Agility class in the Twin Cities

Agility Run For Fun

MWCR alum Gunnar, relaxing after his agility class. His owners say he has become more focused since coming to class.

On Saturday April 14th Agile Canines in St. Louis Park, Minn., will start another 4 week Level 1 – Intro to Agility Run For Fun!

This is the class for those who do not want to compete in agility but want to do it just for fun. Contacts and jumps are always low. Teeter is never done.

If anyone is interested in this class please email Annelise Allen privately. Please share with any friends or neighbors who may be interested!

One of the instructors, Judy Roggow, is a MWCR member.

February adoptions

Mona

Mona, a 3-4 month-old tricolor wiggle-butt, has been adopted and will be living in Minnesota. This sweet girl was transferred to MWCR from a humane society in Mankato, where she came in as a stray. She is full sass and loves to give kisses and now has her very own mom and dad to keep up at night, as well as a big brother collie who is completely smitten with her.

 

It’s been a busy couple days for adoptions! Handsome senior tricolor, Vinnie, is in his new home in Minnesota; sweet 7-month-old sable/white Taylor has moved to Iowa and adorable tiny terror, 10-week-old Sawyer has made his way to Kansas to join big brother Cooper, adopted in 2017. Congratulations to all!

 

MWCR at the Great Lakes Pet Expo

January adoptions

By Sarah Rebernick, VP and Adoption Coordinator

Riley

Adorable 10-week-old sable Riley has been adopted and will be living in Iowa. His new mom and dad are thrilled to welcome him into their lives even though they are a little sleep-deprived right now.

Mia

Precocious Mia has also been adopted and will be living in Wisconsin. Her new home includes a sweet senior female who is graciously taking tiny diva Mia under her wing (or paw). We’re so happy for the chance to make sure these little sweeties will have great lives!

 

Gracie

 

 

 

Beautiful Gracie, a 2-year-old tricolor female, has been adopted and will be living in Minnesota. She has moved around quite a bit in her young life and originally came to MWCR several months ago. Sadly her first adoptive home turned out to be too busy for her to be comfortable but her new parents and collie sister are happy to give her a quiet, stable home where she can develop the skills, trust and good manners that will make her the wonderful companion she wants to be.

Elsie

Lovely Elsie, a 9 – 11 year-old mahogany sable female, has been adopted and will be living in Iowa. This beautiful lady was found as a stray and sent to the local shelter until her stray hold was up. We don’t know much about her former life but she was wearing an old shock collar and her coat was an almost unimaginable mess. A shelter volunteer spent hours working on her coat since she could hardly urinate or defecate because of the mats. Her affectionate personality and love of attention ensured that she quickly became a favorite with all the workers. Elsie and MWCR owe much thanks to the shelter that took the time to groom her and give her so much, even a name as sweet as her personality. We’re very grateful to be able to provide a soft landing in a loving home for this sweet senior girl.

January Rainbow Bridge

Last week, our dear Cole passed away. He came to us from MWCR in 2008 and quickly became a valued member of our family. He was known among our family and friends for his joyful bark, his love of being petted, and for always watching out for the children. We miss the click, click, click of his paws as he secured the perimeter of our house, ever the shepherd, and his gentle ways with all of us. Although Cole was thirteen and had a somewhat lame back leg, he still climbed on his favorite chair for naps and was alert and happy right up to the last days of his life. We are forever grateful to have had eleven wonderful years with him.

 

My Gentle Giant, may you now and forever be able to run, romp and play in the Heavens and join your friends at the Rainbow Bridge.
My heart is breaking into a thousand pieces today as we laid to rest our beloved Toby this morning. In our eyes there never was such a gentle and kind soul. Toby, lovingly referred to as The Lion by my great nephew, was a big boy at over 108 pounds. His heart had to have been most of the weight because he had something so special within him everyone noticed it. Each person he met wanted to take him home and make him theirs. Cars would literally pull over to talk to us just so they could get a chance to meet Toby on our walks. Neighbors waited for us to pass by so they could say hello to him, give a quick pet or two and pass on a treat and always, ALWAYS was he so friendly and well behaved with my grandson and all the neighborhood children. It wasn’t just people either, other dogs loose and running the street, had charged us before with their teeth bared only to stop dead in their tracks as they neared Toby. His calm energy and confidence let them know there was nothing to fear. Toby was also amazing and patient as he welcomed our friends and family’s pets into our home and over 10 foster dogs- always gentle and showing them the ropes but still quietly remaining the King.
I can never thank Minnesota Wisconsin Collie Rescue enough for bringing him into our lives. And as cliche as it may sound, it wasn’t us who rescued him but it was Toby who rescued us and completed our home. He lived over a decade and spent half his life with Rich and I making us feel safe and loved each day. My heart will forever ache over this sweet golden boy. Rest in peace Toby Terhune . . . we love you. –  Jerna Madero and Rich Laurence

