10/15/2026
**COURTESY POST**
Location: Bay Village, OH
Sophie, spayed female, 6yrs old, 42lbs
We adopted Sophie from a Texas rescue in July 2025, a year-and-a-half ago. She is age 6, 100% Australian Kelpie, and was purchased specifically as a herding cattle dog for a significant dollar amount by a Texas rancher. She was trained in Texas for cattle herding.
Sophie was a working cattle dog on that ranch for 3-4 years, then got kicked in the head by a steer which blinded her in one eye, and she lost her job. After that, she was moved around to different ranches and farms as a non-working dog, and eventually placed for rescue with a Texas group.
Before we adopted Sophie, we had several conversations with the rescue group leader and Sophie's foster mom. They confirmed and emphasized that Sophie had already made a good transition to being an indoor pet and that she was very good with cats in an indoor environment. They assured us she would be very happy as a suburban pet with cats. On that basis, we adopted her.
Unfortunately, the information they gave us was completely wrong. In follow-up conversations, they admitted they only "hoped" or “thought” Sophie would adjust. They admitted she had lived only as an outdoor dog even in rescue, coming inside at night but often not staying all night (via dog door). They also admitted their fosters had no indoor cats, and Sophie had never been tested with cats in any setting.
They would not take Sophie back.
We decided to be the best dog parents to her! At this point though, we don’t think our best is enough for Sophie to truly thrive. She needs a herding life, or life as a farm dog or simply as an outdoor dog so she is free to be her true, full self.
Sophie has unfailing recall and does great sits and downs. For the stay command, she knows "That's enough," which to her means she can rest in place. To Sophie, the word "stay" means “stay on high alert and get ready for me to give you the next command.”
Sophie is a very sweet, gentle, darling girl!! But she is an outdoor farm dog / cattle dog / herding dog, and her genetics can't be changed. Since Day 1, she has been totally fixated on our two indoor, dog-savvy cats, because she has no other outlet. She is constantly watching the cats, following them, looking for them, or trying to get past the stair gate that gives the cats their private space upstairs.
When she’s not eating, getting treats, or outside on a walk, she is fixated on the cats.
Sophie is friendly with adults and kids of all ages, but she’s not very sociable. She meets and greets happily, then goes off on her own. She loves her rescue sister, an Anatolian shepherd, and on walks she greets other dogs in a friendly manner if allowed; if not allowed to meet, Sophie strains at the leash as if she wants to play with or herd them (not aggressively).
She is independent at home, and sleeps on the downstairs couch at night (she didn't like sleeping in a dog bed or our bed in our room). Sometimes she snuggles with us on the couch, but only if she has a view to the hallway so she can watch for the cats.
We have a fenced yard, but after all this time, Sophie still won't p*e or poo there. We have to walk her around the neighborhood so she will do her business. We walk her 4-5 times a day to give her exercise and let her go to the bathroom. She is housebroken and doesn’t do her business inside; however, she just started taking one Incurin daily for occasional "dribble" incontinence; the dribbles are likely related to her new indoor life and refusal to p*e or poo unless she's on a walk.
Sophie's good in her crate; on the cattle ranch, she was always crated in a barn with the other dogs at night, so it’s a familiar refuge for her.
We believe Sophie is perfect as she is, but that our lifestyle is imperfect for her. She needs to live with a family who has some acreage, on a farm, or in a working situation — her one-eyed vision is extraordinary!
Sophie is not an ACDRA Foster Dog. If you are interested in Sophie or have questions, please email [email protected]
