Diamond

Fostered Sept. 15 - Oct. 3, 2001
and June 24 - July 25, 2002

ADOPTED JULY 25, 2002

More pictures

July 25, 2002: Diamond went home today!

July 20, 2002: Diamond is still doing great! No housetraining problems whatsoever. She is loose in the house when I am home and crated when I will be gone for more than about half an hour. She should have a crate in her new home anyway just because she seems to feel secure in it. I frequently find her sleeping in it with the door open (in fact, that's where she is as I am writing this). She is generally calm and quiet as long as she gets enough exercise every day (about a half hour walk each evening, plus lots of indoor play with the other dogs). She barks during exciting times, especially when I get home from work and take her outside, but she doesn't bark excessively at other times. She has learned to sit attentively to get whatever she wants (treats, doors opened, her dinner, attention, etc.).

July 4, 2002: Diamond has been back in foster care since June 24 and she has not had a single housetraining accident. Her new owner will need to continue a very strict and consistent routine (crate when unsupervised, regular walks, scheduled meals, and constant supervision at first) to ensure that she does not revert to old habits. (She was allowed to potty in the house for most of the past two years.) If you are consistent with this from the beginning, you shouldn't have any problems. I am stressing this because both previous owners reported that the dog was untrainable. Not true!

June 2002: Diamond was adopted in October, but now her elderly owners have realized that they cannot provide a good home for this active young dog. Diamond will need a patient owner who is willing and able to provide a more structured environment for her.

Sex	Spayed female
Age	will be 2 yrs old in September
Breed	border collie / spaniel mix
Size	35 lbs.
History	Diamond was neglected in her first home. Her second family reluctantly gave her up because they were unable to train and exercise her.
Good with	Adults and children; loves to play with other dogs; okay with indoor cats, but will chase if they run
Best feature	Diamond is very affectionate! She loves to give hugs!
Training	Diamond is not reliably housetrained. She was kept in a basement in her first home, and her second home did not know how to train her properly. She is crate trained. She knows how to sit and shake hands, and she walks well on a leash. She learns quickly and has been introduced to clicker training in her foster home.
Needs	Diamond needs an experienced owner who is committed to giving her plenty of mental and physical stimulation. She is still in the process of learning basic puppy manners which her previous owners never bothered to teach her. She needs a fenced yard because she was allowed to run loose at her former home.