Tessie's Rescue Anniversary

Mary reminded me yesterday that it was one year ago today that we drove down to the Richmond area and adopted Tessie from Atlantic Region Central Border Collie Rescue.  Here's a link to their organization:
http://www.arcbcr.org/index.html

It's hard to believe our pack has been together a year already.  She's a great dog, a hug bag.  Having had a border collie before, Tessie is proof that even though the genetic material is pretty much the same, what you end up with can vary widely.

Readers of the blog know that Mary and I were blessed to have two long-lived companions before in Gracie and Sofie.  Gracie was a border collie also, but driven by the natural instinct of the breed,  so that she was always there with a ball to play fetch.  And Sofie, our loving chow mix - she was motivated by pure canine-ness, very protective and watchful, but very much a companion dog.

It's funny to think how Tessie has personality traits that combine both of these - but in a way that make her her own dog.

I went outside yesterday in the morning, having let Tessie out into the backyard first thing.  When I got to where I could see, I saw the dog grab a stick and toss it into the air...that's new behavior.  Tessie is finally coming into her own, settling in with us, so that now she's inventing games.  It's a heartwarming thought.

If you're thinking of getting a dog, we encourage you to think rescue first.  There are plenty of breed specific organizations like ARCBCR; there are others like Lost Dog and Cat Rescue (http://lostdogrescue.org/); or maybe best of all, you can find a good, worthy dog at your local shelter.