Astro will be deeply missed by all of us, especially Anne, who gave him all the attention and care and love that she could, spending entire nights at his side, and putting aside even her own needs to take care of him in what was his greatest time of need and comfort.

Astro's Final Days

We are honored that he let us know him, and I am honored that so many people cared, and donated to his many tests and stays at the emergency clinic.

Astro Thanks Everyone

I personally am grateful that Anne and her family gave Astro their home and their love, and allowed him to feel what a real home was like, surrounded by people that truly cared, and didn’t walk away when problems reared their ugly head.

We would still like to ask for donations, to help pay for his extensive medical needs.

Again thank you to everyone that sent their prayers and well wishes, and to everyone that donated to help Astro. I know he appreciated all that was done.

ASRM 0062 Parker

ASRM 0062 Parker

parker is very active as most puppies are, he loves to chase and play and interacts with all his bigger foster brothers and sisters. He will bark and yip as he plays, if left alone he will howl until you reappear for him. He is crate trained. He does fine with the family cat, chasing him, but once he has caught him, is not sure the next step and will run away from him as quickly as possible.

ASRM 0062 Parker

• Lethal Whites
• Yahoo Groups for Special Needs
• Amazing Aussies
• Living with Handicapped Pets
• Deaf Dog Activities
• Deaf Dogs
• Blind Dogs
• Lethal White Rescue (Yahoo Groups)

ASRM 0062 Parker

We are working with ISU in Normal Illinois on learning sign language and touch commands. Parker is in the excellerated classes in college. If you are familiar with special need dogs, and have the time and energy to dedicate to his well being, please complete an Application today. Reference ASRM 0062 Parker.

ASRM 0062 Parker

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ASRM 0061 Lucy

ASRM 0061 Lucy

Lucy is a very energetic and playful little girl, she is always looking for a fun romp with her foster brother and sisters, and she will play frisbee or chase a tennis ball until she drops from exhaustion. She would probably make an excellent agility or flyable candidate. Lucy walks great on a leash and is completely housebroken, she knows how t use a dog door for her potty needs very well, She also rides great in a car, soaking up the scenery as it passes by.

ASRM 0061 Lucy

Lucy knows a few commands already, and she gets along great with all the adults in her life, and also with children, though because she has a hi energy level, small children under 7 are not a good fit, as she may chase or nip them with her fun loving enthusiasm. She does chase the family cat, but it’s all in good fun, but she does get loud in her play, she likes to bark and tell you what she is thinking and doing. Lucy also loves to sit in your lap and cuddle and give kisses.

ASRM 0061 Lucy

ASRM 0058 Stryder

ASRM 0058 Stryder

Strider immediately fit right in when we brought him into foster care. He bonded with his foster family as soon as he walked in the door. Strider also started to play with his foster brother as any normal Aussie will. Strider gets along with cats, and seems to be very tolerant of children, though we have not tested with small children, though Strider’s energy level is more on the low side for an Australian Shepherd. We feel with proper monitoring he will be fine around little ones.

ASRM 0058 Stryder

ASRM 0058 Stryder

Strider pulls just a little on leash, but is being worked with. He loves to ride in a car and seems to take great pleasure when cursing the town. He seems to also enjoy his brushing times and we don’t see Strider as an alpha dog at all.

ASRM 0058 Stryder

ASRM 0057 Mini Cooper

Mini Cooper Sitting Sharp

Mini Cooper is neutered and up to date on all his shots. Mini Cooper is crate trained, and for the most part housebroken, though he needs some additional work on that. He is not a hi energy Aussie at all, preferring to just follow you around the house all day, mainly to steal pets and cuddles from you. Weighing at only 36 pounds, he is your dictionary definition of a lap dog. He gets along with anyone, young, old, male, female, dog, cat, and we bet even a canary. Mini Cooper is not a real fan of car rides as he has not had a lot of experience in car rides. We are and we expect his adopter to help him with this.

Mini Cooper is One Happy Guy

Because Mini Cooper is a special needs Aussie, we ask you research and understand the needs and limitations of the breed and the special condition, being a Double Merle/Lethal White he will require your understanding.

