any rough collie owners?

[mouses]

hi
I adopted my lovely girl on Monday, she is settling in well. so calm and quiet. sleeps most of the day away.

maybe a bit too calm? she's 5 next month, doesn't like to walk for long. lays down mid walk or when I stop, also walks quite slow?
is this about right for her age? should she be rushing around mad!

she would happily remain on the sofa all day, only moving to stretch and get a drink. puts her head down and tail between her legs when i get her lead, doesn't like to be outside at all gives me her paw and sad eyes as if to say 'take me back home!'

im a born worrier and just want to check all is ok, vet checked her over on weds and says she feels to be in good shape.

another worry is that she's not too bothered about eating. on royal canin and refuses to eat out of a bowl? I have to put it on the floor and sit next to her. don't mind doing this but not sure if its a bad habbit I should not incourage?

i have no problem with any thing above, she is me in dog form and we just connect so well. she's just the perfect companion for me.

whats your rough collie like?

[Owllady]

I don't have a rough collie, but she is a rescue? Do you know her history at all? Have you spoken to the rescue?

It could be she us just shy and needs her confidence building? Though I had a shy dog that was just shy (she was a Welsh collie)

You sound lovely though, I am sure you are the loving home she needs and deserves

[musicposy]

If she's a rescue it may well take time to get her confidence up.
Having said that, I have 2 shelties now and had two as a child (minature rough collie, basically). None of them have gone a whole bunch on walks. The laying down mid walk is a typical sheltie move so maybe rough collies do it too! Ddog3 is a rescue sheltie we've only had two weeks and it's like walking a very slow toddler. She too sat down mid walk yesterday, and then laid down. We ended up carrying her . Short is fine by them, unlike my JRT cross who loves walks, any weather, the longer the better.

[Owllady]

I think my dog has sheltie in her. She is a sable collie x but she is quite petite too.

[mouses]

hi
thanks for your replies, she wasn't from a rescue shelter i adopted her from previous owner.

yes i did think she just needs to adjust, i feel abit less worried if yours do the same. i know not rough but collie still lol ...

[FiscalCliffRocksThisTown]

are you still in touch with previous owner? You could ask him/her?

[mouses]

ive asked a few questions to the owner since having her. i was going to give her a call one evening. i did ask lots of questions on pick up but a few things didn't cross my mind until i go her home.

i asked about the not eating and the lady said she would go a few days without eating?

[FiscalCliffRocksThisTown]

what is the reason the previous owner needed to get rid of her?

[mouses]

she is a breeder /shower. wanted to get her numbers down, ddog and parents were shown or entered at cruffs (not sue of the right term?) ddog got attacked by the other dogs in the kennel - leaving ddog with a damaged nose.

owner said she wanted her to be an only dog away from the others.

[FiscalCliffRocksThisTown]

She will need time to settle in.

When we got our pup, she and been on a farm in a stressful situation, and her eating was sporadic. Though she did eat something every day, but not much. She was also worried about meeting other dogs.

She has blossomed over the past 2 months, now eats regular meals and is becoming positively outgoing.

My dog is a young un though, so with yours it'll take more time I guess.

I responded to your thread as my dream dog is a rough collie! Not that I know about them, sorry.

Give it time, and patience and see how it goes. She may well start to relax a bit more soon. Not putting too much pressure on is probably a good idea. Sounds like you are doing everything right already :)

[Greenmug]

My childhood dog was a rough collie and he was pretty lively at that age but she will need time to settle. As an aside, I had him for 14 years and he was the most loving, docile lad and my best friend when I was a kid. My heart broke the day he left us and I still cry about him almost 30 years later. Enjoy your lass they really are beautiful dogs.

[haggisaggis]

Currently have a 7 month rough collie pup - and have had rough collies previously. Unlike border collies, they don't need masses of exercise - however at 5 I do not remember our old dog lying down on walks - he would happily walk for miles (but didn't have to, if you see what I mean - just as happy with a wander round the block). Current pup loves exercise - but again does not demand it. Settles down and naps when I'm working or during the evening.
Food - the last one certainly was not that fussed by dry food - would have a bowl sitting for days and would snack at it rather than eating the whole lot t once. Pup will eat dried as long as there is some wet food on top (tried him on raw as that was what breeder had him on but stopped eating it). My SIL used to breed rough collies and she says they can be picky with food.
Rough collies are perfect dogs I think - as long as you don't mind keeping up with grooming!

[mouses]

well....
she's made it perfectly clear she can run! ive just had to run 10mins down the after she slipped her lead!!! there was a bang and she squirmed out of it and bolted.

so i guess she lazy and prefers to go slow (unless she's been scared!)

ive added a little bit of natures diet to her dry food. will only eat it if i sit on the floor with her and it has to be on the floor? she wont touch the bowl??

off to shops to buy a more secure collar

[haggisaggis]

We had a martingale collar for our last boy to stop him slipping his. You need to be careful with fitting though. Current pup is much less nervous so less likely to pull away so he has a normal one.
I would just leave the food in the bowl for a bit and see if she'll eat it later.
As a matter of interest, will she walk on shiny (ie tiled / varnished) floors? Last one refused point blank - had to place rugs at strategic points on our shiny hardwood floor so he could get across it. Pup much better but still needs to check out floors with tiles / lino before he ventures onto tem.

[mouses]

I read that the half check/choke collar are bad for their throat?

I tried leavin it in the bowl and she never ate it al day, lurking on threads about fussy eaters it says to offer an then remove the bowl after 15mins if not eaten. then repeat. it suggest do do this for 3 days max? I felt bad after 24hrs and tipped on the floor and sat with her as its the only way I know she eats.

she's not too keen on change of flooring, for example from the lino in the living room to the hall way which has carpet she stops and thinks about treading on it. same as patio into living room?

my daughter left a line of wooden trains near the living room door and she wouldn't step over or round them (only tiny inch or so trains) so paced out side the door for a while before tiptoeing round, then ran past almost with eyes closed hahaha.

[haggisaggis]

If you fit a 1/2 check collar properly so that when the 2 rings touch it is fitting the dog's neck but NOT choking it then it's ok - stops small headed dogs like collies slipping their leads. We needed one with last boy but not this. The change of flooring thing does seem to be a collie thing - we go to puppy training and all the other dogs walk happily into the tiled kitchen of the hall we go to but not ours!