and you let me come back with a borderjack???
A shelter up North in BC was looking for some help with some of their residents, and I happened across a crosspost from an all-breed rescue on Facebook, and offered to take their border collies. There were two.
Tripp, an 8 month old puppy, whom we decided was a borderjack based on this photo:
and Vaeda, whom was listed as an “Italian Greyhound mix.” We all had a good laugh about that – I mean look at her, she was obviously a smooth coat border collie bitch:
So this morning the shelter put them on a plane, and I zipped over to the airport to collect them. I was most unhappy about this, it being my first day off in the last 7, and I had planned to sleep in really really late and then be really really lazy. And because they arrived rather suddenly (didn’t know they were coming until last night!) the only foster home I could line up for Tripp the borderjack was in North Van. Which meant doing that commute for the EIGHTH day in a row. Gah.
You’ll have to imagine the look of shock on my face when they were wheeled out of the cargo terminal, and Tripp turned out to be a 45 lb border collie X labrador retriever puppy – a great big goofy giant pawed puppy.
And Vaeda, the smooth coat border collie bitch?
Yeahno.
She’s a whopping 15 lbs and looks like – as my boss so eloquently put it – a greased weasel. She makes the WooTWoo look big! She could be an Italian Greyhound mix, but I’d bet a large sum of cash on her being a borderjack.
I tried to get a to-scale photo of her with another dog so you could all see how SMALL she is, but I had some difficulty getting her to stop standing on my feet or hugging my thigh. She’s not at all nervous (she is actually really outgoing and sociable), just seems really grateful to have a human of her own to bond to and reluctant to let me out of her sight.
Of course, she may also have been looking for protection from the Devil Dog that was shooting her malevolent glances out of the corner of his eye.
Despite her glued-to-me-edness, I left a leash dragging just in case she decided to bolt, a la Poutine. Fool me once, etc.! And she is fast like stink, so there’s no way I’d catch her if she decided to run.
But it’s okay; Woo’s got it covered, and isn’t going to let her go anywhere.
The other dogs aren’t sure what to make of her. They have experience with Jacks, and borderjacks, none of it good. The thing that tells me the most she is in fact a borderjack is that they all immediately gave her a wide berth. At one point I was giving Tweed a cookie and she jumped up, put her paws on his head, and stole the cookie right out of his mouth – and he did NOTHING. That never happens.
Dexter thinks she is fun for like, a minute, but then she’s too slow for him and he’s bored of her. For as fast as she is, nothing can keep up with the world’s speediest giraffe.
TWooie and I have practiced a lot of cookies-whenever-the-new-dog-is-around and he was mostly doing really good, but he occasionally requires a firm scolding.
And Piper’s taking it out on her hockey ball.
I have 4 days off, so I’m looking forward to getting to know “Bounce” (her new name, as she does that a lot). Unless you can think of a better name for her … I was also toying with “Spring.”
I am also looking forward to firing up my new gas weedeater and taking on some of the property. For while the season of buttercups is coming to an end, the season of daisies has arrived.
And if you’re interested in Bounce / Spring … she’ll be up on the website soon for adoption, so watch for her!
Kim says
If she bounces that much I would say borderjack :) I like the name Boing
The Food Lady says
Can’t use “Boing” – that’s a command for Piper!
Adrienne says
Bounce, definitely Bounce. And she is gorgeous and looks very like a dog I would be likely to add to my menagerie. Sometime in the far future… lol
Carol says
There’s always Pogo. But I like both Spring and Bounce. Weasel would be cute, too. So many naming ops!
Toni says
What a great lookin’ flyball dog!!!!!!!
Natalie says
It’s amazing what a difference photo angles make! Wow. Surprise! I like Spring, it’s cute. :)
Carolynn says
Oh my gosh “Bounce” is the spitting miniature image of my Beth. Amazing how different they look in person than their pictures.
M.E. says
A few weeks ago you mentioned how overwhelming the buttercups have become. Recently, I heard Brian Minter, a well-respected gardening expert, mention that vinegar is effective. Its purported downside is that it kills everything. If so, it would be bound to kill daisies too.
As always, I’m loving your saga. Was Turtle Gardens the northerly rescue these latest two arrivals came from?
skeeter says
The new rescues are absolutely gorgeous! Here are some other names for bounce:
Brio- italian for lively
Pogo
or just beans cause she’s full of beans?
Beep and Poppet says
Oh my gosh!!!! Is that Boss’s sister:) Bad and evil those Border/Jack’s, but oh so much fun!
The Food Lady says
Vinegar does work, but I have a huge area to do, so it’s not a super practical solution for me. I do use it on weeds in the gravel driveway sometimes though.
No, these are guys aren’t from TG – they are from a Humane Society up North!
Paula says
She’s adorable!
sheila says
I had a foster that they said was a doxie mix, yep mixed with a bag of springs maybe. I called her Joy. As in Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy. ! I had a chi and 2 lab puppies at the same time and she drove them all nuts. LOL Took her to doggy day care and she wore out all the big dogs there and was still going. She was a hoot. Good luck with your bounceing new baby.
Alice says
My oh my–your boing-y borderjack is a treat! My vote is for Brio, just because it’s unusual but not hard to say.
As for your weeds, I’ve been told that Sunlight dish detergent will kill anything if you water it down and spray it (i.e. with a hose attachment). Boiling water can also be used, but I can’t see our hero the FL chucking pots off the porch and racing back in to put the kettle on. Perhaps the weed eating followed by diluted vinegar spray once things are at a manageable length?
Debra says
Three things to say:
* you have a very good heart
* good luck
* enjoy your days off
Mary says
Oh man….whatever she is, she makes me all melty inside.
Crystal says
Ah man, she looks gorgeous. I would love to take her for flyball. I liked the idea of the name Brio someone suggested above. If she ended up in my home, the name would probably be Brizz. Not sure why, but from the pictures at least, it seems like it would fit her.
Good luck fighting the daisies. Maybe just go with it, start making daisy chains, and give all the dogs a daisy crown to wear every day?
Beep and Poppet says
I didn’t think Bounce/Brio/Greased Weasel was Boss’s sister, but this could be. http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/19993160?mtf=1 About the right place too.
StupidSmartDogs says
Oh how I want Tripp. Or bounce/spring. Or any dog really. Just Tripp looks sooooooo cute <3
Shelley says
Oh my gosh, she is so cute and tiny! Wish I lived in B.C. so I could snatch her up ;) Unfortunately I’m over by Toronto, so don’t think that is possible :( I’ve been looking for a small agility dog, hopefully a BC, or BC mix. Hope she finds a great home!
Amber says
She really reminds me of the Border Collie/Whippet mixes I’ve seen on facebook.
jackie says
I have an Italian greyhound/border collie mix & your dog looks a lot like her, especially in the face.