Adopt
At Western Border Collie Rescue, Border Collies are top dog! Please read about our Adoption Process and Requirements below and then check out the list of adoptable dogs.
Adoption Process
Thank you for your interest in a rescued Border Collie! While we think Border Collies are the greatest dogs on the planet, we also know they’re not the breed for everyone. That’s why we ask lots of questions. Our priority is to find the best fit for each dog in our rescue. Our application process can take 2-3 weeks because we are an all-volunteer group who work regular jobs in addition to volunteering with the rescue.
🐾 Step 1: Meet Our Prerequisites
Must be 21 yrs of age or older
Live in Colorado, Wyoming or immediately surrounding states
Have knowledge and consent of your landlord and roommates
Never been convicted of animal abuse
Be able and willing to spend the time and money necessary to provide training, medical treatment, and proper care for a pet
🐾 Step 2: Do Your Homework!
Please read our About BC’s page to learn more about Border Collies, their temperaments, needs, and whether a BC is the right dog for you.
🐾 Step 3: Complete an Application
We know our application is long, but this information is very important to help us determine if you might be an ideal home for a certain dog in the program. Our top priority is to find the most suitable home for each of the dogs in our rescue. We don’t have many dogs in our program, which means a waiting game for many qualified applicants.
*Upon submission, you should receive an auto-reply letting you know your application has been received.
🐾 Step 4: Home Visit
All adoption applications require a home visit with all household members present prior to approval. The Home Visit volunteer will be in contact to schedule a virtual meeting where they will do a short walk-through of your home and yard to ensure its safety and to advise on any areas of concern. Once the HV report is received by WBCR, it may take a few days for us to collate & review all of the information and get back in touch with you.
*You will be notified either way: whether your application is approved or if we do not have a dog that will fit your needs at this time.
🐾 Step 5: Matching/Phone Interview
Once your application is approved, now comes the fun part! An Adoption Coordinator will contact you to discuss specific dogs within our rescue that may be a good fit. “First Come, First Served” doesn’t apply here since we match each dog in our program with the most appropriate home for them. If we don’t think a dog is a match for your household, that does not mean you are not a good pet parent. It means that what you are looking for is not a fit with what that dog needs.
🐾 Step 6: Meets
Once we’ve talked with you about which dogs might be a suitable fit, it is time to set up a meet with the foster parent and prospective dog! Your Adoption Coordinator will help arrange the meeting with you, all your household members, your current dog(s), and the prospective rescue dog. It is important that all family members are present and have a say in whether you move forward after meeting a dog.
During the meet, keep in mind that rescued Border Collies may be rather aloof/timid at first meeting. While we have seen many meets where there is an “insta-bond” between the new dog and the adopter(s), many times that kind of bonding takes time. The meet is a great time to get any/all questions answered on the dog’s temperament, likes/dislikes, and what will be helpful in establishing a wonderful relationship with your new dog!
*If a meet does not go as well as planned, that’s ok. You may be able to schedule another meet with the same dog at a later date. But if you’d like to meet a different dog, please let the foster parent and Adoption Coordinator know so everyone is on the same page.
🐾 Step 7: The Adoption
If all members of your household and the WBCR foster parent feel the dog is a great match for you, the adoption may be completed at the meet. An adoption contract must be completed, signed and the adoption fee paid to complete the adoption. Please review our contract before your meet; it is available on our website or by clicking here. Please note that if at any time during your rescued dog’s life you cannot/no longer wish to keep it, WBCR must be contacted immediately.
🐾 Step 8: Follow-Up
To ensure a successful adoption, we have a network of volunteers happy to answer any questions/help you work through issues that may arise while your new dog is transitioning into your home, or ten years down the road! We are committed to each and every dog we rescue for the rest of his/her life, so please stay in touch with us. Plus, we love getting updates!
