Looking into getting a dog, got a few questions?

[YoungWoman94]

Hello

I'm thinking of getting a Border collie does anyone know if they're good dogs around a one year old?

How much is insurance (roughly)?
What jabs do they need?
How much do they cost monthly to keep? (roughly)

Is their anything I need to know?

Just want to be prepared, TIA

[Scuttlebutter]

Is there a particular reason for getting a BC? Do you have any experience with the breed? I ask this because they are dogs which are very, very intelligent and are bred to work, as well as being physically robust with bags of stamina. If you are planning on doing things like lots of agility, CaniX, training etc, great, but a bored BC will quickly go self employed. You may also see herding and nipping behaviours with your DC.

They are absolutely wonderful dogs (I have several friends who adore them) but they do require a lot of work to get the best out of them. Not everyone with a one year old has the time for this.

[marmaladegranny]

Needs to walk/run miles every day and be kept very occupied as they are very intelligent and came be problematic if bored. You will need to train him/her very well.
Definitely not a breed to go for without a lot of investigation.
I am sure others will be along with more information soon….

[YoungWoman94]

No reason, we're looking at different breeds too. We want a dog which isn't too big or too small as are house is on the small side but we want a dog which wants long walks.

I have plenty of time, and my 1 year old prefers the outdoors. Would you recommend a certain breed?

[NotSureThisIsWhatIWant]

insurance prices vary depending on the age and the medical history of the dog, withit being very cheap when they are younger getting progressively more expensive as as they age. (I was paying about £38 a month for my old dog)

Food cost depends on what you feed it, but being a big dog, I would say probably about £50+ a month.

They require the same standard jabs as any other dog, probably about £40 a year, but calculate about £30 per vet visit.

But as others have said, it is a very active breed, that needs a lot of stimulation and physical activity, if you can devote a couple of hours a day to it, fantastic, otherwise it may be a good idea to choose a different breed as most dogs will get bored and become destructive without the activity they require, so the mist expensive thing may be replacing whatever they destroy when they are bored at home.

[YoungWoman94]

I'm currently looking into different breeds to like Golden Retrievers. I'm a stay at home mum and live in the countyside so walks won't be an issue.

Just trying to find a breed which will be suitable for my family especially for my 1 year old.

I was going to get a small like a Pomeranian but I read small dogs aren't always best for small kids

[YourBubzYourRulzHun]

I don't find BC to be very sociable dogs. Might just be the ones in my local park but there are 3 or 4 who only ever play with a ball and will attack other dogs who come near them. One of my dogs has been attacked by two of them, the first incident was just because she happened to run near the area where the Collie was chasing her ball.
The second incident a different Collie ran up to me and my friend dogs. My dog was on lead and my friends dog had a ball. The Collie tried to take the ball, went for my friends dog, ran into my dog and then went for her too.
I know this is only a small insight into Collies but I do think they are very 'focused' so they need to do flyball, agility etc.

[YourBubzYourRulzHun]

Golden Retrievers are lovely, I've never had one but they seem active without being crazy and gentle with children.

[SunshineAndShadows]

Border collies are a reactive breed and whilst they can be fabulous, are not always the most tolerant, as pp said, herding and nipping behaviours may occur especially with small children.

A labrador, poodle, labradoodle, or retriever from a reputable breeder may be a better option. This kennel club quiz might help you find a suitable breed www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/findabreed/ It's important to be realistic - you're at home now, but will you be at home for the next 15 years? What if your circumstances change? Sorry if this is a bit patronising but often people don't plan for the future when getting a dog (and I see the sad results of this a lot )

Regardless of the breed you choose, please please read these links on active supervision and appropriate dog - child interactions
imnotamonster.org/any-dog-can-bite/
www.liamjperkfoundation.org/resources.html

[YoungWoman94]

We haven't thought much into it yet, we may not get one for a while. We're just planning ahead. My husband would just buy one without thinking whereas I'm doing my research and thinking of the bigger picture. We don't plan on moving anytime soon, my house is very cheap and my husband has a well paid job so we won't be moving anytime soon and the company won't evict us. So that wouldn't be an issue either.

I think it's just insurance and vet keeping which is standing in the way.

[EdwinaLIzzard]

Border Collies can make fantastic family pets, but as already stated, they require a lot of stimulation and exercise. You will need to be prepared to take them out, not just on lovely sunny days - when the thought of a lovely long dog walk in the countryside can seem idyllic, but also when its cold, wet and windy. When you and your toddler are under the weather, the dog will still need to be exercised.