ASRM 0057 Mini Cooper

• Lethal Whites
• Yahoo Groups for Special Needs
• Amazing Aussies
• Living with Handicapped Pets
• Deaf Dog Activities
• Deaf Dogs
• Blind Dogs
• Lethal White Rescue (Yahoo Groups)

Mini Cooper Walking Large

To adopt this gentle soul, Mini Cooper ask that you complete an Application today. Reference ASRM 0057 Mini Cooper.

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ASRM 0056 Jack

Well all we can say is Jack is great! The day we sprung him, he was a totally different boy then the guy we met at the shelter. He was wiggling his Aussie Butt (something all Aussie lovers know and love to see). He was already housebroken, and he let his temp foster mom interact and play with him. He was a buddy to everyone he met, man, women, dog, cat and even children.

Jack Claims The Bed

ASRM 0056 Jack

Jack knows many commands already, loves to play with a tennis ball, we think because he can jump so hi he would make a great agility candidate. Because Jack has a hi energy level, looking to see what dirty dishes you left in the sink, jumping up to look out the window, to trying to give gentle, yet firm hugs, he will need a family that can work with the energy level he has. Jack let his foster brother chew and bite on him all day when he arrived, loving and playing the whole time.

Jack Takes A Bath!

Jack was a real trooper when it was time for a bath, he sat quietly, giving hi fives and kisses, knowing he was a very lucky guy. Jack is crate trained, and ready for that new forever home. If you feel that a 2 year old black tri Australian Shepherd is the type of Aussie for you, then we suggest you complete an Application today, we expect Jack to be adopted in no time at all. Reference ASRM 0056 Jack.

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ASRM-0053 Tucker

Give a big Aussie Wiggle to Tucker and his new family.

ASRM 0043 Rascal

Rascal has lost the use of his right eye, as the result of chasing the wrong horse a few too many times.  The eye is healthy and won’t hurt him as it is; however, we are looking into possibly removing the eye and either replacing it with a glass eye or stitching it shut. We are looking for donations to offset the cost of the treatment.

ASRM 0043 Rascal

Rascal came to us from a shelter where he had been for several months.  He had apparently never lived in a house before his foster home.  He has now become accustomed to all sorts of new things, including tile floors, stairs, and blenders. He is still learning indoor bathroom rules, but is improving all the time.

ASRM 0043 Rascal

Rascal seems to get along with all animals, including cats, but we would recommend not having him around horses, since he seems to like them a little too much.  He particularly loves dogs, and would be best fit in a home where there is at least one other dog to socialize with.  He is a follower, in both good and bad habits, and will imitate his pack mates.

Rascal is very shy of people touching him, and does not seem to enjoy excessive cuddling and petting. He will take time to get to know his owners.   He likes to be near people, and will happily follow his owners around the house or yard just to be near to them.  He tolerates petting, and does very well with small children, but he shouldn’t be made to cuddle too much for his own happiness.  Rascal has made great strides in this area and enjoys his foster families’ companionship and petting more each day.

Rascal is up for adoption, he is in the Central Illinois Area and is eagerly awaiting a home. We suggest no horses as he is not good with them, but he is fine with everything else. Complete an application and reference ASRM 0043.

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Elvis 4 Year Old Black Tri Aussie

Elvis has been returned to our program because he and his adopter’s husband did not get along very well; however, Elvis doesn’t have any problem with men! He ADORES his current foster dad, follows him everywhere, and even allows himself to be picked up for weighing without squirming.

When his foster parents are away from the home Elvis is left uncrated and there have not been any problems. When he first came to Protege, he would sniff at counters and jump on his hind legs to try to snag food, but has not done this in quite a while now (this is also not a problem if you just keep you counters/tabletops free of food, since he doesn’t try it in front of you). He was also shaved by his original owners, so his fur is a little “fuzzy” compared to most Aussies.

At one point his foster parents had to stay in a hotel and took Elvis with them; he did not have any accidents in the room, nor did he bark or cause any problems. Elvis does exhibit alert barking if someone knocks on the door or rings a doorbell (including if it happens on the T.V.!), but seems to understand that not all noise he hears outside means someone is here. He never barked while staying at the hotel until someone actually knocked on our door.

