Amiable Acres Finnegan
Finnegan is just over a year old, he came from a shelter in West Virginia, this is his third time on sheep.
Finnegan is available for adoption. Visit / amiableacres for more information
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Finnegan is a gorgeous, tall, lean, and lanky 1 year old border collie who found himself without a home due to his family moving and being unable to take him. That did not get him down in the least - he adores every single person he has ever met! He is certain he should meet ALL the people! While he needs a bit of help learning to contain his enthusiasm, we really can't fault him for his love of life!
Finnegan is an absolute blast, filled with energy and intelligence! He is eager to learn all the things, but so far has only been taught a couple - sit and shake! He is a lovely fun blank slate who is eager for lots of mental stimulation and training. He is food motivated and did we mention, very smart??
Our friend Finnegan also is eager to meet all the dogs and spends much of his time racing, wrestling, and playing with the other dogs in his foster home. He loves to play with other dogs! He can come on a little strong initially to a soft dog but given the opportunity he quickly wins them over and gets them playing with him.
Finnegan also has a keen interest in sheep! He has been on sheep a few times now and shows natural balance and a willingness to work as a partner with someone. See videoss linked below.
Finnegan needs an adopter who is as eager to work with a smart and enthusiastic dog as he is to be one! Sometimes his enthusiasm can get him in a little bit of trouble (he is so excited to see *everyone*), so he needs an adopter who will work with him on impulse control and give him an outlet for all energy and intelligence.
Finnegan has hip dysplasia. He is not clinical, meaning other than showing in his gait (the way he runs) he shows no symptoms. There is no evidence of arthritis in his hips on the radiographs. He should be on a quality joint support supplement for his life and it is critical that he is never allowed to get overweight. He will need activity and exercise to keep his muscles strong so they can do their part in supporting his hips. He may go his whole life without showing symptoms, or he could develop symptoms and ultimately require surgery to relieve pain. There is no way to predict what the future holds for our friend Finnegan, so his adopter must go into the adoption understanding that and be prepared to provide the diet, supplements, exercise and veterinary care required to give Finnegan the best quality of life possible for him. Working Finnegan with a canine physical therapist/rehab specialist would allow you to learn a variety of exercises you could do at home to keep Finnegan fit and strong.
Finnegan's activities don't have to be limited due to his hip dysplasia but that should be kept in mind and higher impact activities like agility need to be undertaken with guidance from vet and (ideally) canine rehab specialist. Swimming is an excellent, low impact activity for keeping muscles strong as well. Training tricks, hiking, nosework, herding, rally, and agility are all activities that will allow him to stay fit and provide both mental and physical exercise for him. His elbows were checked and they are good, no joint issues there!
Finnegan is being fostered in NY state, about a half hour south of Albany, NY. If you think Finnegan might just be the partner you have been looking for, please message us for an adoption application!
Videos:
Playing with friends: / 375437253298920
More friend play: / 781138048931587
Second time on sheep: / 339931090046722
Having fun out by the pond: / 702737253475923
Third time on sheep: / 528798821282987
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Border Collie, Sheep Herding, Working, Stock