April 2020 Dog of the Month
Meet Gilly!
Gilly is a 6 year-old Border Collie mix that ended up with Arizona Border Collie Rescue when she was 3 years old. Her former owners surrendered her to a shelter in New Mexico because they couldn’t keep her contained in their yard. She was out of time at the shelter when Arizona Border Collie Rescue stepped in and saved her.
I agreed to foster her and “foster failed” very quickly, adopting her just a few weeks later. 
Over the next two years, we worked hard together and graduated from a service dog program. In addition to being a service dog, Gilly is a certified therapy dog and enjoys visiting with college students at Paradise Valley Community College.
She has also earned several AKC titles, including the Canine Good Citizen, Urban Canine Good Citizen, Advanced Canine Good Citizen, Trick Dog Novice/Intermediate/Advanced, Rally Novice/Intermediate, Beginner Novice Obedience, Farm Dog Certification, and she passed the new AKC Temperament Test.
Gilly loves trying new things and is always up for a challenge, but her favorite class at AZ Dog Sports is Rally Freestyle, where she can show off her repertoire of tricks. Some of her favorites are backing circles around me, weaving backwards through my legs, waving, backwards figure eights, and bowing.
Gilly is an incredibly special dog that loves working and learning!
~Amber Mercier
AZ Dog Sports
Susie Downey says
Way to go, Amber and Gilly! Clearly, a match made in heaven! Rescues are the Best!
Hannelore says
LOve to watch Gilly work, her backwards circles are amazing
Patricia Pottorff says
Gilly is beautiful. So thankful she ended up with a caring, loving owner . Training is so important and saves so many dogs as we parents are taught how to bring out the best in them.
Ann Harwood says
Nice story. Thanks for sharing