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Mabel

Border Collie · Female · Young · 1 year

Mabel is a lovely, friendly girl who enjoys spending time with both people and other dogs. She has a playful side and absolutely loves her toys, particularly a game of fetch, which she would happily play all day if given the chance! She's a clever girl who enjoys learning and will need her new family to continue building her confidence through ongoing training. Mabel would particularly suit someone who is keen to enjoy an activity together, such as agility, flyball or scent work. Alongside this, she'll love having plenty of long, interesting walks where she can explore and use her senses. Mabel is a foodie too, which is always helpful when you're working on training! She can be motivated by treats and will enjoy learning new skills with her family. Life in a new home will be a big change for Mabel, and she will need someone who understands dogs' emotional needs and is prepared to give her the time, patience and support she needs. She can find certain household items in the kitchen difficult, so her new family will need to continue her rehabilitation work and initially keep the kitchen safely separated with a baby gate. Although Mabel may take some time to feel completely comfortable during the day, she is capable of settling and has shown that she can relax beautifully at night. Once she understands her new routine, we're sure her affectionate personality will really shine through. When out and about, Mabel generally walks beautifully on lead, making her a lovely companion for quieter countryside adventures. With the right home, continued support and plenty of patience, Mabel has the potential to make a wonderful companion for someone who is ready to help her confidence flourish. Mabel is a beautiful girl looking for a quiet, rural home where she can continue to build her confidence and settle into life at her own pace. She will need an adult-only home. She has had some lovely interactions with other dogs and would benefit from having social doggy friends around her, but will need to be the only dog in the home. She cannot live with cats or small furries, and we don't have any history of how she would be around livestock. Mabel is looking for an active family who can provide her with plenty of exercise and opportunities to explore. Ideally, she will have access to quiet walks from her doorstep, such as fields and woodland. She can find very busy roads worrying, although she is comfortable around quieter roads. A secure garden will also be important, ideally without neighbouring dogs who bark frequently, as the sound of barking dogs can be stimulating for Mabel. Mabel can be worried by travelling in the car, so initially this should be limited to essential journeys. Once she is in the car, she travels quietly, but her new family will need to be committed to working on her confidence with car travel in the longer term. Mabel is friendly when visitors come to the home, but she can become overwhelmed if introduced to too many people too quickly. Her new family will need plenty of patience while she adjusts to her new surroundings, particularly during the day. A busy lifestyle can make it harder for Mabel to settle, so she will need time to learn how to relax and switch off in her new home. Once Mabel is settled, she has shown some really positive behaviours when left, and this could be built up relatively quickly. She is comfortable settling and sleeping through the night on her own. Mabel will need some reminders with her housetraining, and her new family will need to be committed to visiting her a few times before taking her home. This will give everyone the opportunity to build a relationship and make sure Mabel is the right match for them.

Size
Large
Age
Young · 1 year
Location
🇬🇧Ilfracombe
Shelter
Dogs Trust Ilfracombe
Living with Mabel
  • ✕Good with dogs
  • ✕Good with cats
  • ✕Good with kids
Cared for by Dogs Trust Ilfracombe · IlfracombeLearn about Border Collie →

Listed 3 months ago

Bringing Mabel home

What you'll need for Mabel in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

  1. 01
    Required by most shelters

    Trixie Transport Box

    Sturdy plastic carrier — what most shelters require for pickup.

    View on Amazon→
    €35–45
  2. 02
    Editor's pick

    Folding Wire Crate

    First-week safe space. Shelter dogs settle faster with a crate.

    View on Amazon→
    €50–80
  3. 03
    Legal · EU

    Car Seatbelt Tether

    Legally required in most EU countries for transporting dogs.

    View on Amazon→
    €8–12
  4. 04

    Adaptil Calming Spray

    Dog-specific pheromone diffuser. Worth it for the trip home.

    View on Amazon→
    €18–25
  5. 05

    Orthopaedic Dog Bed

    Worth the upgrade — rescues often have joint issues from kennels.

    View on Amazon→
    €30–60
  6. 06
    Safer than a collar

    Padded Y-Front Harness

    Escape-proof for spooky rescues. Safer than a collar in week one.

    View on Amazon→
    €20–35

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About Mabel

What life with Mabel looks like

Mabel is a large young adult border collie dog waiting at Dogs Trust Ilfracombe in Ilfracombe.

An young adult dog fits most household rhythms once the first couple of weeks of adjustment pass. A larger dog like this one needs daily off-leash time when possible — a fenced yard or regular access to safe walking trails. Plan a "decompression fortnight" — quiet routine, no visitors, no off-leash adventures — to let them settle.

🇬🇧Adopting from United Kingdom

UK shelters work under the Pet Travel Scheme (post-Brexit, the EU pet passport is not valid; a UK Animal Health Certificate is required for travel into the EU). Most UK rescues focus on domestic placements but some work with EU partners.

Ilfracombe, United Kingdom — browse more dogs in United Kingdom.

Frequently asked

Adopting Mabel, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Mabel?
Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. Dogs Trust Ilfracombe handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Mabel on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Mabel if I live in another country?
Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — Dogs Trust Ilfracombe will tell you what they need (EU pet passport, rabies titer, transport coordination) and whether they handle transport themselves or refer you to a partner. UK adopters: post-Brexit travel into the EU requires an Animal Health Certificate. Plan for an extra €100–€350 in transport costs depending on distance.
Is Mabel already vetted, vaccinated, and chipped?
Most dogs on TailHarbor leave their shelter with sterilization, current vaccinations, microchip ID, and an EU pet passport included in the adoption fee. The vet status on this page reflects what the shelter has reported — ask them directly if you need details on specific vaccines, recent bloodwork, or chronic conditions.
What happens if Mabel isn't the right fit?
Every reputable rescue accepts an animal back if the adoption genuinely doesn't work — that's part of the standard contract. Talk it through with Dogs Trust Ilfracombe early rather than rehoming privately; they know Mabel and can place them more successfully than a second-hand listing can.
Why does the description sometimes read awkwardly?
TailHarbor translates shelter descriptions into English from the source language (EN). Translation is imperfect — names of streets, donors, and shelter-specific terms occasionally slip through unidiomatically. For the cleanest read, click the source link to see the shelter's original page.
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