Couple adopts unsocialized Border Collie and discovers the magic of unlikely animal friendships: 'He's obsessed with our guinea pigs'

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Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Nov 2, 2026 9:00 AM EST

When adopting a dog there could be a slew of issues or unexpected circumstances that may arise, but one thing that no one expects is the magic of an unlikely bond between two species. 

When adopting a dog, there could be a million and one questions swirling through your head at a given time. How will you train them? Will they get along with the other members of the house? Will they be easy to take on walks? Will they destroy all your furniture when you go to work? The list goes on and on, and one of the absolutely incredible things about the internet is that we don't need to wonder and wait for trial and error to take control of our lives, we can use the internet as a compass to navigate life. Who knew the internet wasn't just for scrolling funny animal memes? We sure didn't, but the couple in the story below did. They're adopting a 9 year old Border Collie and have some questions. 

Due to a family situation they're taking on a new family member in their household. They raise some concerns about training and socializing because apparently the dog isn't well acquainted with others. Well, they were steered in the wrong direction on that one. They already have guinea pigs who are fully enclosed in a cage, but this Border Collie is absolutely obsessed with them! In a silly and serendipitous turn of events, the couple have a newfound appreciation for this beloved dog and his new friends. Never forget the magic that comes with life, animals, and love. Scroll down to see where the fellow internet members assure the couple that a nine year old dog can absolutely be trained. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10674461184
    via Nikola Čedíková from Pexels / Canva
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    We do not currently have a dog, but have been discussing getting one and a situation just fell into
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    our lap. My best friend's grandfather passed away and he had a nine year-old border Collie.
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    My friend and everyone else in her family already has multiple dogs and love this one, but can't keep him.
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    We've taken him for a day here and there as a trial and he does well at our house, but I have two main questions/concerns:
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    1. He does great with us and our kids but I have seen him howl/bark at other people
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    out on a walk, etc. My friend admitted he was not socialized too much and she
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    can't say whether or not he might actually bite someone. The family has offered to
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    pay for training classes if we adopt him, but can a nine year-old dog actually be trained?
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    EDIT: To clarify, I was walking him on a trail through the woods and
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    he started barking/trying to jump toward someone jogging from the opposite direction.
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    1. He's obsessed with our guinea pigs. They are in a fully enclosed cage but I'm
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    sure he could break into it if left home alone. We could put it in another room
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    temporarily, but probably not forever. What are the chances he would out grow
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    the interest in them? Or is that just border collie herding instinct?
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  • Who would have thought that dogs and guinea pigs could get along? You saw it here first, folks. At Animal Comedy we're showing you exactly how precious the animal kingdom can be. There's really something heartwarming about seeing two animals from completely different species become friends. Part of it is that it feels so unexpected, and you wonder what are the chances of anything happening. You expect in your instincts that they wouldn't get along, and that they'd potentially have issues. So when it goes the opposite you can't help but notice how adorable it is. The bliss that comes with this border collie who's supposed to not even be able to socialize with other dogs or people, yet he's become enamored with guinea pigs! Not even a lot of people would like guinea pigs, so it's extra adorable. 

     

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    Which-Iron-2860 Absolutely nine year-old dogs can be trained. My
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    Cheezburger Image 10674461440
    via Lios / Canva

  • In a world where socialization often looks difficult, or people lack a certain level of engagement they once had, seeing two things interact and like each other can feel like a small miracle. The remarkable simplicity of human (or animal) connection is strong enough to save the world if we let it. Let this piece be a reminder that every moment can be a miracle if you let it, and that there's never an end to the magic in the world around us. 

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    border collie is nine and he is currently in a training class for rally. He is doing great.
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    Basically with a border collie, they need to be trained all the time to keep their brains
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    busy. That's also the best way to make sure they don't get reactive. Most
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    importantly is the peacefulness of your house. They are very sensitive in an
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    unhappy household can really mess them up.
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dogs border collie dog adoption magic
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