Jake, the Teddy Bear Border Collie~Adopted

The moment I saw Jake off transport, he looked shocked and lost.  He looked at his surroundings and the people waiting to meet him, not with fear, but with confusion.  He got out of the transport vehicle without a problem, and willingly followed me on leash without hesitation.  He was greeted by other dogs, Fly Boy being one of them.

Once Sarah White pulled out a pouch of treats, we were shocked to see him sit, shake, drop, and roll over on his back to get a hug.  After about an hour, he was much more relaxed, however, after being in a car for more than ten hours, I knew he must have been exhausted.

At the shelter, Jake was nervous and depressed.  The employees there suspect that he has been a house dog all of his life, and the shelter surroundings really spooked him.    Employees said that Jake would not stop barking, and his constant chatter was making the other dogs nervous.  Jake’s behavior put him at risk for euthanasia.  A volunteer was asked to work with Jake, and after a few days, Jake adjusted to shelter life.

Everyone that I have spoken to about Jake agrees that he was once not only loved, but adored.  Dogs that have been strays or dogs that have not been well cared for have some degree of matting behind their ears.  Jake is very well groomed, and heartworm negative.  Is he really three years old?  His teeth whiter than China’s, and China is only a year old.

I believe that Jake only knows one home, one yard, and one master (or family).  He has not been abused, or dealt with a heavy hand, he has not been scolded for he does not cower.

When I walked him into my back yard he did not do as other dogs do.  He did not sniff and mark all over, he was not interested in water, nor did he wander around to relieve himself.  He went straight to my gate and looked back at me.  He sat at the gate for a while, which is something I have only seen once before.  I sunk in my seat and wanted to bawl.  He looked back at me again, but stood guard at the gate.  Jake wanted to go home.  How do you explain to a dog that you don’t know where his home is, and that he’s over 500 miles away.  Then it made sense, why he was barking at the shelter, he was barking to go home.

I spent some time with him, gave him his dinner, and said goodnight to Jake.  The next morning, he warmed up to me a bit more, giving me his paw, but I could tell he was still very tired.  Jake is fully rested now.  He has met several new people (as my house can be a bit on the lively side) and has greeted everyone politely.

He is wonderful with my pack, and even some little dogs that come over for play dates.  He DOES NOT bark!  He is magnificent on the leash, and is housebroken.  He loves my children, and greets them with a bounce and a wagging tail.  Jake is definitely a ball dog, and today, he picked up the frisbee and brought it to me.

I haven’t been this much in love with a dog since my Reckless, who passed away in February of 2009.  If there was a way that I could keep Jake, I would without hesitation.

I have been rescuing dogs for two years this August, and I have over 350 dogs under my belt now.  So while he doesn’t have a flashy name like Tim Tebow, Flash Gordon, Flip, or Nitro, I have never rescued a dog like Jake, and I suppose it will take another 350 dogs before I do.

Holly and I have discussed my feelings toward this boy at length.  Of course, he is available for adoption, only because he deserves a better home than I can give him.  What kind of home?  Well, I would approve Oprah, the Pope, the President, Donald Trump and a few others if they would like to apply!  Seriously, whoever is approved to adopt Jake should feel like they won the lottery.

His photos can be viewed on Facebook.

Jake has found his forever home!  Dee Dee and Bill have been watching TDL on Facebook and this website for a year, waiting for that perfect dog.  When they saw Jake, they knew.  Jake has permanently moved to Melbourne, where he will probably meet many TDL Border Collies!  It’s a wonderful place!

01/29/13 Update:  I spotted these photos of Jake on Bill’s Facebook page and copied them!  Isn’t he a doll?

 

 

The Dog Liberator is a foster-driven non-profit, 501c(3) charitable organization.  All dogs are fostered in a home environment, which enables the dog to show its true color. Founded in 2009, The Dog Liberator has successfully rescued and adopted nearly 700 dogs.

TDL dogs are fully vetted, spayed or neutered prior to adoption. TDL does not receive government funding of any kind, and relies on individual donations and corporate sponsors.  By using Paypal, you can donate to The Dog Liberator’s Veterinary Care Fund.

The Dog Liberator focuses on rehabilitation, taking in deaf and/or blind dogs, dogs that need social skills, fearful dogs, and dogs that suffer from depression. They also focus on educating the public regarding medical issues, like heartworm treatment, parvovirus, adopting senior dogs, Addison’s disease, pneumonia, and proper diet.

The Dog Liberator has a less than 1 percent return rate, and they pride themselves at creating the perfect match for dog lovers. Their adoption updates are shared on both Facebook, and their website thus creating a professional and personal relationship with their adopters. You can help Save a dog’s life today by donating.

There are a host of options to donate to The Dog Liberator, which are detailed in “The Promise“.