Elvis knows how to come, sit, lay down, stay, kennel, go potty, go inside, and knows both how to catch a ball in the air and how to fetching it. He is currently working on learning how to shake. At night he usually sleeps at the bottom of the bed or on the couch in the living room.

Here are a couple of short videos of Elvis:

Elvis is up-to-date on all vaccinations and on appropriate preventatives. He is being fostered in Iowa City,Iowa. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email info@protegerescue.org. While we welcome your questions about Elvis, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Maggie

Any and everyone who came to the house came JUST to see Maggie. She would give out a “whoot whoot” in happiness. She loved attention and didn’t have any of that so called – Aussie reserve. While on walks in the park in the summers, kids would call out her name and she was so happy to see everyone. She loved baseball and softball season, when everyone gathered in the parks to wait for her arrival. Princess Maggie would be on parade with all the kids running to pet her and everyone fighting to be able to carry her leash. Sometimes we had to make a couple laps to give all the kids a chance at “walking Maggie”. Maggie was a special, sweet dog with such a gentle soul. When kids were afraid of dogs, Maggie was the perfect ambassador to get them more comfortable with dogs.

Maggie

Maggie lived a very full life, and had many people who loved and adored her. It was quite the adjustment when she came to my house. She had been a much loved and adored only pet and then came to my “petting zoo”. But Maggie took it all in stride and fit in with no problems. She welcomed all new animals into her home and loved everyone. Well, other than the hate/hate relationship with Fudge the cat In the end, her body just gave out, but not her spirit or heart. She was 15 ½. Sweet Maggie.

Please Welcome Maggie to the Rainbow Bridge.

ASRM 0052 Ziggy

Ziggy is up to date on all his shots, and is being neutered as we speak. Ziggy warms up quickly to people, though he will need a little more time to gain trust again after being a stray. But since he is an Aussie, he will start to tryst rather quickly.

ASRM 0052 Ziggy

ASRM 0052 Ziggy

Keep your eyes peeled for updates on Ziggy as we learn more about this handsome little black tri Australian Shepherd.

ASRM 0045 Lindsay

Elly gets along wonderful with her dog buddies in our home and would enjoy a home with another dog friend to guide her and show her the ropes. She has no interest in the cat and would never chase or hurt it. She finds great comfort in going into her crate with soft blankets and sleeps quietly through the night. She seems to gravitate towards women but if you gently set her on someone’s lap she will stay there soaking up all the attention she can get.

ASRM 0045 Lindsay

She is not at all aggressive in anyway, with food, people or other animals. She’ll let you wipe her feet before coming inside and brush her and is starting to enjoy flavored rawhide bones, fetching sticks in the yard, and slowly but surely coming out of her shell. She does well in the car when going for rides and seems to enjoy the view.

ASRM 0045 Lindsay

Elly will need a forever home that is quiet, patient and understanding of the fear a dog has coming from a puppy mill. Someone with the dedication to prove to her that she will never be hurt again. A secure fenced yard is highly recommended as she loves to run and play once she feels safe. Also, a crate, left open, filled with blankets which she can retreat too when she’s scared. She’s a beautiful and sweet little dog and with time will be an awesome addition to a loving family.

ASRM 0045 Lindsay

Honorary ASRM Aussie Easton

His foster mom couldn’t bear to see him so shattered, and we as a rescue felt that he deserved to stay with his foster mom, and become a forever guy in her home. But you know, times are tuff, we all know someone touched by the recession, either unemployed, losing their home, or have to take employment that now barely covers living. Well Easton’s mom is in that spot, and she has been a great help to Aussies everywhere, well we feel it’s time to pay it forward, and we are offering to help defray costs for his medication, and let him stay where he feels safe and happy.

Honorary ASRM Aussie Easton

If you have a few dollars to spare, can you help us, help her? Any donations will be marked towards Easton’s continuing medical requirements.

Gracie

Gracie is a real sweetheart. She does NOT beg at the table, is perfectly housebroken (she goes first thing whenever she’s let outside) and loves to chase a stick and bring it back to you to throw again. She craves nice walks and doesn’t pull on the leash. She enjoys sitting quietly in the back seat on car rides. She’s been on a diet since coming into foster care and has lost 3 pounds; down to 31 pounds now. Just a few more pounds and she could be a supermodel for mini Aussies.

