Carol Johnson, the big-hearted spirit who is fostering Albert, says he is one of the handsomest dogs on her up-for-adoption list. “He is good looking,” she says, “and he knows it.” Albert is also the primary playmate of my new dog Bud, who is still living with Carol while he undergoes heartworm treatment.

Like all of the Friends Of Homeless Animal dogs, Albert has a wrenching back story, cruelty and abandonment. He was tied up on a short leash in a yard, escaped and got stuck in the woods, where he nearly perished from exposure and starvation.

He is an alpha dog, says Carol and plays almost all of the time. He’s three years old, and is also expensive by FOHA standards – suggested donation of $650, because of the $1,200 in medical costs for the care he needed.

As I embark on this new chapter of my blog – we  had gotten several  very hard cases adopted already – I am interested in seeing and understanding why some dogs get adopted and others don’t. Albert is healthier and cuter than some of the dogs we’ve helped to get adopted her, yet he is clearly not a dog for everyone, money aside.

(The Army Of Good and I can help with cost if that is an  issue.) It seems to me that Albert needs a home with teenagers who like to do things outside, he sounds like a wonderful agility dog, and he would thrive around a home with a playful dog.

He is a non-aggressive but mouthy dog, he likes to playfully put his mouth on people, a bad habit dogs can always  be trained out of.

The challenge with somewhat hyper and playful dogs is to give them some alternative and stimulating activities other than playing with dogs – walks, ball chasing, pet playgrounds, agility competitions. That usually settles them down, Albert takes out much of his energy playing with Bud.

I’m not a huge fan of dog parks or of excessive playing, it arouses the dogs and cranks them up. Albert needs to learn how to do nothing.

We teach our dogs a lot of things, but we rarely think to teach them the one thing most dogs do not know how to do (unless they are older Labs) and that is nothing.

If someone does want to take a shot at Albert,  will be happy to work with them on some calming training, my specialty. I’ve done it many times, I have faith in it. Calming training is tailor made for dogs like Albert.

Albert, like so many border collies, needs to be cranked down with obedience training,   and a wider range of exercise and activities. So he needs focused training,  an active family, a good sized yard and some work to do.

And mostly, some loving and consistent humans.

He needs a confident and experience dog person, he has the temperament and smarts to be a great dog.

To do what I do requires an ego, I recognize and I think if I keep at it, somebody will want this dog. He is very appealing on many levels, he is bright and fun and loving. He just needs to learn how to live in our world. And I am willful, I know there is the right person out there for this dog, this person will know this as soon as she or see sees Albert.

So I’m going to keep at it. If we helped to get Evie adopted, there is much hope for Albert. He needs some love and attention, and I am sure I could help raise money for the donation feel. FOHA pays for transportation.

If you’re interested call Carol Johnson at 870 260 0032, or e-mail her at [email protected]. She is very open and very honest.

Audio: The right person is out there: