20/07/24 Sadly Bob started to lose control of his legs due a neurological issue. A scan also revealed an inoperable tumour on his spleen so the kindest thing was to have him put to sleep. Run free with Freya once again x
Bob is a 13 years old Border Collie who came into Oldies Club care with his friend Freya in April 2022 as their owner was no longer able to look after them properly and their health was beginning to suffer.
When they first arrived into foster care they were full of energy and fun. Within minutes of arriving they have clambered all over their fosterer giving her kisses and playing with toys. Unfortunately on their first walk Freya reacted very badly to a passing dog and was up on her hind legs barking, lunging quite aggressively and trying to get away from the fosterer. This behaviour was repeated the following morning with a much smaller dog. Due to needing more expert handling Freya and Bob moved to fosterers with many years of Border Collie experience.
Due to her behaviour it was decided that Freya would not easily be rehomeable. Although Bob on his own would be an ideal candidate for rehoming both dogs have lived together since they were puppies with the same owners all their lives and were inseparable. One would howl if inadvertently separated from the other. Therefore Oldies Club made the decision to place both dogs in our sponsor dog scheme, which means they would remain at their lovely foster home on a permanent basis, with the charity paying their vet bills for the rest of their lives.
In late December 2023 Freya collapsed and was rushed to the vets. Her abdomen was incredibly swollen and the vet felt there was nothing that could be done so she was sadly put to sleep. At first Bob didnt understand where his friend had gone and waited by the front door for a couple of hours. He spent the next couple of days wandering around aimlessly but after some time came out of his shell. As Bob is settled in his foster home he continues to be a sponsor dog as rehoming him would not be in his best interest.
Since Freya left Bob is a changed dog. She was definitely the senior of the two and Bob just trotted along beside her, following her lead. Now he is more lively and plays robustly with Mango another rescue and enjoys joining in with the resident Collies with games of chase followed by a snooze.
Bob is generally a healthy dog especially for an oldie. He does occasionally suffer with conjunctivitis and he did need to have one toe removed due to a suspicious lump. He seems to think he’s 3 rather than 13!
Bob still enjoys formal walks which happen every morning-a canter round the meadow, taking about 40 minutes to inspect overnight wildlife activity and to make sure that the sheep in the adjacent field are behaving themselves. In the summer the afternoon activity is more tennis ball play, followed by supper and eventually to bed. It’s hard work patrolling the boundaries, but someone has to do it.
If you would love to offer a home to an oldie but your circumstances aren’t suitable, perhaps you would be kind enough to sponsor Bob, or one of the other special oldies we are caring for in our sponsor dog scheme.