Since Gracie grew up around a child daycare setting, she is fantastic around children (and adults) of all ages. She loves to play tug-of-war with a chew toy one minute, then will curl up on your lap for a cuddle and nap the next. In fact, Gracie is so mild-mannered she doesn’t need to be kenneled at all. If you leave her home alone for a few hours she’ll curl up in a dark corner of the bedroom or on the living room sofa for a nap. She’ll sleep quietly all night on the sofa or easy chair.

When someone comes to the front door, Gracie will announce their presence with a bark or two, but warms up to strangers in a matter of seconds when she realizes they are welcome by her owners. She is also great around other dogs, pretty much ignoring them unless they want to play. She will bark while playing, but quiets on command. She will wait at a doorway until you invite her inside.

Gracie is an ideal indoor pet who also loves playing outdoors. She hopes to start the new year with a kind, gentle and fun-loving family that will play, cuddle and give her all the loving she deserves.

Gracie is currently being fostered in Cedar Rapids,Iowa. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email info@protegerescue.org. While we welcome your questions about Gracie, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Boo Boo And Her Water Therapy

Boo Boo In Therapy

Boo Boo In Therapy

With no other canine companions at home, Boo Boo is spending time at doggy daycare to meet and play with other friends.

Boo Boo In Therapy

Max 5 Year Old Blue Merle

Max is what we call a survivor. Why you ask? He was dumped as a young pup in a residential area that was surrounded by woods. Max lived off of what ever scraps he could find. One day a older couple who lived next to the woods saw Max, but could not get him to come near them. They started by setting out food, and slowly gaining his trust, the neighborhood became involved and everyone pitched in to feed this scared Aussie. He was still scared of human contact. Then they built him a little dog house to give him shelter from the elements. But things were not in Max’s life to live free and the way he had all those years, you see, he was hanging out in an area were the home owners associated stated “No Dogs” and one day the secret was out about Max, he had barked at a meter reader, why not he was bonding and starting to protect the homes of the people that loved him.

This was not a good way to stay hidden, you see even though Max is one of the smartest breeds around, his nature required he bark and alert when a stranger was around, that is why we love our Aussies, they care and protect us.

Max 5 Year Old Blue Merle

Max was eventually snared by the county animal control, much against their wants, it was a very sad and tearful day for everyone in the neighborhood, you see Max was starting to respond to humans, and trust, only to have that shattered away. Max was taken to the shelter, where he laid on the floor for 3 days, not eating, drinking or even going the bathroom. The decision was made to put him to sleep, but again Max, who braved 30 inches of snow, sub-zero weather, 100+ degree days in the humid Southern Illinois region, was a survivor, the medication to put him to sleep was either not enough, or his Aussie Godmother was saying he still had time on this earth, time to show he was what many will call a pet, a companion, an Australian Shepherd.

Max 5 Year Old Blue Merle

ASRM 0050 Charlie

ASRM 0050 Charlie

While Charlie will sometimes wet himself when a guy walks in, could be have been mistreated by a man, but just melts into the lap of his 13 year old foster sister. He rides well in a car, walks good on a leash and is house trained and crate trained.

ASRM 0050 Charlie

Charlie is all velcro with his family, always wondering where you went off to, so he tends to stay close to keep his eye on you. He gets along well with the other dogs and cat in the foster home and would do best in a home with another canine pal.

ASRM 0050 Charlie

ASRM 0048 Lugnut

ASRM 0048 Lugnut

ASRM 0048 Lugnut

Lugnut walks well on a leash, rides great in a car and will crate well. He is housebroken and displays no issues with food or toys. He does like to butt bump when he sees you, a trait we see from time to time. He will offer his rump for heavy scratching and rubbing. Lugnut lives up to his name very well as a go happy Lug of a Nut. Lugnut is always wanting attention and wanting to play. He sleeps quietly all night on the floor next to foster mom and dad, he loves to play with the kids, and loves to playing with other dogs when he can. But normally, Lugnut is Velcro’d to his human’s side when awake.