Sandy

In 2016 we were contacted by a local shelter about taking in sweet, senior Sandy, a collie-mix with health issues – her family had moved away and surrendered her to them. Sadly, she went to the Rainbow Bridge but we know that her last few years have been filled with love and kindness.

This is from her mom: My sweet, thirteen-year-old collie mix, Sandy, has passed away. Sandy had arthritis and atypical Cushing’s disease. Her health began deteriorating last summer and for the last few months, she had been living on the main level of the house since she could no longer do stairs. Despite her health problems and her very limited mobility, Sandy was always happy, engaged, and wanted to be part of everything that was going on. Sandy particularly enjoyed going for rides, especially to visit her veterinarian weekly for acupuncture and laser therapy. In the end, she lost interest in the world and no longer wanted to get off of her pet bed. Sandy passed away peacefully with her collie brother Jake, Duncan the cat, and me by her side. Throughout everything, Sandy’s spirit was always bright.

 

 

Working with international rescues

MyLinda Anderson recently traveled to the Dominican Republic and spent a day with a local rescue working with street dogs. She also delivered donated supplies collected from fellow MWCR members/supporters. Click on this link to read her account of the day and the valuable work done by Rescatamepuntacana and Dogs and Cats of the Dominican Republic.

December Rainbow Bridge

Onie

Handsome Onie, adopted in 2013, has passed away. His dad says Onie was the perfect collie companion – loving, smart, a great friend. He loved routines, our early morning walks in the neighborhood, day trips to the local hills and lakes. He was great friends with all the local store cashiers who handed out treats. He loved people and their dogs. He always kept me in sight from under his bushes in the yard. There’s a big emptiness here.

 

Bella

Today is a very very sad day for me; my girlfriend Bella crossed the rainbow bridge. We adopted Bella with her best friend Barron in August of 2015 (they were on the September, 2015 adoptions list). They were inseparable, where ever one went the other was not far behind. When Barron fell ill, Bella stayed with him until the end. After Barron crossed, it was a while before she got her spark back, but I don’t think she has ever forgot him.

Bella was my best girlfriend, she went everywhere with me. If I opened the door and Katie ran out without her, she would whine at the door until I let her out as well. Then, looking at me like “how could you forget me”! She was also my “truck dog” as she loved riding in the truck where she could stick her head out and smell all of the sniffs along the way.

She has had a good run of years out on the farm. She was a little too dainty to be a true farm dog, as she did not like to get her paws dirty. She loved the horses and cats, but she had the most fun chasing the 4-wheeler or snowmobile. For whatever reason, she loved to run, bark and bite at them. When I would work out in the barn with the horses, she would find a nice hay bale to curl up on and keep a watchful eye on the situation, making any adjustments that were necessary and keep the riff-raff out.

She had developed a cough over the last couple of months, nothing alarming, but none the less it was there. She had her regular checkup in June and the vet said that she was in great shape. But I could tell that there was something wrong. I took her in, and my vet felt that it was a heart issue, as Bella was around 12 at that time. She took some X-rays and came back and said the good news is her heart is perfect; the bad news is that she has canine lung and mammary cancer. She gave her two to six months. Bella was given some medication to help her breath better, but the side effects were not good. Her health steadily declined, leading up to today.

It is hard for me to grasp that it has only been three years that she has been in my life; it feels like we have been together forever. We have adopted many older dogs throughout our lives, and each time a little part of me leaves when they cross the bridge, Bella has left a large hole that will take a long time to heal. I thank God for the opportunities that He has given me to enrich my life with these gentle creatures.

Rest in peace my friend; keep an eye open for Mattie, Buddy, and Barron, as we will all be together again someday. – Bob & Nancy Boecher