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My name is Austin - New Update 2-25!!

Posted over 8 years ago | Updated over 8 years ago

My basic info

Breed
Border Collie
Color
Black - with White
Age
Young
Size
Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg) (when grown)
Weight
Sex
Male
Pet ID

My details

Checkmark in teal circle Purebred
Checkmark in teal circle Shots current
Checkmark in teal circle Spayed / Neutered
Checkmark in teal circle Has special needs

My story

Here's what the humans have to say about me:

All potential adopter’s will need to be approved to adopt from MWBCR and should visit our website at www.mwbcr.org for more information on the approval process.

2/25
Austin has been with us for just over 4 weeks now and what a bundle of love he is! We have been working on many things and he is making big progress with what we have been asking of him.

He has been doing well with going into the crate on his own and recognizes that staying calm/quiet will allow him to come out sooner. For night time he goes in without asking and is quiet until it's time to get up. He would prefer to not have to go in one but is adjusting well and enjoys the rewards that comes along with it (be prepared to have a lot of peanut butter and yogurt!)

The examination with the rehab specialist has helped us to gauge what he needs now and want to expect in the future. Austins' original X-ray from February 2015 showed that his hip was dislocated. We don't know if the dislocation was from the initial trauma of the accident or if something happened before. We decided it was best to do an X-ray of his current condition and his hip is still dislocated. Both the rehab specialist and surgeon agree that Austin is not a candidate for surgery at this time. He shows no pain, gets around well and would be afraid that the muscles and false joint that he has created would be disturbed and possibly damaged. They think more harm would come than good if surgery was performed. With that being said, they do not rule out the possibility of Austin being a candidate for surgery at some point in his life.

Our biggest focus these past few weeks have been strengthening his rear leg. We do 2 exercises twice a day (total of about 10 minutes per day). One exercise has been helping us to also work on sit and stay. Austin has been rocking it out with underwater treadmill therapy. He has gradually increased from 5 minutes to a 13 minute work out.

We have added 2 supplements to his diet - Fish oil and Glucosamine. Our goal is to get him to a lower weight near the 25-27 lb range. Austin came to us at 32 lbs and last weighed in at 30 lbs 2 oz. This will help the pressure and stress on his rear leg as well as balance.

We have also been working on desensitizing him to feet touching. Currently.....he is not a fan but is slowly learning that good things come when he allows us to "hold" his foot.

Austin continues to love everyone and enjoys romping with our dogs. He is super quick and can run with the best of them. He will need a balance of physical and mental stimulation. He by no means is a couch potato, except evenings when he prefers to snuggle up next to you after a day of fun!

1/28
Austin's Journey

In February 2015, Austin jumped from the bed of his owners pick up truck while driving and he was run over by the truck, he was only 4-6 months old. The owners took him to a vet clinic to be euthanized. All he needed was to have his rear left leg amputated but they didn't want him anymore. The clinic performed the surgery and Gulf Coast & Southern Texas Animal Rescue brought him into their foster care. During his recovery they noticed that Austin's "good" back hip started to have some problems so they contacted MWBCR to see if we could help.

Austin came to us from a town south of Houston via Pilots n Paws. Four "Angels with Wings" flew him safely from TX to the suburbs of Chicago. Along the way he won the hearts of everyone and now that he is here, I can see why. He is a sweetheart but don't let that be the driving factor when wanting to adopt him.

We will be seeing a rehab specialist next week to determine exactly what is going on with his rear leg. It can be anything from needing some rehab to surgery. More to come after seeing the specialist.

Let me start by bragging about this boys sweet demeanor. He is slow and shy when first meeting but warms up quickly. He loves all (men, women, kids and other dogs). He is a petite boy weighing only 32 lbs but could use to lose a couple pounds so there is no extra weight on that good leg. Austin also has a bobbed tail, we are not sure if that was done before the accident or because of the accident....either way, it's extremely cute when he has tushy wiggles when he gets all excited. He loves to go for short walks and enjoys greeting the kids at the bus stop. Austin has a good recall in the house. I have not had any distractions to test him outside. He gets very excited to go outside and is very wiggly...we are working on being still to allow collar/leash attachment. He knows sit, lay down, come, get down and over (sometimes).

Austin is quick and really can zoom on those 3 legs! He can do a full on sprint with quick, tight turns...especially when chasing another dog during play. On walks and roaming through the house he "bounces" on the back leg like a pogo stick. He has adapted well to get around.

He really loves his people and gets attached quickly. So much so that he does suffer from separation anxiety. He is not crate trained but we are working on that. We are rewarding him for not panicking in the crate and knowing that it is ok to sleep near us and not necessarily on top of us. Austin has been through a lot of change in his life and a lot of change recently that we do recognize this and are letting him decompress a bit but still working on things. Because of the anxiety of when his people leave he does bark loudly and for quite a while. Because of this, he will not be a candidate for a home in an apartment, condo, townhouse or other living arrangements like this. He is good in the car and from what I heard he rode well in the planes.

Austin can do just about anything that any other dog can do. He runs, walks, potties on his own, jumps onto couches and sleeps on doggie beds. He goes up and down a few gradual steps off the back deck to the lawn with no problems. If there were stairs in the house they will need to be gated. He can go up safely but it's too dangerous to go down the stairs on his own. He looks to his people for guidance and support. He would love another dog/s to play with. Austin is currently living with a 9 month old border collie with whom he romps around and wrestles constantly as well as a 12.5 year old Border Collie. He does great with both of his foster sisters. Austin also lives with 2 young kids and loves them. He has not shown interest in toys.....just yet. He has met our guinea pigs and is interested in their movement but not in an obnoxious way. We will see how he does when they are out playing.....more on this to come.

Check List of special needs for Austin's Forever Home:
*People who are home more than they are away (retired/work from home/flexible schedule/can take to work)
*Ability to continue rehab (swimming/laser therapy/acupuncture....all possibilities pending specialist visit)
*House with few stairs or ability to build ramps for his safety and comfort
*Physical ability to be able to carry Austin when needed
*Raised water/food bowls
*Harness
*Patience with working on separation anxiety
*Provide a "job" to stimulate his mind and body (More to be determined as we get to know his interests)

Austin is a special dog who will need a special home to make his life most comfortable. He is up to date on vaccinations and is neutered. If you are interested in learning more about him and his needs, don't hesitate to email his foster mom!

12/18
This young, gentle dog was run over and had to have his left rear leg amputated. He’s a little shy, but great with other dogs. His foster family will be updating everyone as they learn more about him!

For more information go to www.mwbcr.org or contact Jackie at jdsebastian@hotmail.com

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