ASRM 0048 Lugnut

ASRM 0048 Lugnut

ASRM 0049 Merlin

ASRM 0049 Merlin

Merlin weighs 40 pounds soaking wet, and he is fully vetted, and neutered. He is a great guy that blended right into the foster family. He walks well on a leash, he rides great in a car, and he seems to get along with everyone he meets. We are very grateful to have had the chance to save this boy, and he is now ready for a great home.

ASRM 0049 Merlin Sitting

Merlin is being fostered in the Kankakee Illinois area and is looking for a castle to ply his magic. If you want this grand wizard in your home, complete an application today. Reference ASRM 0049.

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ASRM 0044 Jake

He is a traditional Aussie when it comes to being a Velcro dog. He wants to be everywhere his owner is. He is well trained: he gives paw, hi five, sits, comes, plays fetch and drops the ball right at your feet and listens to his name very well when called. He is neutered, house broken and up to date on all shots. He wants to be loved and needs lots of attention because he is still young.

ASRM 0044 Jake

He is scared of new people and uses growling as a way to let you know he is scared. He is working on that with his foster mom to stop that practice because it makes him seem like a mean dog when he is just trying to cover up the fact that he is scared. It takes him longer to warm up to men than women. He will warm up quickly when given a treat by the stranger. He will guard your house and let you know when people are coming and someone is outside of the house or at the door. After he gets used to you he will want to play, play and play. He uses his crate as a place to hide when he gets too scared; it’s his comfort zone.

ASRM 0044 Jake

He wants to sit next to you on the couch and cuddle with you when you are sleeping. He does listen when you tell him to get off and lay down on the floor. He pulls on a leash and might do well with a prong training collar to help with that, he is working on being better on a leash with his foster mom.

ASRM 0044 Jake and Foster Brother

ASRM 0044 Jake Playing

ASRM 0056 Linus Making Himself a present for you

One thing about Linus is that he has blossomed into a great Aussie Ambassador, he plays well with his foster family pack. He interacts very well and loves attention. He is house broken, walks well on a leash, and rides well in a car. Linus does have one bad habit and we are working on this, he will chase cars, so he must be in a fenced yard, preferably a large 6 foot privacy fence type. Besides that we are hard pressed for any bad things he does.

ASRM 0056 Linus

ASRM 0056 Linus

ASRM 0041 Belle Starr

Belle Starr is around 20 pounds, she loves everyone and everything, she loves children, and adults. She loves other dogs and is always wanting to play. She does like to play with cats, and why not, she is not bigger than a cat, but she will play rough, so we suggest a cat that will say enough to let her know.

ASRM 0041 Belle Starr

Belle Starr loves to go on walks, and she does very well, she loves car rides, and so she is a great travelling companion, walking or riding. She plays with toys and shows not food or toy aggression.

ASRM 0041 Belle Starr

We are asking for donations to help offset the costs of her surgery. If you would like to help Belle Starr, please make a donation today.

We are working on her crate manners, you see she loves people so much, she starts to whimper and cry if she can’t be with her family. She is being worked on and we expect she will fall right into place. Belle Starr is also housebroken.

Belle Starr Hanging With the Girls

If you are interested in Belle Starr, she will be available after the first of the year in 2012 for adoption after her surgery and rehab. She is being taken care of in Rockford Illinois. To be considered for this little girl, please complete an application today. Reference ASRM 0041

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Protege 218 Levi

Levi is neutered, up to date on vaccines, heartworm tested negative, and is on monthly heartworm and flea preventatives. When he first came to his foster home he weighed a hefty 76.5 pounds and was 10-15 pounds overweight. He has been placed on a diet, goes on walks almost daily and plays vigorously several times a day with his foster family’s dog. His weight has been monitored weekly and in 4 week has lost 5.1 pounds for a current weight of 71.4 pounds. He loves going for car rides, and will usually either lay down or look out the window. He does some pulling when on walks and we have had good luck with using a Gentle Leader to minimize the pulling.

