Western Border Collie Rescue -

"Steffi" -- adopted January 2010

Eek! Meet WBCR's cutest little smooth coat red girl, Steffi. With her one up, one down ears she's just irresistible, and at 32 pounds at about a year old, Steffi is just a pocket-sized lass! She's also our favorite little hard luck story.

Steffi came to us from a shelter, so we don't know anything about her past - but we suspect it's not a good one. She arrived in rescue very timid with people, and it's clear she had never learned that humans can be kind and trustworthy. Steffi has been in foster care now for a few months, and has come a long way! She is no longer the timid, scared girl she was when she first arrived. Although she remains shy with new people, she has learned to trust humans. She now enjoys attention from her close friends and family, and has discovered that a wiggle-wag past you one way, and then a wiggle-wag past you again the other way, or giving a few kisses and a touch of the paw, is the key to getting it! Pretty adorable, this little redhead.

And there's a real energetic herdy girl emerging, too! Steffi has already shown some herding instinct, and like a lot of herdy BCs, the movement of the sprinklers in the summer and the snow shovel in the winter really gets her going. She has also discovered toys, and has fallen head over heels for squeaky ones!! She will play for hours with them, and when you break out anything that squeaks, for Steffi the rest of the world falls away. (Clearly, the ticket for helping her overcoming many of her fears lies in the squeaker!) Steffi has also recently learned the joys of hiking on quiet trails and going running with her foster mom. Steffi gets along with lots of other dogs, although can be initially nippy upon first meeting, and her herding instincts kick in around running or fetching dogs. She is selective about which dogs she will play with - she absolutely loves to play with one other dog in her foster home, but won't play with others.

Steffi is now cratetrained, housetrained, and working on basic manners in her foster home. She loves to sit and shake for a treat or two, and she will even “high five” for a treat! This kind of reward-based training will not only engage her mind but build her confidence as well. She is very treat motivated, as well as crazy for those squeaky toys, and will be a snap to train once her trust has been gained.

Because of her initial reservations about people, Steffi needs a patient home with a family who will understand that she needs time to feel comfortable and warm up, and who is willing to work with her to help her feel more comfortable with people. She will do best in a home with no small children, as they are likely to overwhelm and frighten her, but she does well with older children. A home that has shy dog experience would be best, and one with a well-matched doggy playmate would be great, although she would be fine as an only dog in an active household. Steffi does okay off-leash with her foster family, so will likely make an off-leash hiking companion on quiet trails with her forever family, once her confidence & trust are established. H home with a fenced yard where she can practice recall & play fetch safely is a must. If living in a city, Steffi needs a tall (6 foot) solid fence she can't see through, as all the bustle of the city really stimulates her and will get her barking if she can see it.

Watching Steffi discover the world as a safe place is a joy to behold. She has made great strides in just a few months and we have already seen the light at the end of the tunnel! If you are looking for a super sweet Border Collie with many of the typical herdy traits of the breed who needs a little extra confidence, and have a soft spot for the shy types, Steffi is going to make for a great choice and no doubt, a rewarding and delightfully wonderful companion.

Steffi is fostered in a loving home near Castle Rock, CO.

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