Skye, chillin out at an agility trial on Auntie Linda’s lap. (Auntie Linda has the Sheltie Shack Rescue where Skye came from. )

Such contentment, Sylvia!

By Karen Porter

Daisy came to me as an owner surrender. One of her humans was terminally ill and the other was going into an Alzheimer’s care home. The relatives were too busy to devote much time to her. When Daisy first arrived, she was scared and nervous but seemed to have a gentle soul. Her first days here were very tentative, but I was pleasantly surprised when she accepted my dogs and they accepted her. After a short period, I began looking at prospective adopters. One special couple, Anita and Bob, had recently euthanized their older Sheltie; their younger dog, Robbie, was lonely and they thought another companion would be good for him. This couple agreed to come out and meet Daisy, and they brought Robbie along. W hen they walked in the front door, it struck us how much Daisy looked like Robbie. They fell for Daisy right away and decided to adopt her.

The story could have ended there, but it gets better. The new owners were confused about Robbie’s birthday; they thought he was born in 2005. W hen Anita found out Daisy’s birthday, she laughed and said “ Wow, that’s Robbie’s birthday, just a few years different.” W hen Anita got home and looked at Robbie’s paperwork, she realized she was off by two years and that the two dogs actually shared their birthday. So she emailed me and asked, “What do you think the odds are that they are actually siblings?” She knew where she got Robbie, but we didn’t know where Daisy came from other than that she was bought from a breeder somewhere in California. I was able to connect with the daughter of the previous owner, who confirmed the location of the breeder and said there were at least six or seven puppies in Daisy’s litter. She thought Daisy was about 5.5 months old at the time. Robbie was purchased from this same breeder, but not until he was 18 months old. He had lived his entire life in a crate and was only allowed out to potty and then was put straight back into his crate. Anita and Bob have worked wonders with him and, though still a very shy Sheltie, he has come a long way.

Now the story gets even better since Jack, the person who came out to do the home check for Anita and Bob, was himself fostering two, two-year-old, heartworm-positive dogs who had been turned in to the shelter by a local breeder along with two other dogs, one a brother and the other the dad to the puppies. So it turns out that their dad (Toby) is also Robbie and Daisy’s brother. We just couldn’t believe we had figured it all out and that they are truly siblings. What are the odds of all of this falling into place and Robbie and Daisy being able to spend the rest of their lives together happily under the care of such wonderful adopters?? The true icing on the cake is that Bob and Anita have had Shelties for about 35 years, and their very first Sheltie was named… you guessed it, “Daisy”! Sometimes the stars and planets align to get things like this to happen. It couldn’t have happened to any nicer folks, and I’m just happy I was able to be a part of this magical coincidence.

Rogue, Rascal and Rowdie (front row)
Ritz and Riley (back row)

Everyone gets along well and they all play together in various groupings. Rowdie and Rascal are brothers who were rescued together. Rogue was rescued after multiple surgeries inflicted by other dogs before we found him. We love our Sheltie children and we are always laughing from their antics. They are THE BEST!

That’s a lot of Sheltie hair, Linda! :))

Due to a technical error, poor Kipper missed his moment in the Sheltie Nation spotlight. :(

We want to fix that with today’s re-post. :)

We adopted Kipper from Second Chance Sheltie Rescue of St. Louis in February 2011.

Kipper is always ready for action, especially with his favorite football!

Ready to play with a smile, Rosanne! :)

Harvey was adopted from Colorado Sheltie Rescue in 2007 and has become a true gentleman even becoming certified as a therapy dog. Jackson was adopted from a breeder in Washington state. He too is a therapy dog putting smile on the faces of nursing home residents.

Lovely boys, Kent!

 I received Fay through Spokane Sheltie Rescue. She was abused to the point of being so scared to go outside. I am working slowly with her with lots of love and a secure routine. Here is her picture and I have to say after having her almost 2 months things are improving!
A lucky girl, Brenda!

Koji was rescued from a neglect case by Collie and Sheltie Rescue of SE Virginia and adopted in 2010. He’s been my spoiled baby ever since. (Not that anyone could tell!)

He deserves all the attention. He’s a great ambassador for the breed. So gentle he’s always a favorite with kids and he’s my veterinarians favorite, never complaining or nipping.

What a sweetie, Jennifer!

Kipper was adopted from Second Chance Sheltie Rescue of St. Louis in February 2011 when he was just a little over one year old. Our friends and family love him so much that he is one spoiled little dog. He loves his “stuffless” stuffed animals, so he gets lots of them for his birthday and Christmas.

I think he needs a another bed Marianne and Rosanne! :)