In relation to insurance, if you go to any insurance website (like PetPlan) and pop in basic details they will give you an idea of monthly cost - its always best to go for a lifetime cover and pay for the highest annual cover you can afford. You should also budget for every vet trip to cost you c£50 (below the threshold for insurance claims), many vets have a 'healthy pet club' where you pay a monthly fee to cover all innoculations, plus a few other things which I can't recall at the moment!

Training classes are (in my opinion) non negotiable for a first time dog owner, they are as much to train the owner as the dog!!

Cost of feed depends upon what you are planning to feed them on - there is cheap supermarket kibble, expensive grain free high protein kibble (like Milles Wolfheart) through to raw feeding which can depend on your supplier, this can be quite reasonable if you have a local butcher.

Be prepared for mess …………… your floors will be muddy, there will be dog hair everywhere, all over floors, furniture, clothes and (yukky) in your food!

I am really not meaning to sound negative, I have a cocker spaniel, who is a gentle, happy but very energetic little dog. He is just 8 months old, and is my first dog, I absolutely adore him to bits but he is a mud magnet, he has eaten all the cushions in my kitchen, dug up the pots on the terrace, eaten all the carrots from the garden and now that he has calmed down, I am awaiting the 'teenage' phase

I really do love him tho'

[HarrietSchulenberg]

I know I always say it, but retired greyhounds make FANTASTIC pets.

As long as they get a couple of short burst runs each day they're content to lie on the sofa and snooze.

Recall can be an issue and many are not good around small furry things like cats and rabbits. That said, we had a greyhound who never even looked twice at our cat. Recall can be worked on and dog can be exercised off lead in a large but enclosed space.

They really are amazing family dogs and fold up small enough to only take up half a sofa if required .

[TwelveLeggedWalk]

I have a big dog, and while he is fabulous with small children he is a pain in the arse in many other ways!

I would strongly recommend getting a small dog or a whippet/greyhound. Something you CAN take out on long walks but don't HAVE to walk the legs off, especially if you have young DCs.

Smaller food bill, vets bills poos, less room in the family car when going away, easier to take to friends/family houses, easier to find people to dogsit him. Seriously worth considering!

[littlepeas]

I have a golden retriever - he is very gentle in terms of temperament, but is very strong (at only 19 weeks - he will become much stronger) and exuberant. He is lovely, we adore him, but I have to very closely watch any interaction with my dc - my youngest is nearly 4 and he and the dog adore one another, but they are currently roughly the same size……the dog has upset ds a couple of times just by being bouncy and fun and it going a bit too far. I am having to talk a lot to ds about playing calmly with the dog and often have to separate them. So whilst the dog has never shown one jot of aggression, or even annoyance, with my dc, he always wants to be with them and thinks they're brilliant, his size and playful nature (and that of the dc) can still cause problems. This is something to bear in mind if you have a 1 year old - it takes a lot of vigilance and management and the dc need to understand how to behave around the dog.

[LokiBuddyBoo1]

Have you considered a whippet medium in size can take long walks but also happy with short off lead runs, great with kids and very little hair shedding.
My sister has one got him when her son was 11 months old and he's great with him.
Not all small dogs are bad with kids I have a chihuahua cross Jack Russell and he's great with kids let's my neices and nephew play with him, dress him up he adores kids, it's how you bring them up.

[villainousbroodmare]

Any breed of dog can be wonderful or a PITA, depends on their personality just as much as their upbringing, but I would personally suggest that a gundog breed is more likely to be easygoing and fit into your household than a yappy snappy Pom or terrier, or a feverishly active collie.
Before the combined wrath of the Doghousers is unleashed, I do know (one) ultra-sweet Pom, many cheerful and non-hysterical terriers and even a couple of Zen collies. But on average...

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

I have a one year old Border Collie and while she is a lovely dog she is bloody hard work, much, much harder work than our old Lab was. She is super intelligent and if not stimulated and given things to make her brain work she becomes bored and destructive. She has a tendency that seems to be inbuilt to herd small things and things on small wheels (lawnmowers, skateboards, scooters). We attend an agility/fun club with her where we learn new tricks to teach her to keep her entertained. She is sociable and loves other dogs but I think this is because we have worked hard to socialise her, I regularly walk her in a group of other dogs.

Her jabs cost me about £30 a year.

