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
Bryce
Bryce is a beautiful ~1.5 yr old girlie who is an absolute love bug and gives some of the best hugs! She is super smart and is treat motivated, making training even easier! She is very proud of her sit and anticipates when you would like her to sit and will repeat what was previously asked (sit before her food bowl placed down, sit before being leashed, etc.) Bryce also sleeps well in the crate and walks well on the leash.
And if all of that isn’t adorable enough, just watch Bryce with toys. She just loves playing with toys, and will entertain herself - squeaking them, tossing them, swinging her head with them - all the cute things!
But wait, there’s more! Bryce loves outside time too! She’s great on walks in the neighborhood, hiking in the mountains, or just watching life go by – the outside suits her. And she loves to play in water too! Bryce is crazy athletic and definitely has sport-dog potential (agility, frisbee, etc.) She could also work around sheep (once she can listen to commands in their presence). Whatever activity is chosen, Bryce will need at least an hour of vigorous exercise per day.
She has previously lived with a male dog and loved to play with him, but she hasn’t gotten along with the female dog in the foster home. We think Bryce would do best in a home as a solo dog or with a male dog companion who is ok with a bossy girl. It is unknown how she’d do with a cat. Because she has a strong prey drive outside in the yard, a VERY slow introduction and the use of baby gates should be expected for everyone’s safety.
Bryce can sometimes be unsure or reactive to strangers, but does better with slow introductions. She has lunged at a male coworker at the foster mom’s work, but has been fine meeting other males and females. And Bryce also doesn’t seem to have a problem meeting people at the foster dad’s work. Continued training will be needed to ensure she can safely meet new people consistently and WBCR will provide training with a positive reinforcement trainer who can provide virtual or in-person sessions after adoption.
As we mentioned, Bryce has exhibited a strong prey drive outside in the yard. If she is on leash and you aren’t paying attention she may pull you over! Because of this, a fenced yard is a requirement unless you can accommodate by keeping her on a leash at all times, including going out to potty. But with bonding and training, she definitely could have off-leash potential.
Are you looking for an active girl who loves the water and whatever activity you throw her way? Are you looking for a single dog or a doggie companion for your male dog? Are you an experienced border collie owner looking for a super smart dog driven to learn and please? Bryce is your girl!
Being fostered in Littleton, CO.
Kayce
Kayce is a handsome ~4 year old purebred BC who originally came to WBCR from a Wyoming shelter. He lived for a year with a large family with numerous children and an environment that didn't suit him, and so he came back to us to find a better fit.
We do know he is a sweet and sensitive boy who wants to be someone’s shadow. He often expresses love by putting 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. We aren’t sure if Kayce would enjoy large groups of small children, but he does great with teenagers in his foster home.
Kayce also does very well with introductions to other dogs. He is social and playful. Over the past year, he has lived with a female BC, fostered with a large female rough collie without issue, and yielded to them willingly. He could also be totally happy as a single dog, getting all the attention. 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 is at home on the trail and has excellent recall (once he has established trust with his handler), even when distracted by wildlife. He will run or join mountain biking adventures with great enthusiasm–just be careful not to over-run him as he just wants to keep up with the pack! He loves camping, and being outdoors with his people. 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, and ok. Kayce is very food motivated, which is great for training time! He loves to learn, picks up new cues quickly, and wants to please. Kayce is a medium drive border collie who does best with a long walk each day and some off-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.
Kayce is being fostered in Louisville, 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 quickly learned how great home life is and has learned proper manners and is housetrained, crate trained. 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 gets 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 gets overstimulated quickly with passing vehicles and wild critters. Until he and his person can learn how to de-escalate him more quickly, it has been recommended to not put him in that scenario (so no leash walks) at this time. Keller does great with backyard fun and going to areas where you can avoid the loud mechanical noises. Keller will need an adopter who is willing to continue training for his reactivity to noises and outdoor movement.
Keller would do best in a quiet household. 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 near Lander, WY.
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.
Zip
Zip is a handsome 3.5 year old brown and white Border Collie. He just arrived at his foster home and will need time to settle in. We will update his bio when he is officially available and we have gotten to know him better. Stay tuned!
Being fostered in Crawford, NE
Adoption Pending
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Pete
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Yang