Size
(when grown) Med. 26-60 lbs (12-27 kg)
Details
Not good with kids,
Good with dogs,
Not good with cats,
House-trained,
Spayed or Neutered,
Shots are up-to-date,
Story
Age: 1-2 years
Breed: Border Collie mix
Sex: Male
Weight: 40 lbs
Energy Level: Low-Medium
Jesse is a young Border Collie mix who has been dealt a crummy beginning. He was found roaming the streets in a rural Kentucky town, starving. A kind person got him to rescue and fast forward to where he is now.
He arrived with a broken front tooth and thanks to EVERYONE who donated to the procedure, Jesse was able to have that removed! He is now pain free and much more comfortable.
Over time, he has shown himself to be a sensitive, athletic, and deeply loyal dog who does best with structure, patience, and people willing to give him time to adjust. As he’s grown more comfortable, his personality and enthusiasm for the outdoors have really started to emerge. He cracks us up as he LOVES to roll in the grass every chance that he gets as well as dragging his back legs through the grass in the most dramatic stretch possible.
Jesse is a sensitive dog who will need a bit to fully adjust to a new home. When faced with change, his first instinct is often to shut down and observe. With patience, consistency, and confident leadership, he builds trust and becomes deeply devoted to his people (currently enjoying life as a 40 lb. lap dog).
As his confidence has grown in foster care, Jesse’s playful, goofy personality has emerged. Once comfortable, he loves movement and is open to adventure. He now enjoys walks, runs, and even hikes, and he has done wonderfully with new experiences when given time and reassurance.
Jesse is crate-trained, sleeps quietly through the night, and does well when left alone. He is potty-trained, knows basic cues like “sit” and “no,” and is very food-motivated, making him receptive to training. Like many young herding dogs, Jesse can be nippy during play, and we continue to work on appropriate play skills with him.
He has a strong herding instinct and has shown herding and prey-drive behaviors toward cats and young children. While he is gentle at heart, his enthusiasm and instincts can be overwhelming for small kids. Jesse would do best in a cat-free home and a home without children, ideally with adults or older children familiar with herding breeds.
Jesse currently lives with 2 female dogs and another male foster dog was in the house for a while. He does fabulous with both genders and respects direction from them when they disagree with something that he might have done to "annoy" them. For example, he loves to chase and wrestle and sometimes can run into the girls when not paying attention, which they may let him know that they didn't like it and he is like "ok, sorry!" Never a reaction back from him.
He can be a noisy player (talkative) but quiets when asked. He has 2 rubber like balls that he LOVES LOVE LOVES. He snuggles with other toys but we have not seen him play with them like he does these balls.
Jesse is protective of his family in the home. He is currently working on resource guarding with his foster family and has been receptive to training, but he may always benefit from having a clearly defined space that is his own where he can decompress and feel secure. He has been comfortable meeting new people outside while on walks.
He was able to go on a 10 day Spring Break vacation with another foster home and did fabulous! He enjoyed meeting all their dogs and really enjoyed his new "people" for the week.
Jesse is athletic and has an excellent nose. He may be a wonderful fit for some agility, scent work, or enrichment-based classes, which would help build his confidence and strengthen his bond with his future family.
With the right home, one that understands herding breeds, values structure, and is willing to give him time, Jesse will thrive. He is loyal, sensitive, and full of promise, and once he bonds, he bonds deeply.
Neutered, microchipped, and up to date on vaccinations.
Reach out for more info on how he can join your home!
Location: Northern IL
Contact: team@midwestbordercollierescue.org
