SOPHIE

Female, 1 year, 40 lbs

Sophie is a little cutie, a lovely mix of border collie energy and Aussie sassiness. Sophie is about one year old and is 40 pounds of pure lap-dog affection. She is also very much a puppy, and it shows. Her puppy antics are adorable. She is a girl who just wants to have fun, fun, fun!

Sophie’s soft, medium-length coat is a beautiful blend of auburn (red) with strawberry highlights, and her little bob tail is too cute, especially when it wiggles in delight. Everyone who sees her comments that she is simply gorgeous! Sophie is also a friendly girl, and she is good with both adults and older dog-savvy children. She may have too much energy and enthusiasm for smaller children.

Sophie is a high energy girl, who needs lots of stimulating mental and physical daily exercise to be calm and at her best. Although she is very lovable, Sophie is not a clingy dog. She can even be a little independent and sassy at times. After play, she delights in belly rubs, leg massages, nose kisses, and as crazy as it sounds, Sophie loves being dried with a towel after she gets wet because this girl loves the water.

Sophie is also crazy for car rides, and she is a great traveler, too. She has been known to sit by her foster mom’s car door, waiting for what must seem like forever until the car door opens and Sophie can jump right in! She is always ready to go off on an adventure or to just accompany her foster mom when she run errands.

Although she loves and plays nicely with other friendly dogs, big and small, she would be just as happy to be an only dog. Sophie can get a little bit jealous when her foster sister gets attention and will push her way in to get all the attention for herself. That said, Sophie isn’t aggressive at all, and she has never shown any type of aggressive behavior in her foster home.

Sophie has mastered some basic manners, i.e., sit, lay down, sit up, and wait/stay (at the door). She has even learned to do some silly tricks like spin, weave, and shake. Her recall is good, but she does sometimes get focused on an interesting smell and takes her time; she eventually gets the message and comes running. She would benefit from continued recall training. Sometimes Sophie will walk her foster mom on the leash rather than the other way around, so additional training there would also be a benefit. Sophie is crate trained. She willingly goes into her crate, especially if her foster mom tosses a treat in, and she stays quietly in her crate until it’s time to come out. Sophie isn’t an obnoxious barker, but she will bark to alert you to something she feels needs your attention. Simply acknowledging her helps calm her right away, redirecting her attention.

Like most young border collies, Sophie is still learning. To become the best girl she can be, she would benefit from further training with someone who has experience. Her foster mom says she is an eager student who wants to learn. She is treat-motivated and toy-motivated, and she is focused during training sessions. However, being young, she will sometimes get distracted if other dogs are around when she’s being asked to learn something new. A quiet training environment works best with Sophie.

Sophie is a very fast runner and sometimes gets the “zoomies” first thing in the morning when let outside to go potty. With proper training, she might do well at agility or one of the other fun dog sports. This girl’s nose is keen, and she loves to explore all the different smells in her world, so she might even enjoy canine scent work. Activities like these could also help her channel her energy in a positive direction.

Sophie is a sweet, young pup, who will thrive with an experienced adopter, someone dedicated to further developing her potential. Her foster mom sees that potential each time she works with Sophie. We’d be pleased to talk to you if you have the experience, time, and most of all the desire to help Sophie grow into that awesome companion we know she can be. She will reward your commitment to her tenfold!

SOPHIE 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 SOPHIE, 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.

SOPHIE is fostering in Nevada City in Nevada County, CA.