Max - Now Bo - Adopted 3/30/02

Max fell in love with his new family and they all fell in love with him.  He will have plenty of hugs and a big yard in his forever home.

Bo's first day in his new home:

I could not believe my eyes when I saw Bo for the first time!  He is GORGEOUS! And he's BIG!!!  Holy Cow! :-)   Sheryl explained all about his medicines and the special collar to keep him from licking his stitches.  We kept his "E-collar" off until bedtime, and he was so busy going from room to room, checking everything out, wanting to see what everyone was doing, that he didn't have time to think about his stitches. :-)  We put the collar on right before we went to bed and we could hear him thumping into things in the middle of the night, so we got up and took him outside at 2:30, and again at 5:30 just to make sure he didn't have an accident.  I am sure he will sleep MUCH better when we can leave that collar off!  He slept part of the night with my son, who was thrilled!  We were concerned that he would not eat, since he did not eat for 3 days at his foster home, but my kids loved o! n him and coaxed him and he was literally eating out of their hands. It took me an hour to brush him out, and we ended up with piles of hair, but I think he is more comfortable now.  I still have work to do, but his coat is looking great!  Once I get him all brushed out, I am going to give him a good bath.  You should see him prancing down the street with my kids, he looks like a dream!  He is so mellow, even with all five kids around him talking and getting excited, he just sat there and wagged his tail. :-)  I could not have chosen a better dog for our family!!!!!   Right now he is curled up on my bed next to me, supervising my letter.  (sorry about the drool, he likes to do his own typing, too)  I want you to know how much I appreciate all you do for Collies like Bo, he is a real treasure!

Thanks so much!

Stephanie and family

Latest Updates:

8/08/02:

Hello again!

We wanted to let you know that Bo is doing great! He has mild epilepsy, but not enough to require medication at this point. He finally got over his stomach problems, and his coat is coming in beautifully. The only thing he really needs now is a playmate. He loves our kids, but we can tell he longs for a doggie friend to play with, too. We finally move into our new house this week (HOORAY!!!) and we will have a large yard for them to run and play in. We would prefer a color other than sable, but would consider any dog you think would match our family. I am sure you get lots of applications and may not remember us, so here is an outline of our family. We have five kids, ages 3 to 13, we are a "stay at home" family, so the dog(s) would get TONS of attention and not be left alone. We have 2 cats, so cat-friendly (or at least cat-tolerant) is a must. Personally, I like BIG dogs, so a large collie would be great. (Bo is a little bigger than average, and we think he's just perfect!) Our new house is a bi-level, so the dog would have to be able to navigate stairs well. We are basically looking for another Bo.. in a different color! LOL Bo is a big, sweet, hairy couch potato inside and a bouncy, friendly playmate outdoors. We will be putting up a fence ASAP, but we would prefer a dog that is people oriented and would not have a tendency to run off. Ok, that's my wish list... LOL Please contact me with any dogs you think would be a good match. (we think Dex is pretty...what do you think?) We look forward to hearing from you!

Stephanie and Family

6/26/02

Just wanted to let you know how Bo is doing. We recently had to take him to the vet for seizures, and we think he may have mild epilepsy. This may explain why he was given up, because in all other ways he is the perfect dog. We took him with us camping by the lake on vacation last week, and he had a marvelous time! :-) He has adjusted very well to our home and even our cats are adapting to him. He is starting to put on much needed weight and he seems very happy. He "calls" the kids with me in the morning when he wants to go outside. He comes to my room and whines softy until I wake up. I usually call for one of my older boys to take him out, and when I call their names, Bo gives a long howl with me until they come to get him! LOL Perhaps by the end of the summer we will be ready to adopt a companion for Bo, he really enjoys the company of other dogs, especially Collies! (we have a pair of Collies who live down the street, and whenever we pass their house, Bo whines for them, but he doesn't do this for any of the other dogs in the neighborhood!)

Bo had a rough few months, but things are going much better now. Just thought you would like to know. :-)

Stephanie and family

Just thought I would send an update on Bo.  He is doing great!  (actually, he is being spoiled rotten!)  He has stopped having "intestinal problems" and is eating very well.  I do have to watch him, because he is a huge food thief! :-)   He likes to sleep in the hallway where he can keep an eye on everyone.  We take him with us everywhere, in fact he has not been alone since we got him! LOL  When we go to the store he takes a nap in the back of the van.  He goes for walks every day with the boys, and everyone in the neighborhood thinks he's a prince!  Last night when my husband got home from work, Bo was so happy to see him that he jumped up and gave him a big hug! :-)  I have not had any problems with him jumping on the kids at all, he only does it with big people. (such a smart dog!)  Right now he is sleeping on my bed while I type.  What a great dog!  We all love him so much!    I do think he could use another dog to play with.  He tries to play with the cats, but they don't know how to play Collie games.  If you find a dog that you think would fit our family, please let us know.

Thanks for everything!

Stephanie and family

Bo is doing great! We left his E-collar off all day and he only tried to lick the stitches a couple times. We basically tried to keep him busy so he wouldn't be thinking about them. :-) He hasn't had any accidents, we just make sure he goes out frequently.

He hasn't quite figured out how to make friends with the cats, but I made sure to trim their claws short so they wouldn't scratch him. Max (Mickes' cat) has tried to make friends a couple times, but Bo is a little too pushy (and when the cats run, he chases them of course!). On the up side, I don't have to worry about the cats waking me up at night with their wrestling anymore! LOL We have taught him to lay down on command (well, he is getting the idea) and he is so very polite (except when it comes to food, then he is a shameless beggar!).

My husband is completely won over, and this morning he was talking about possibly getting another Collie after we move and get the fence up. He used to say that he wanted a Boxer, but he has really taken a shine to Bo. He keeps finding excuses to take him for a walk, and he has been the one to give him all his medicines! LOL He really liked your Tri-color and Blue Merle. Maybe in a few months we will be ready to adopt again.

Bo is doing great! He doesn't eat a lot, but he has started eating on his own already, and I am sure it will just be a matter of time. Chris is outside taking him for his "20 minute walk". Bo really seems to like the kids, when he sees them, his tail starts wagging and his whole body wiggles! LOL I think he will make an excellent therapy dog. Nothing seems to phase him, he doesn't even flinch at the odd sounds in our house (birds, Guinea Pigs, cats, kids, etc) and he is so patient with all the little hands that want to pet and hug him. :-) He gave my 8yo son a "Collie kiss" this morning when he woke up, and he was so happy. He said "I always wanted a dog that would give me kisses, Mom!" Ivy was just falling asleep in her Daddy's lap last night and she whispered "thank you for my dog, Daddy". :-)

Bo is my dream dog, he has a wonderful temperament, he loves my kids, he is playful without being hyper, and on top of it all, he is drop dead gorgeous!

I will keep you updated....

Stephanie

Bo was fostered in Franklin, WI.