Adoptable Border Collies
Clare
This sweet black and white female came to us from a shelter in Utah and is believed to be 1-3 years old. We don’t know Clare’s history, but she is the sweetest, social, love bug who enjoys belly scratches and cuddles with her people. She is super playful with other dogs, including wrestling with her foster brother. Clare would love a doggy sibling, but could live as a single dog as long as she gets play time with other dogs (doggie day care, play dates, etc). She will need at least an hour of vigorous play or running per day in addition to interactive play sessions (she loves her people!) and could make a great doggy athlete! She does not seem to have much herding drive, but will follow other dogs around when they are playing fetch (even though fetching isn’t her favorite style of play).
She met a cat right after being pulled from the shelter and it didn’t go well. But she was also recovering from an infected spay incision and stressed out. We don’t know if she would live peacefully with a cat since she is not currently being fostered with one, but judging on how quickly she learns things, how agreeable she is with all the other dogs she’s met, it may be possible **There must be barriers for the cat to escape and slow introduction and supervised training.
Clare is a fast learner and very smart. In the few weeks she has been with her foster family, she is already house trained and has learned a number of tricks including sit, lie down and shake! She seems to enjoy training sessions and learning new tricks. She is crate trained and sleeps in it at night (but doesn’t have to).
Clare loves going for hikes and being active outside. She travels well in the car, which makes it easy to take her places and the perfect hiking or camping buddy! She walks well on leash and stays close to her people, but also likes to stop and sniff frequently.
Clare is so adaptable and agreeable, listens well, learns quickly…she’s got it all!
Being fostered in Vail, CO.
Kayce
Kayce is a handsome ~4 year old purebred BC who originally came to WBCR from a shelter, so limited info is known about his former life.
Kayce was adopted in 2024 by a family anxious to assimilate Kayce into their busy household, but unfortunately Kayce has never gotten comfortable with a toddler in the home and has reacted badly to kids playing chase/tag, which tends to happen often in a family with multiple kids.
We do know he is a sweet and sensitive boy who wants to be someone’s shadow, occasionally demanding love by shoving his head into your legs or hands. He is an excellent cuddler and loves belly rubs. He bonds deeply with his people and does well with strangers. Kayce does have a strong desire to control movement/chaos, so will only be placed in a home with no/older teenaged children who will monitor him in places where people are playing or running (at home, on trails, or at parks).
Kayce does very well with controlled introductions to other dogs. He is social and playful and has lived with a female BC over the past year without issue and yields to her willingly. He would also be totally happy as a single dog getting all the attention as long as he is not left home alone for long stretches of time. If being left, he has found comfort in another dog being around; his ability to live with cats is unknown.
Kayce comes with many great skills and qualities -- he loves car rides and will wait patiently while you run errands. He sleeps on his bed all night, is fully potty trained, and is good on a leash. He comes with a slew of commands as well: sit, wait, down, out, no, leave it, ok, and has excellent recall once a secure relationship is established with his handler. Kayce is very food motivated, which is great for training time!
Kayce is a medium drive border collie who does best with at least one long walk each day and someoff-leash fun as well: fetch, hiking, running, camping or any outdoor adventure!
Kayce has allergies that are controlled with once a day Apoquel and a limited ingredient food year round. This handsome red and white boy is neutered, and is fully vaccinated.
Kayce is being fostered in CO.
Keller
Keller is a sweet and snuggly young man (1-3 yrs old) who enjoys meeting new people and other dogs. We don’t know much about his life before WBCR other than he was a backyard dog. He is learning proper manners and already is housetrained, crate trained, and has started on basic obedience. Keller loves his snuffle mat, interactive training with treats, playing with a flirt pole, and will run after toys when tossed. He doesn’t always bring them back right away, but he still enjoys the play time!
Keller has gotten along with both male and female dogs at his foster home but has not been introduced to small dogs, cats, or children. He is very obsessive about squirrels outside, so supervised and slow introductions will definitely be needed for small dogs or cats.
Having been a backyard dog, it’s no surprise that Keller is not used to a collar and leash. Right now, he twists and spins to get away when a leash is put on him. Once on, he walks fine. But he gets overstimulated quickly with passing vehicles and wild critters so leash walks are not recommended until both person and dog and learn how to de-escalate his behavior and allow him to recover properly.
Keller will need continued training with both leash skills so he can travel safely, but also his reactivity to noises and movement. A quiet household would be ideal. If another dog is in the household, it will need to be a calm, non-reactive dog he could role model from.
Being fostered in Wheatland, WY.
Octane
Meet Octane! This girl has brains, athleticism, energy, and loyalty…she’s the whole package! Octane can turn a game of fetch into a display of athletic jumps, speed dashes, and fancy catches no matter if it’s a ball, frisbee, or other fetch toy. Once she has the chance to show off her moves, she has a lovely off switch and loves to cuddle on the couch. Thanks to her extra dose of loyalty, she’s an excellent candidate for off-leash work. Her talents make her a great candidate for disc dog, flyball, dock dog, freestyle, tricks, nose work, SAR, or pretty much anything that you’d be will to train her on! Octane will herd the cats and can be mouthy during play, so no young children and only dog savvy cats. She must live as a single dog since she has had some tough interactions with other dogs. But she loves her humans and will wiggle her butt in a happy dance every time she she’s you. So if you are ready for your new BFF, check out Octane!
Being fostered in the Denver area.
Parker
Meet pint-sized Parker! At just 35 pounds and about a year old, this adorable and endearing little squirt came to us from an Utah shelter where he was nothing short of terrified. We know very little about Parker’s life before he got to us but it likely wasn’t a great experience. Considering how afraid he was initially, he adapted amazingly quickly to his foster home where he learned people could be trustworthy and the world could feel safe.
Parker is reserved when meeting new people, but once he knows you, he gives you his whole heart. He bonded quickly with his foster family, both human and canine. He shows his sweetest smile, grinning with one side of his mouth anytime he is excited. He can get along well with other dogs and currently lives with three! But he has also shown leash reactivity with some new dogs. Parker can be very playful with those dogs who are game but only if given space to run if needed. We think he’ll be happiest with a confident, playful dog in his new home to romp with and role model off of. Parker spends his day relaxing on the couch while his parents work from home, or going to the quiet office with his foster dad. He enjoys his daily walks and backyard play time and any movement by the door to the garage elicits excitement with the hope of getting to take a ride in the car with mom or dad and one of the other dogs.
Parker LOVES to run, though he doesn’t currently seem interested in fetch. He’s just a moderate energy fella who will be happy with daily walks, hikes, or runs and some play time. Parker is a quick study and already knows how to sit to go in or out of the house, lie down, and working on stay. He is the only dog his fosters have had that figured out the handles on the patio door, quickly learning he could let himself out if his foster parents didn’t remember to lock the door!!! Parker has graduated to off leash privileges and is proving to have an excellent recall. He's also showing us that he really enjoys hiking and to play in the water! Parker will make a super outdoor adventure companion and he would love to live with a confident doggy sibling to play with and learn from.
Parker is nervous around loud noises so a household without kids would be ideal. The sounds of kitchen noises, his crate being moved, or even squeaky toys from another dog can make him seek out a quiet area to hide.
Are you a quiet person who is ready for a slow-build relationship? It will take Parker several weeks to adjust to living with new people in a new environment, so we are looking for a foster to adopt situation. You must be willing to work with us, veterinarians, and behaviorists (at our expense) to help figure out Parker’s physical and behavioral needs so he can be the happiest and healthiest boy possible.
Being fostered in Denver, CO.
Pete
UPDATE: 5/26/25
Pete has made so much improvement when meeting new people. He will go up to investigate people and dogs without growling at them from a distance, like he used to. It is, however, very important for new people that do not know Pete to not try to pet him. Pete still needs to feel safe and pets invade his personal space.
