Ben Ben Border Collie & Setter Mix Cincinnati, OH

Ben Ben arrived at our shelter in pretty bad shape--painfully underweight (30 pounds when he should have been 45), riddled with parasites, missing patches of fur, never bathed, and nails so long he could barely walk. The kid had obviously been through some stuff.

Under the care of STAF, Ben (est. birth date 12/16) has reached a healthy weight. He's been bathed, received a puppy pedicure, and has a clean bill of health. He looks like a completely different dog. Other remnants from his past life of neglect are not so easily erased, but he has made major strides. His inner border collie may have him nip at your heels to get your attention, but we have found that he can be easily redirected with a rope toy. Humans need to work a little harder to earn his trust, but those who do are rewarded by getting to know the attentive, affectionate dog Ben is capable of being. He can be reactive towards other dogs and people, particularly when he’s got pent-up energy … but when he is sufficiently exercised, Ben Ben relaxes into a loving pup who just adores people. You can see the gratitude in his eyes.

This boy is over-the-top smart and excels in positive based training. He quickly mastered basic obedience commands. He’d probably never been on a leash prior to coming to STAF, but with practice and a gentle leader, he’s now a wonderful walking partner who loves taking long walks and exploring the world.

Even though shelter life is far from ideal for a young, super-smart, high-energy herding mix like Ben Ben, it’s quite obvious that STAF is the best home he has ever known. He's come so far. But to make it all the way to his happy ending, he needs a dog-savvy family to meet him part way ... an active, adult-only home committed to patient, positive-based training. A fenced yard for romping is high on his wish list. If you know the incredible rewards that come from helping a scared, neglected dog discover how to be confident and trusting again, we’d love to introduce you to Ben.

Please visit www.STAF.org for visiting hours, a downloadable application, and additional information.

• All of our animals are spayed/neutered and current on shots.
• We do not do same-day adoptions; we ask that you return for a follow-up visit before taking an animal home.
• You must be 21 years or older to adopt from STAF.
• We require a 4-foot-tall physical fence for homes with children under the age of 11. We also may require a physical fence for specific dogs on a case-by-case basis, depending on each dog’s behavior and exercise needs.
• Invisible fences: Due in part to increasing coyote activity/incidents in the area and the difficulty of predicting how a dog will respond to invisible fence training, we cannot adopt to homes with invisible fences unless otherwise noted in a dog’s profile.
• We do request vet and personal references.
• We can facilitate adoptions within a 75-mile radius of our Cincinnati-based shelter.