DUKE

Male, 1 year, 41 lbs

DUKE is a happy, delightful, and active boy about 1 year of age and 41 lbs. He has a soft black & white smooth coat with just a hint of tri-color highlighting in a couple spots. He loves being with his people. DUKE also gets along well with his foster dog siblings, both male and female alike.

DUKE loves mealtime and appreciates treats for being a good boy (you cannot say “good boy” enough). Training with DUKE is a lot of fun as he is both food and praise motivated (maybe slightly more praise). He is doing well with basic commands like “sit” and “crate.” He is starting to understand “wait” and “ok,” but recall needs some work. When undistracted he responds to being called by name, to whistles, and to claps, but we live next to a park. A dog barking or auto / motorcycle noise makes recall a little challenging, but he’s getting there.

If you have viewed his photos and videos you can tell DUKE’s favorite toy is that dirty old purple ball (which we will clean up and send along with him). He’ll chase it, pick it up, and so proudly run around with it in his mouth, then flop down and play with it. He is pretty good at “find the ball” and is just starting to get “bring it.” He’d still rather be petted and loved on and will leave the ball for those perks. DUKE constantly checks for validation when on a leash or walking near you. He’ll run ahead, get so far, then turn on a dime and head back to you to make sure he’s doing right. He does need some leash work as he tends to drift side to side, but overall not bad for being here such a short time (about a week).

DUKE can be shy in new experiences but is gaining confidence at a very good rate. Positive reinforcement and letting him know when things are ok and not ok are really helping him. Duke is crate-trained. He sleeps quietly in his crate all night, and after a few minutes settles nicely during the day for down time. He is doing well with his house training. Letting him know right off the bat it was not ok to lift his leg in the house has really hit home. Since that first day we have not seen any attempts at going potty inside. Unfortunately, DUKE does not get unsupervised free time in the house as he is trouble for the kitties. He will need a cat-free environment. When he is out the cats are locked safely in one of the bedrooms. Other than bothering the felines, DUKE has been an excellent houseguest.

DUKE is looking for an active home where he would get a lot of, or even all, of the attention. He’d be fine as an only dog, but would also enjoy having an active brother or sister to learn from and be a play partner. If you are looking for a smart, fun, active border collie that wants to be included in all (and I do mean all) of your activities, please reach out. DUKE is waiting to hear from you.

DUKE is micro-chipped, spayed, heartworm negative and on preventative, and up-to-date on vaccinations. If you have an approved Northern California Border Collie Rescue & Adoptions Adoption Application (https://norcalbcrescue.org/adoption/adoption-application/) and wish to inquire about DUKE, please email us at Adoptions@norcalbcrescue.org. If you do not have an approved application, or it has been over a year since applying, please fill out a new application here Adoption Application.

DUKE is being fostered north of Corning in Tehama County, CA.