Pete recently went to a petsitter’s house for a couple weeks and he warmed up to her and her multi-dog household within a day! What AMAZING progress! He still needs his safe space (crate and xpen) where he can retreat and sleep.
Pete has also gone along skiing and hiking off-leash with other people and dogs and was happy to play and romp if the other dog was game! He has also figured out the car takes him to fun places and willingly jumps in.
Pete still has a personality in which he will express his wants and desires confidently. He still must be given the option to retreat or choose not to do something. His foster can give you lots of tips on how to read his body language (for example: like how he will freeze and stare, indicating that he either is not comfortable doing what was asked or doesn’t understand. In the past, this would have elicited a growl. But his foster mom now will back away, which gives Pete space but also gives him time to reconsider what was asked and his foster mom can think about how to ask him to do the thing in a way that may be more clear) Knowing his body language cues, she has not heard a growl from him in months. We all want to be understood, Pete. We get it.
ORIGINAL POST: December 2024
This handsome, classic rough coat is Pete. He is about 1-2 years old and as far as we can tell, he had a rough start. He was found as a stray in Idaho and never claimed. He is on the smaller side (35-40 lbs). Pete will require an experienced handler with fearful/reactive dog experience.
Pete can be slow to warm up to people and dogs, although once he is willing to meet dogs, he greets them nicely. He doesn’t always care to engage with other dogs after the initial sniff. It took several weeks before Pete was comfortable enough around his foster dog-siblings to play and then he will engage only one dog in play at a time and only inside. If there is a dog running loose in the backyard he has no interest. If there is a group of dogs running around or play becomes too arousing, Pete will turn into the Fun Police and shut down playtime like a grumpy old man- barking and inserting himself. He does not seem interested in toys, fetching, or tug but he LOVES using his nose. He also enjoys puzzles, chew bones, and learning tricks in addition to physical exercise like hiking, walking, running along a bike or cross-country skis. He does not show any interest in herding other than the above-mentioned, self-appointed Fun Police role.
When it comes to people, Pete is an introvert at heart. He prefers to be with the trusted inner circle and doesn’t care if he meets new people. When he must, he does not want to be petted on the head and has a large personal space bubble. It can take a few weeks for him to fully trust new people, but once he does, he is a super friendly lapdog (on his terms). He will often ask for love and when he has enough, he will retreat to his pen/crate where he can still visually see his humans. He has a good off switch inside the house and can settle when left alone. He enjoys being brushed.
Pete adjusts quickly when going to new outdoor places (like trails), but if there are new people involved, greeting people should be on his terms and definitely no pets.
Pete doesn’t love the kitchen blender or loud, farm-life machinery. He will bark at the noise but can be calmed and redirected easily. He manages fine if a loud vehicle goes past on the road, but if there is a 4-wheeler or machinery in the yard, he will bark and become increasingly aroused unless re-directed. We feel that a rural setting would limit the loud noises he would encounter and help his overall wellbeing.
Pete is learning basic manners and has also learned to “wait” for food and to go outside, and sometimes he will even get happy feet, prancing in place like he can’t contain himself! Pete LOVES food and can be protective of his food if not given enough space while eating. At his foster home, each dog has its place to eat and they all respect that.
Pete is fully house trained and has even traveled on multi-day trips in hotels and long car rides without incident.
Pete should live in a household where there are NO children younger than a teenager living or visiting. He has nipped out of fear when grabbed at or when he feels cornered or trapped. Since younger children can be unpredictable and don’t understand dog body language, we want to set Pete and his new family up for success!
Pete will sniff the foster cats but not chase them. There are also horses and sheep on the foster property, and he can co-mingle with them in the field, not showing any tendency toward herding. If they come too close to the fence line, he will bark at them but not chase. Any introduction to any new animals should be made with slow, supervised introductions.
