Pake's Journey
How a Retired Border Collie Found His "Forever" Home
March 4, 2014
"It don't care whether I'm good enough. It don't care whether I snore or not. It don't care which God I pray to. There are only three things with that kind of unconditional acceptance: Dogs, donuts, and money." - Other People's Money - Lawrence Garfield (Danny DeVito)
We are in our fifth day of ten in our dog sitting for Pake, our friends' twelve-year-old Border Collie. Pake has an interesting story, to say the least. Sadly, in Uruguay many sheep and cattle ranchers abandon their herding dogs, as the dogs become too old to work. Pake was one of these older dogs.
In June of 2013, my husband was driving to the market near Portezuelo Beach when he saw a beautiful Border Collie running alongside the highway. The dog looked to be brown, hungry, and dirty, but very noble-looking. This was nearly 20 kilometers from our home. On the way back from the market, he saw the dog again and pulled over. Said dog wanted nothing to do with my husband! To clarify the context, my husband had been separated from our two Border Collies, Sam and Gracie, for several months and was missing them terribly. He was instantly in love! One of our friends saw the same dog, still traveling in the general direction of our chacra, but still about 12 kilometers away.
Lo and behold! Hubs was driving down a different country highway about 7 kilometers from our chacra and there was the same Border Collie in a field, looking as regal as could be. My husband decided right then and there if that Border Collie showed up anywhere nearer, he would be ours! At trip was made to the pet store to stock up on dog food, leash, collar, toys, and shampoo. On the way home, he stopped, took a picture of the dog, and called him to come, but still no luck. Heartbreak...
A week or so later, we heard that “our Border Collie” showed up at the home of friends living at least 10 kilometers away from us. (17 kilometers from the last spotting in the field). When they bathed the dirt from Pake, he turned out to be black and white, not brown. In all, Pake traveled over 35 kilometers from where he was first seen to his new home!
Pake hit the jackpot at the end of his search for a "forever" home. His new home comes complete with a four-year-old Border Collie playmate, Chico, and two loving parents. Pake adores the name our friends chose for him and responds to it every single time. Like his new "parents," Pake is now retired, lives on a 7 hectare chacra, and has lots of time to soak up all the sunshine, love and attention he deserves in his elder years.
We are so honored to have Pake stay with us. Our two Border Collies, Sam and Gracie, are quite jealous, but adjusting. What a great dog Pake is! What stories he could tell! He is brilliant at understanding every command, no matter that we speak English. He and I have started to go on two walks a day; he is teaching me about nature and the patience that should come to us all when growing older. No matter how old I grow, I will never understand how someone could abandon such a noble friend.
How a Retired Border Collie Found His "Forever" Home
March 4, 2014
"It don't care whether I'm good enough. It don't care whether I snore or not. It don't care which God I pray to. There are only three things with that kind of unconditional acceptance: Dogs, donuts, and money." - Other People's Money - Lawrence Garfield (Danny DeVito)
We are in our fifth day of ten in our dog sitting for Pake, our friends' twelve-year-old Border Collie. Pake has an interesting story, to say the least. Sadly, in Uruguay many sheep and cattle ranchers abandon their herding dogs, as the dogs become too old to work. Pake was one of these older dogs.
In June of 2013, my husband was driving to the market near Portezuelo Beach when he saw a beautiful Border Collie running alongside the highway. The dog looked to be brown, hungry, and dirty, but very noble-looking. This was nearly 20 kilometers from our home. On the way back from the market, he saw the dog again and pulled over. Said dog wanted nothing to do with my husband! To clarify the context, my husband had been separated from our two Border Collies, Sam and Gracie, for several months and was missing them terribly. He was instantly in love! One of our friends saw the same dog, still traveling in the general direction of our chacra, but still about 12 kilometers away.
Lo and behold! Hubs was driving down a different country highway about 7 kilometers from our chacra and there was the same Border Collie in a field, looking as regal as could be. My husband decided right then and there if that Border Collie showed up anywhere nearer, he would be ours! At trip was made to the pet store to stock up on dog food, leash, collar, toys, and shampoo. On the way home, he stopped, took a picture of the dog, and called him to come, but still no luck. Heartbreak...
A week or so later, we heard that “our Border Collie” showed up at the home of friends living at least 10 kilometers away from us. (17 kilometers from the last spotting in the field). When they bathed the dirt from Pake, he turned out to be black and white, not brown. In all, Pake traveled over 35 kilometers from where he was first seen to his new home!
Pake hit the jackpot at the end of his search for a "forever" home. His new home comes complete with a four-year-old Border Collie playmate, Chico, and two loving parents. Pake adores the name our friends chose for him and responds to it every single time. Like his new "parents," Pake is now retired, lives on a 7 hectare chacra, and has lots of time to soak up all the sunshine, love and attention he deserves in his elder years.
We are so honored to have Pake stay with us. Our two Border Collies, Sam and Gracie, are quite jealous, but adjusting. What a great dog Pake is! What stories he could tell! He is brilliant at understanding every command, no matter that we speak English. He and I have started to go on two walks a day; he is teaching me about nature and the patience that should come to us all when growing older. No matter how old I grow, I will never understand how someone could abandon such a noble friend.
