
Unlike many canids, foxes are not usually pack animals. Typically, they live in small family groups, and are opportunistic feeders that hunt live prey such as rodents, grasshoppers and insects using a pouncing technique practised from an early age. Foxes are omnivores and their diet also includes a wide variety of fruits and berries.
In the last two hundred years we have gone from around forty breeds of dogs to over four hundred breeds but dogs are dogs and they all come from the same foundation Canis Lupus. Wolves are social predators their packs are small and resemble a family unit usually consisting of biological offspring and occasionally adopted subordinates. Wolf is the foundation of all our dogs and the forty breeds evolved from a human need for help to speed up, or protect, certain aspects of their lives. Coach dogs, guarding dogs, dogs to hunt vermin, dogs to hunt for food, dogs to protect sheep and cattle, dogs to herd sheep and cattle, the list is endless but the main criteria all those years ago was only to mix breeding to improve upon the existing breed’s ability to do the job it was needed for – not for appearance or human gain, other than ease of work and safety.
Border Collies as we know them today didn’t suddenly materialise, the breed is a result of careful breeding by such people as Adam Telfer with Hemp, born in 1893. This great dog was followed by such masters as Kep, 1901, who could control sheep with his strong eye. Wilson’s Cap who lived through the war years and had no trialling career but sired many amazing pups, proving that accolades are not as important as good breeding, and from Cap’s line came the great Wiston Cap in 1963. The shepherds who bred these dogs and many others like them worked hard to keep the strong lines of the breed secure, but their predecessors worked just as hard and probably without realising what a great gift they were leaving for these shepherds.
A Border Collie needs to be able to produce speed – Greyhound. Some collies have to be able to produce speed and be agile on hilly and rough ground – Deerhound. A wish to serve, be loyal and work on the land alongside human beings – The Cur. Be able to work large animals such as cattle and not be phased by their size – The Wolf. Put all these into the gene pool over a period of hundreds of years and bingo, you have the foundation genes to create the perfect working companion – the Border Collie.
There are many small boned Border Collies to be seen they are fox like in appearance with fine features, quick movements and can often be quite shy and nervous of strangers. They will like to dig and if they are frightened are not beyond burying themselves in the undergrowth or even digging a hole to hide in. These dogs are usually very intelligent but also very sensitive, they need careful handling and often don’t mature and feel confident until they reach four or five years old. Their part in the gene pool is to provide stealth and cunning and to be able to ‘read’ a situation before deciding how to deal with it. These dogs can work on their own initiative once they feel confident in their handler.
Larger collies are often steadier than the fox like ones and although sensitive to situations are not as easily affected by them. They will bring speed to the gene pool and a brave heart but the faster ones will not be as nimble as the smaller ones. The medium ones will bring both speed and stamina, able to work on the hills and although not as fast as others they will be far more able to work on rough ground. Often these dogs will work a large flock and the more fox like ones will use their cunning to seek out and outwit sheep that have gone astray.
So how many times have you seen a collie that is lean and resembles a greyhound, or one lean but with a long coat, or a small fox like one and been told they are a collie cross? Collies come in all shapes and sizes, a variety of colours and coat lengths and textures. Are they crosses? To be honest every breed is a result of a crossing of breeds going right back to the wolf and then to a time when man discovered that to breed crosses correctly gave him a working companion. But once the line being bred has reached its optimum then it’s the time to stop and appreciate the quality, because to carry on mixing can introduce faults. Rather like a Christmas cake it doesn’t matter who originally decided what the recipe should be like it is now generally accepted that a Christmas cake has fruit, nuts, cherries, marzipan and icing. The recipe can be adjusted slightly, cherries can be left out if not liked but the rest of the fruit weight must be adjusted. Nuts can be left out but there still needs to be an adjustment to the recipe. If adjustments aren’t made the recipe becomes unbalanced and the cake can crumble, if too much is altered the cake ceases to be a Christmas cake!
The foundation for our beloved Border Collies has been developed over hundreds of years and in the last two hundred years it has become the ultimate working companion – the best of the best.
In the next issue: recognising and understand the different characteristics and how colour genes can pass on family traits.
© Barbara Sykes
Mainline Border Collie Centre
http://www.bordercollies.co.uk/
Border Collies by Baxter Black
Just a word about one of the greatest genetic creations on the face of this earth........the Border Collie.
Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall fences in a single bound.
The dog that all sheep talk about but never want to meet. The fur that legends are made of.
Makes coyotes cringe, sheep trip the light fantastic, and eagles soar somewhere else.
Invested with the energy of a litter of puppies, the work ethics of a boat person, and the loyalty of Lassie, they ply their trade on sagebrush flats, grassy fields, and precipitous peaks from sea to shining sea.
"Away to me!" I command. They streak and sail, zipping like pucks on the ice. Black-and-white hummingbirds, in out, up down, come by.
Sheep. With head up, one eye cocked over their shoulder asking directions. To the gate through the race. Mighty dog moves behind the bunch like a towboat pushing barges around a bend.
And heart. Do they try? "Just let me at'em, Dad!" Stay. "C'mon, I'm ready!" Stay. "Can't you feel me hummin'! Listen to my heart! It's purrin' like a cat! I am primed! Aim me, point me, pull the trigger!"
"Away to me!" It makes me feel like Robin Hood. He leaves my side like an arrow.
Workin' dogs is like manipulating a screwdriver with chopsticks. Like doing calligraphy with a plastic whip. Like bobbing for apples. Like threading a needle with no hands. Like playing pool on the kitchen table.
There are no straight lines in nature. Only arcs. Great sweeping curves of sight and thought and voice and dog. Always having to lead your command about a dog's length.
Sheep bunched like logs on the river. Dogs paddling in the current. Always pushing upstream. A ewe breaks loose. Then another, another. The log jam breaks. Dogs and sheep tumble about in the white water.
Calm again, they start back upstream.
Border collies. Are they truly smarter than a chimpanzee? Cuddlier than a Koala? More dedicated than Batman's valet?
Can they change course in midair? Drag Nell from the tracks and locate the missing microfilm?
Yes. I believe they can. They are the best of the best, the epitome of "above and beyond the call of duty." Head dog. Top Gun. I salute you, for man has never had a better friend.
Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap tall fences in a single bound.
The dog that all sheep talk about but never want to meet. The fur that legends are made of.
Makes coyotes cringe, sheep trip the light fantastic, and eagles soar somewhere else.
Invested with the energy of a litter of puppies, the work ethics of a boat person, and the loyalty of Lassie, they ply their trade on sagebrush flats, grassy fields, and precipitous peaks from sea to shining sea.
"Away to me!" I command. They streak and sail, zipping like pucks on the ice. Black-and-white hummingbirds, in out, up down, come by.
Sheep. With head up, one eye cocked over their shoulder asking directions. To the gate through the race. Mighty dog moves behind the bunch like a towboat pushing barges around a bend.
And heart. Do they try? "Just let me at'em, Dad!" Stay. "C'mon, I'm ready!" Stay. "Can't you feel me hummin'! Listen to my heart! It's purrin' like a cat! I am primed! Aim me, point me, pull the trigger!"
"Away to me!" It makes me feel like Robin Hood. He leaves my side like an arrow.
Workin' dogs is like manipulating a screwdriver with chopsticks. Like doing calligraphy with a plastic whip. Like bobbing for apples. Like threading a needle with no hands. Like playing pool on the kitchen table.
There are no straight lines in nature. Only arcs. Great sweeping curves of sight and thought and voice and dog. Always having to lead your command about a dog's length.
Sheep bunched like logs on the river. Dogs paddling in the current. Always pushing upstream. A ewe breaks loose. Then another, another. The log jam breaks. Dogs and sheep tumble about in the white water.
Calm again, they start back upstream.
Border collies. Are they truly smarter than a chimpanzee? Cuddlier than a Koala? More dedicated than Batman's valet?
Can they change course in midair? Drag Nell from the tracks and locate the missing microfilm?
Yes. I believe they can. They are the best of the best, the epitome of "above and beyond the call of duty." Head dog. Top Gun. I salute you, for man has never had a better friend.
Rescuer's
Rainbow Bridge
Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before. But the animals who had been waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch
It wasn't long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often.
He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the
happier he would be. But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barredby the appearance of an Angel who apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their people could pass over
Rainbow Bridge.
With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also elderly and infirm. They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green
grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting.
One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for awhile to explain it to him.
"You see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to rescue just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer
to comfort him as he left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge."