Pete would do best in an adult household who is willing to take him on walks or adventures where he won’t encounter people frequently. He has graduated to off-leash privileges in areas where there aren’t other people and has good recall there. But with a new household, this skill may backslide a bit.
He can live as a solo dog or with other dogs since he prefers his people over other pets. He must go to an adopter who is willing to continue his fearful/reactive dog training for continued confidence building. This will also provide needed bonding with you as his new person so that he can look to you when he feels scared or threatened instead of reacting. Ideal setting would be on acreage since he barks outside if there are people nearby (like a suburban neighborhood typically has with neighbors sharing fence lines).
Even though Pete has some idiosyncrasies, he will make a great companion for someone who is willing to help him learn that the world isn’t as scary as he thinks! Do you love to recreate on the non-busy trails or want to pursue scent work or other dog training? Pete may be your guy!!
Currently fostered in Lander, WY
Yang
Meet Yang of the Y-Puppies! These puppies were picked up as strays near Colorado Springs and were taken to an overcrowded shelter, so WBCR was contacted. Believed to be only 5 weeks old (around 6/21), we leapt into action so these puppies could get dewormed, vaccinated, and socialized! And boy will they be socialized…they are currently living with 5 human kids and a foster dog sister!
Yang is the male and is still coming out of his shell, often taking his sister’s lead. He is an alert little bundle of energy who fights sleep, and during nap times moves around (often to be right on top of his sister, Yin).
He LOVES to snuggle. But if you have his back to him, he will come up behind you and either pull on your shirt with his mouth or try to climb you from behind. Needless to say, his foster family is working on his demand for attention and redirecting to appropriate behavior.
Yang seems to have more of a chew drive than Yin and everything is fair game - body parts, clothes, hair, his sister, toys…the adult foster dog is helping him learn that he can’t chew on other dogs and the foster family is working on redirecting his desire to chew on others with puppy toys. As of now, it may be best for Yang to not be placed in a household with toddlers.
Yang is still working on potty training (he’s easily distracted outside). Since he loves being praised and petted when he does a good job, training should go quickly. He is already learning to come and is responsive to clicking noises and leg pats.
Yang enjoys playing, pouncing on, and wresting with his sister, Yin. Since the Y-puppies haven’t been with the rescue long they are not vaccinated yet and have not been exposed to other dogs for play dates. But we have no doubt they will adapt well since they are both agreeable, social puppies who just want to play and soak in all the attention.
Currently fostered in Lander, WY
Yin
Meet Yin of the Y-Puppies! These puppies were picked up as strays near Colorado Springs and were taken to an overcrowded shelter, so WBCR was contacted. Believed to be only 5 weeks old (around 6/21), we leapt into action so these puppies could get dewormed, vaccinated, and socialized! And boy will they be socialized…they are currently living with 5 human kids and a foster dog sister!
Yin is the female and has a lot of personality already! She is adventurous, brave, and was the first to venture off the back patio to follow around her adult foster dog sister! She’s a fast learner and is already pottying outside on a consistent basis.
Yin LOVES to burrow into laps for cuddles and will also sit under your legs (like she’s in a cave) if someone is sitting on stairs or in a chair. She is not clingy and will also lay next to you and fall asleep. And she even excels at sleep! When she sleeps…she is out cold!
Like most puppies, Yin enjoys chewing all the things and is easily redirected to a toy. She seems to have some good herding instincts and has been trying them out on her foster dog sister. She is responsive to a whistle - she perks up and will look at you for direction. This will help with training sessions and re-direction!
Yin enjoys playing, pouncing on, and wresting with her brother, Yang. Since the Y-puppies haven’t been with the rescue long they are not vaccinated yet and have not been exposed to other dogs for play dates. But we have no doubt they will adapt well since they are both agreeable, social puppies who just want to play and soak in all the attention.
Currently fostered in Cheyenne, WY
Adoption Pending
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Bugs
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Rip
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Suki