Levi is a very happy guy who always has a smile on his face. He does get bored easily, so many toys are provided and he has always chosen them to chew on instead of furniture or shoes. Because he gets bored easily, we think that he would love to go to a home with a fenced in yard and another dog his size to keep him entertained. He loves to play with his foster family’s dog, though he will try to be dominant at times by standing over her or trying to jump on her, but has never shown any aggression towards her or others. He gets very excited when meeting other dogs or humans and will try to jump on you when greeting. He doesn’t realize how big he is and that he could easily knock down a small child. For that reason, he may be better suited for a family with older children. He has little interest in cats if they are dog savvy. However, if they decide to run, he will follow just for the fun of the chase, not for aggressive reasons.

He is a very smart character who came to his foster home knowing “sit,” “down” and “shake”. His foster family is working on “off,” “stay” and he learned “kennel” within just a few minutes. “Stay” is a bit easier indoors than outdoors since there are so many other distractions! He is very food motivated and because he has such a drive for food, his foster family will sometimes kennel him while they are eating. He is kenneled at bedtime for 7-9 hours, has not had any accidents and is not vocal when he is kenneled at night. During the day, he will whine when he needs to go outside.

Here are a couple of short videos of Levi in action:

With Christmas coming, Levi hopes Santa brings him a family who would give him tummy rubs, an active and social lifestyle and lots of love.

Levi is currently being fostered in Cedar Rapids. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email info@protegerescue.org. While we welcome your questions about Levi, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

Please meet Colby (#219) a 1 1/2 year old blue merle Australian Shepherd. Colby was turned in by his owners, who no longer had enough time for him once a baby arrived. He came to us with a bad staph infection which covered his skin all over with an itchy red rash, gave him a very poor quality thin and coarse coat, and a bad smell. Thank goodness we got him into the vet to deal with THAT! Colby is much happier now that he is not scratching all the time. He has been on meds for the infection, no longer smells bad, and is getting salmon oil supplements for his coat (which will be really beautiful once it grows out — as you can see from the photos, he has awesome colors!). Colby has one blue eye and one brown eye — very striking; he weighs 40 lbs.

He is a super sweet boy, very handsome and extremely loving. He would be content if you could just agree to sit with him and rub his belly all day. The term “velcro Aussie” was coined with Colby in mind. If you want a dog to be your most devoted companion, to stick with you no matter what, Colby is the boy for you. He wants nothing more than to be by your side. Colby enjoys going for walks on-leash, is good walking with and meeting other dogs, and loves to meet new people. He rides great in a car, jumps right in and is ready to go. Colby has been to a large dog park and is an awesome dog park dog. He was a wonderful recall, so, while he will run off to meet people and dogs in the park, he’s happy to return to you and mostly sticks around nearby.

Colby does have some separation anxiety, which we’re working on. He is very anxious when left alone. His foster brother and sister help him to have a bit more confidence, so we’d really prefer that Colby go to a home with another dog who can show him it’s okay for the humans to leave. Colby is not good crated and is much more anxious and stressed when confined that way. Though he is also anxious when left uncrated, he does not bark and is not destructive at all. He prefers to have access to windows so he can watch for his humans. We are monitoring this closely, and after some time in foster care, he does seem to be settling in and relaxing a bit more when left. His new family will need to be patient and give him time to adjust to a different situation. If you can do this for Colby, though, you will be rewarded with such a nice boy. He is well-behaved and well-mannered in the house (except for his overly enthusiastic greetings when you first get home — you can just about hear him saying “oh FINALLY FINALLY you are back! I was sure you’d NEVER NEVER come back!”).

Here is a short video of Colby playing with a friend:

He is completely housebroken, neutered, and current on all vaccinations. If you would like a handsome, quiet, loving companion who will be devoted, who will love to meet your friends and family, and who will be happy to learn whatever you’d like to teach him, please consider contacting us about Colby. We will like to tell you more about him.

Colby is currently being fostered near Cedar Rapids. If you might be interested in learning more about this dog, please email info@protegerescue.org. While we welcome your questions about Colby, all adopters are required to complete a Protege Adoption Application before being considered to adopt a Protege dog; our adoption fee is $200.

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Fletcher 1 1/2 Year Old Australian Shepherd

Fletcher 1 1/2 Year Old Australian Shepherd

Fletcher loves to walk on a leash, he does pull just a little but is being worked with. Fletcher gets along well with other dogs and loves to ride in a car. He does need some work on his crate training, and is being worked on now. Fletcher also will alert on men in his presence, again we are working on this behavior. Fletcher doesn’t like cats, so we suggest you be as cat free as possible. We have not had the opportunity to test with children.

