About Wick Vital Statistics Height: 19.75" Weight: 35 lbs Breed: Border(line) Collie Birth date: Hmm, sometime in 2001 Colour: Black and white (and one blue eye!)

Wicked is a little bob-tailed border collie who was rescued from a shelter in the winter of 2001. She was full of pups and not surprisingly, no adopters stepped forward. Luckily for Wick, though, the wonderful people at Border Collie Rescue in Washington and Oregon sent out a plea for help. And Independent Border Collie Rescue of BC (IBCRforBC) answered. Wick was transported across the border to Vancouver, BC.

In the end, she delivered 11 pups. To read more about Wick and her pups (and a darned compelling reason to spay or neuter your dog), please click here. When her pups were big enough to be left alone, her foster mom introduced her to the great love of her life- the tennis ball! Who knew that chasing a ball could be such fun? And then she showed her how to run (she didn't know how - probably she had been penned all her short life), and then there was the beach with all that lovely sand ... Wick found paradise! Finally, her pups were old enough to go to their forever homes, and time for Wick too.

Though a rather pathetic looking, scrawny dog, she soon wormed her way into my heart, and Bear's too. Initially, she was named Wick (which is still her call name) because her stump of a tail reminded me of a candle wick. It didn't take her long, however, to earn the 'ed'. I am often asked "How could you name such a sweet little dog 'Wicked'?" Well, you live with her for a day or two. Bear and Wicked are devoted to each other, playing only with each other. She is the perfect foil to his serious side, and he is the ultimate bodyguard for her. More than one dog, intent on 'chasing the border collie', has found himself face to face with a black furry mass. Sure, he runs her over sometimes when it's ball chasing time, but hey! We're talking ball here. No time for brotherly love.

After a session in obedience, Wick started agility lessons. Sure, some things took longer than others (such as the 18 months required to muster the courage to step on the teeter) but once she got the hang of it, she started to fly! She's only been running full courses for just over a year, and has 16 titles under her skinny little belt so far. She gives absolutely 110% in every course she runs, and even if we have a bit of a trainwreck, she still is a blast to train and handle. Her speed, enthusiasm and relentless barking make her a fan favourite at the local trials.

It seems only natural that a fast, ball-crazy dog take up flyball, and that's Wick's latest pursuit. She's still not entirely sure of the box turn, but she does enjoy the barking and running. With a little more practice, she will be a nice little flyball dog. Hopefully, she will be put on a team one day and get to run at a tournament.

A lot of people ask me what kind of dog she is. When I say "Border collie", I don't think they believe me. She's been called a whippet, a short-haired aussie, a kelpie, and a wookie (!). But I'm pretty sure she's a border collie (or borderline collie, given her aptitude on stock). She just happens to be a smooth coated one with a docked tail and different colored eyes, just like her brother, Bear.

While life with Wick is not without its challenges, the rewards far outweigh any of the negatives. She has overcome more in a few years than any dog should have to, and she has emerged as a happy, crazy little dog. I jokingly refer to her as Wickens-the-Chicken, but truth be known, this dog has a heart as big as Texas, and the last thing that she lacks is guts. Her highest calling is making people smile, whether it's through her goofy pictures, her insane chasing of the ball, or her woo-wooing when excited. She also is a total snuggle-bunny, once she's sure that we're not going out to play ball just one last time. If I am not available for snuggling, she settles for Bear (poor Bear).

Sometimes, when she's curled in a ball beside me, I think about all those other dogs in the Pasco Shelter and hope (but probably know better) that they are warm, safe and loved too.

Oh, and Wick says that her goals in life are: to be a good dog, to make people consider rescue for their next dog, and to run until her legs fall off!