She is about to be spayed which will cost me around £200

Her food costs me about £15 a month (she is fed on a pre-prepared raw diet which I defrost and serve).

Flea and worm treatments cost me about £40 every three months.

Collies can be prone to epilepsy, an eye condition that can lead to blindness and can be sensitive to some drugs inc. some flea treatments.

I love my girl to bits but I am not sure I could've given her the life she needs if I had a small child too.

[AlpacaLypse]

I work with loads of different dogs every day (we're in Doggy Daycare and walking) and there is no such thing as a typical example of any particular breed. However, there are definite tendencies. Labradors do tend to be amiable, spaniels do tend to be busy-busy, collies do tend to be highly destructive when bored (but amazing if you spend HOURS with them and tennis balls etc), terriers do tend to be vocal and liable to snap occasionally at the other dogs if they feel their space is being invaded...

Agree with other posters that the pointy hounds are largely very good family dogs.

Golden Retrievers are usually lovely but very strong, not particularly bright and shed hair on a spectacular level. Also all five we currently have on the books as regulars are total water obsessives and if they can't get at a river to splash in will make do with a muddy puddle. And we've got a heck of a lot of muddy puddles round here!

[Burnshersmurfs]

YY to chihuahua/Jack Russell cross. I've got one- he loves everyone and everyone loves him. Can walk for miles, doesn't eat much, full of beans and very snuggly and patient with the kids. He is my first dog, and I just adore him wanders off still gushing about the dog

[BagelwithButter]

How about a poodle? They are intelligent dogs, don't shed but need clipping every 8 weeks approx. Not too big or strong for you or your DS. Can take decent amounts of exercise but certainly not as much as a BC! Come in three sizes, I would go for the middle size (miniature). They don't look "girly" if they just have a short clip all over.

A friend has a Golden Retriever, a lovely dog but very strong from a young age, so your DS could never really take him/her for a walk/hold the lead by himself.

I would also consider a slightly older dog rather than a puppy. A rescue that has been in a foster home, therefore has a good assessment of how they are with children/other dogs/cats etc. It will have basic training in place and will be a lot less work for you. Poodle Rescue

[TrueFact]

Best advice I can give is to get a puppy that has been raised in a family home. Many breeders breed from kennels and the pups don't get properly socialised or exposed to different people/experiences which can result in lifelong fears and phobias. The early weeks (3-12wks) are vital to a dog's future social skills.
Also research your chosen breed thoroughly and make sure you meet the mother.

[SonceyD0g]

Border collies need much much more than just long walks. They live to work and without lots of mental stimulation they soon become a nightmare to own. I've had them all my life and mine do work but sadly seen so many develop problems because they simply do not make good "pet dogs". They also bite more people in the uk than any other breed. Nipping is a natural instinct to them when working sheep. I would seriously consider a different breed especially as you have a small child.

[WeAllHaveWings]

I have a laid back lab (first dog). Friend has a 3 year old rescue collie (had for 2 years) and he is a very energetic dog, constantly looking for interaction, she can walk him 10 miles and he's still ready and raring to go for more, whereas my lab would chill for hours after 1/2 a walk like that.

She walks at least a couple of hours a day 7 days a week and does agility/competitions with him 3 times a week which helps, but he's still NEVER tired.

I really couldn't cope with a dog so enthusiastic!

I can't walk my lab with them as he gets herded and nipped when they are off lead. She has had him at lots of training and he is good most of the time, but tried to train the nipping and herding out of him with no success so has to walk in remote areas if she wants him offlead. He also herded and nipped the (very understanding) post lady who came into their garden to delivery a parcel.

Have you had/trained dogs before? I would say this is not really a breed for an inexperienced owner.

[tomatodizzymum]

I've owned a bearded collie, my first dog and my wider family have borders (sheep farming). I have a lab myself. I would really really not recommend a collie. I love them and they are great dogs I'm just not sure they are the best dogs for a non-working family life, some will disagree and it really boils down to the individual dog. My uncle has two working collies and one that is a useless sop and very much a pet, he loves kids too. labs I cannot recommend enough, they are fantastic! My dog is energetic and loves a good walk, run, play etc but he's also a lazy so and so, and when he's not being walked he is happy to sleep and follow me around the house, usually flopping himself down in a cozy spot. We have four children and he's great with them and with other dogs. The most sweetest temperament. Downside is they smell very doggy (sometimes dodgy) and they malt like crazy.