*UPDATE*

Spryte here!

I thought I would post an update on my progress since coming into rescue over a year ago. You heard me correctly; I've been in rescue over a year now. My foster mom, says I am so ready for a family of my own so let me tell you what I have been up too.

Foster mom says I would do best with a routine and don't need to go everywhere she does because I am more nervous out of my comfort zone. She says I have improved so much on our daily walks around the neighborhood. I've learned this neat game where when I see someone coming toward us, I look at my foster mom or she tells me to "look" and then I get a cookie. How cool is that! As long as I remain calm and just look at the person and then at foster mom, I get treated. I also enjoy hiking in the woods but I still have to be on leash because silly me wants to chase all the squirrels and chipmunks. When we hike we play the "here" game a lot. When foster mom says "here" and I run to her, I get a cookie! And when we go by a bunch of rocks or a rockwall I like to climb on top and walk it; checking out all the smells and searching for critters….foster mom says this is okay as long as I don't catch anything. :)

Oh, foster mom bought this neat toy for me that I get to chase because I love to chase! It's a stick thing with a rope tied to it and then there is this fuzzy thing on the end. Foster mom swishes it around to get my attention and then she plays "keep away" (or so she tries). I'm pretty quick though and I've learned to stalk and outwit the stick toy so I'm pretty good at catching it now. Foster mom says this is a great game to tire me out and I really like playing it. I also love to play tug and can actually ignore stuff when I am playing...sometimes :) Foster mom says this is also a good tool for my forever home to use when trying to keep me busy.

I've been around a few strange dogs (well, they are friends of my foster brother and sisters) in the yard and I did okay because they just ignored me. But I demonstrated to my foster mom that being around too many loose dogs that were running and playing in one place (similar to dog park setting) is too over stimulating for me. I didn't know how to act so I charged a lot of dogs to see if any of them reacted. I don't do that to bully them but because I am not confident and don't want to be picked on so why not find out up front who I need to worry about. I couldn't focus on anything else so foster mom says it is best that I avoid those types of settings in the future. I am not a very social girl; I just like to stick with dogs I know.

What else? Oh for the past several weeks I have been going to a K9 Nose Work class. What is that you ask? Well it's a class designed to develop our natural scenting abilities by using our desire to hunt, which is something I like to do. When it's my turn the instructor hides a container with my treats and a scent and then I get to go searching for it. My foster mom says it's a great way to build my confidence, burn up mental and physical energy and have fun!

Oh and I almost forgot to tell you, my foster mom introduced me to geese! They are very strange creatures. I found them fascinating and showed lots of prey-play drive. I'm not sure what that means but I know I had fun chasing them. Foster mom says she is going to bring me back to the farm again and let me have another go.

Well, that's enough for now. Foster mom tells me I am a good "monkey" and that I try really hard. It's just going to take me awhile to be better so I need someone who will be patient with me and let me move at my own pace. I hope that someone comes along soon. :)

I hope you enjoy the new pictures and here's a video of me showing off my skills.

Spryte is a petite 2-1/2 year old smooth coat Border Collie. She was one of the nine dogs taken in by NEBCR from a Texas puppy mill. She is learning that life can be fun and people are not so scary and is looking for a supportive guardian that will help her continue to grow and trust.

You may have noticed from the pictures that Spryte has only one eye. She came into rescue with an old eye injury that required the eye to be removed. The good news is that her other eye is perfectly fine and Spryte has adapted quite well. From the way she acts, runs and plays you wouldn't even know.

Spyrte is enjoying going for hikes, swimming, and just learning to be a dog in her foster home. She loves to play tug and will entertain herself with a toy (although she is still learning not to tear them apart), digging in the toy basket until she finds the right one, and then tossing it in the air.

She gets along well with the 3 other Border Collies and 2 cats in her foster home. She would enjoy (although not required) a canine companion to wrestle with and play chase but the dog would need to be easy going as Spryte feels a need to be defensive with bossy dogs. And even though Spryte gets along with most other dogs, she does best meeting them on her own terms, not on a leash. Leash greetings can be stressful for many dogs and should be avoided with her. Spryte also enjoys the company of cats and tries to entice them in play but they have yet to appease her.

Spryte has a very strong prey drive and may chase not only animals but also cars going by so a fence is required for her safety. Her foster mom continues to work on her recall but she cannot be trusted off leash in a non-secure area at this time.

Spryte is very leery of men. This is most likely due to a lack of socialization and possibly the terrible situation she came from. She has made progress while in her foster home but will need continued management and her ideal home may be one without men.

Spryte is an intense girl and Prozac has helped her settle down, think and learn. She easily took to clicker training and loves learning new commands and tricks such as; sit, down, sit pretty, paw, leave it, and touch. Also since being on medication Spryte is much less reactive to unfamiliar sights and sounds. She could possibly be weaned off this once settled into her new home.

Spryte is crate trained, rides well in the car (crated), and enjoys snuggling with her person. She can be quite the comical character at times and has earned the nickname, "monkey" (which she responds too).

Spryte will require a patient guardian who wants a sweet companion to enjoy their yard and their home, not a big life going lots of places or meeting many new people, that will help her continue to blossom and build her trust in the world with positive reinforcement. She will be placed in an adult home only.

Spryte is being fostered in Connecticut.

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