Fletcher 1 1/2 Year Old Australian Shepherd

Fletcher 1 1/2 Year Old Australian Shepherd

ASRM 0011 Bella

ASRM 0011 Bella

Bella was then fostered at a new home but we were experiencing odd behavior, so we finally had her moved again, and she seems to be in her element. She is always happy, sleeps and will stay crated, she has had not one accident in the house, and she gets along with all the little Scotties that call Susan’s house home. Bella is a prefect example of a velcro, dedicated and loving Aussie.

ASRM 0011 Bella

ASRM 0011 Bella

You see, Bella is now the dog we all wanted to see. She is now full of confidence as she should be, proud and secure, she plays well with others and walks on her leash just fine, and she loves the car, she has even asked Susan if she could maybe start to drive to the vets every now and then.

ASRM 0011 Bella

ASRM 0011 Bella

ASRM 0038 Tanner

ASRM 0038 Tanner

Tanner was herding cattle when picked up so she does have some true Aussie in her blue merle coat, so she is a girl that needs a mental challenge to keep her out of mischief and getting bored. Tanner loves to ride in a car and does very well when she goes on trips. She also walks well on a leash but will sometimes bark or alert when she sees other dogs. She has good recall when off leash at the dog park, but is distracted at times and doesn’t always pay attention when you call her name if things are active around her. Tanner is great around other dogs and has been with cats, though her first encounter in her foster home in Nebraska was a rocky start when she wanted to boss the cat, and the cat set her straight, with a swipe across the nose (another ouch!!)

ASRM 0038 Tanner

Tanner is basically good when she meets people, though she does tend to bark at men from time to time, so she will need some positive re-enforcement training to learn men are okay, and not a reason to bark. Because she has nipped at children, we feel a home without children would be best. She is a excited greeter when you come home from work, so expect a hoppy, happy girl. She plays tug of war with the other dogs in the home, and while she is much bigger, she realizes her size difference and adjusts her play accordingly.

ASRM 0038 Tanner

Tanner is being fostered in the Central Illinois area, so if you are interested in her or any of our other Australian Shepherds, complete an application today at Aussie Rescuey. Reference ASRM 0038.

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Mocha When 1st Year

So goes the story of Mocha and David…yes, our very own David Thurman. Four years ago David found Mocha, a poor, confused young dog suddenly in a shelter due to his owner needing to be placed in a nursing home. The dog was shaking horribly, and each time David would approach the kennel Mocha would shake and cry even more. You see, it is hard for a dog to understand when their happy, comfortable home is suddenly a concrete floor surrounded by metal fencing.

Day After Surgery

David eventually took Mocha home to live with him and his girlfriend. But the story doesn’t end there. Eventually the relationship between David and his girlfriend ebbed, and Mocha became the pawn in the game of who gets to keep what. The girlfriend wanted Mocha, so David only got to see the dog now and then. Missing Mocha horribly, David decided that instead of finding another Aussie to make his own, he would find relief in helping other dogs just like Mocha.

Mocha Relaxing

To-date, David has rescued nearly 400 dogs, an accomplishment that comes with an awful lot of time and financial sacrifice. Oh, and Mocha? Soon Mocha did come to live full-time with David where today he enjoys time with his two brothers Cruise and Hager, constantly telling them what to do.

Mocha and Hagar

Mocha has always had a weak set of back legs and arthritis. He somehow tore his ACL and after many rounds of laser therapy and medications it has been decided that Mocha needs surgery. A $1500 surgery in fact.

Why Dave Is In Rescue

Not many people have that kind of money sitting around for dog surgery, so yes, this is a request for you to throw a little something in the hat to help the guy who has helped so many others. Look down at your dog right now. Did David help bring your animal into your world? If so, then help David keep Mocha happy and healthy in his world. Mocha is still a young dog, with many days left of enjoying rides in the car, sleeping on the bed and worrying about thunderstorms.

Any donation, no matter what size, will help. Thank you for your help, and thank you David for all you do for all the Aussies in the Midwest searching for that forever home. So many would still be lost without you.