The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?" As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom lifted. Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single
person and among the older animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all young and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life.
"Watch, and see.", said the second animal. A second group of animals from those waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears.
The newly restored animals fell into line and followed him towards The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together.
"What happened?"
"That was a rescuer. The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of her work. They will cross when their new families arrive. Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer
arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they couldn't place on earth across The Rainbow Bridge."
"I think I like rescuers", said the first animal.
"So does GOD", was the reply.
Rainbow Bridge
Unlike most days at Rainbow Bridge, this day dawned cold and gray, damp as a swamp and as dismal as could be imagined. All of the recent arrivals had no idea what to think, as they had never experienced a day like this before. But the animals who had been waiting for their beloved people knew exactly what was going on and started to gather at the pathway leading to The Bridge to watch
It wasn't long before an elderly animal came into view, head hung low and tail dragging. The other animals, the ones who had been there for a while, knew what his story was right away, for they had seen this happen far too often.
He approached slowly, obviously in great emotional pain, but with no sign of injury or illness. Unlike all of the other animals waiting at The Bridge, this animal had not been restored to youth and made healthy and vigorous again. As he walked toward The Bridge, he watched all of the other animals watching him. He knew he was out of place here and the sooner he could cross over, the
happier he would be. But, alas, as he approached The Bridge, his way was barredby the appearance of an Angel who apologized, but told him that he would not be able to pass. Only those animals who were with their people could pass over
Rainbow Bridge.
With no place else to turn to, the elderly animal turned towards the fields before The Bridge and saw a group of other animals like himself, also elderly and infirm. They weren't playing, but rather simply lying on the green
grass, forlornly staring out at the pathway leading to The Bridge. And so, he took his place among them, watching the pathway and waiting.
One of the newest arrivals at The Bridge didn't understand what he had just witnessed and asked one of the animals that had been there for awhile to explain it to him.
"You see, that poor animal was a rescue. He was turned in to rescue just as you see him now, an older animal with his fur graying and his eyes clouding. He never made it out of rescue and passed on with only the love of his rescuer
to comfort him as he left his earthly existence. Because he had no family to give his love to, he has no one to escort him across The Bridge."
The first animal thought about this for a minute and then asked, "So what will happen now?" As he was about to receive his answer, the clouds suddenly parted and the gloom lifted. Approaching The Bridge could be seen a single
person and among the older animals, a whole group was suddenly bathed in a golden light and they were all young and healthy again, just as they were in the prime of life.
"Watch, and see.", said the second animal. A second group of animals from those waiting came to the pathway and bowed low as the person neared. At each bowed head, the person offered a pat on the head or a scratch behind the ears.
The newly restored animals fell into line and followed him towards The Bridge. They all crossed The Bridge together.
"What happened?"
"That was a rescuer. The animals you saw bowing in respect were those who found new homes because of her work. They will cross when their new families arrive. Those you saw restored were those who never found homes. When a rescuer
arrives, they are allowed to perform one, final act of rescue. They are allowed to escort those poor animals that they couldn't place on earth across The Rainbow Bridge."
"I think I like rescuers", said the first animal.
"So does GOD", was the reply.
A cry in the dark
Not born to run through fields of gold, here to breed and puppies sold.
... No room to turn inside this crate, wasted body, only here to mate.
No arms to hold my weakened head. A desolate barn, no permanent bed.
Never to run through woods of umber, puppies sired with countless number.
Tiny bodies with faults untold, sold for profit, from sordid fold.
My amber eyes are blind to light, my matted coat in dreadful plight.
No kind hand to caress my head, my babies are taken too soon instead.
No warm breeze upon my face. Help me to leave this cursed place.
My cry in the dark will not shield me from harm.
So turn and abhor the puppy farm.
****
... No room to turn inside this crate, wasted body, only here to mate.
No arms to hold my weakened head. A desolate barn, no permanent bed.
Never to run through woods of umber, puppies sired with countless number.
Tiny bodies with faults untold, sold for profit, from sordid fold.
My amber eyes are blind to light, my matted coat in dreadful plight.
No kind hand to caress my head, my babies are taken too soon instead.
No warm breeze upon my face. Help me to leave this cursed place.
My cry in the dark will not shield me from harm.
So turn and abhor the puppy farm.
****