Border collie with 1 year old?

[Clothnappybum]

Hi everyone I'm new here but just wanted to ask a quick question.
We are off to look at some border collie pups tommorrow but after doing yet more research I've seen a few sites saying they aren't good family dogs as they are workers and will eventually herd the children .
There is another springer spaniel pup for sale, a female, I'm wondering if she would be better than the collie?
Any experience?
Thanks

Our son is three and our collie pup is 14 weeks.

The collie seems good with our son but we watch them constantly as they can make one another excited and that sets off the collies 'rounding up' instinct. This has led to things getting rowdy as both are so young and vie for attention.

Collies are so intelligent and very demanding plus they need masses of excercise so are very similar to tinies in that respect.

In our experience, it was the correct choice of dog but he will be a working dog. That said, I would not leave him unattended with our ds.

I'd never home either breed to a novice or with the average family and certainly not to the average family with a 1 year old.

Where have you found these pups? A decent breeder would take the same view as me (I'm a rescuer) and would be very unlikey to rehome to someone in your position TBH, which makes me wonder how reputable they are about all the other things which seperate a decent breeder from a bad and/or backyard one. I'd avaoid both at all costs if I were you and think you'll be asking for trouble to go into buying either with a 1 yo. I also think that you're asking for trouble going into it at all at present as it sounds like you haven't done as much "homework" on the matter as you need to.

That's why I'm researching and asking these questions! I've had mixed info from the net and always thought (from parents researching when I was a kid) that springers were ok with children, the puppies are used to children but obviously I want to do my own research rather than listen to the person selling them.
I've heard Beagles are good dogs with families.
Any recommendations on good sites for me to take a look at?
Thanks

i wouldnt recommend a springer or collie pup for a young family.

i have had dogs and young children (and foster children so very important for dogs to be able to accept different kids living with them) and would recommend you have a slightly older dog 18months + as then the dog's temperament will be known (even though there are some breed guidelines each dog will vary so much. our two jack russells are very very different) and the dog can be assessed with children.

for this i would recommend you go to a reputable rescue centre. they may have a dog suitable for you already in kennels but even if they dont better to wait for the right match and have many years of enjoyable dog ownership ahead of you.

if you decide on a specific breed then you can google that breed rescue organisation.

however, i think you are right to question/research which breed/dog will be a good match for your family and if you go to a rescue and explain your circumstances then they will help you choose the right dog. they will guide you and will be impressed that you are asking advice on choosing the right dog for you

good luck

I'm biased so I'll say those of your local rescue, or perhaps that of Many Tears for example.

It's not that either of the breeds aren't okay with children, it's the level of commitment needed for the breeds and the energy levels which they possess which makes them less than suitable for a novice home or one which has the restrictions put upon it that a 1 yo inevitably causes. If they aren't "working" somehow, such as high level training, Flyball, agility or the like these breeds have a tendancy to go self-employed and that's when they become hard work. The vicious circle sets in then... dog is a PITA, demanding and difficult, owner is less willing to put in time with dog, dog gets bored and destructive, owner begins to dislike and resent dog and does less with him... you see where I'm going here?

Then they end up in rescue, most commonly at between approx 8 months and 18 months of age as the family has given up on them. Then too you are running the risk of a bored dog going stir crazy and snapping. A puppy of any kind is going to be bloody hard work with a 1 year old, mind.

DogPage is a pretty good start on the road to dog-owning. It's frequented by people who largely know their stuff and can give no-nonsense advice and is worth just browsing through to pick up some solid advice.

I wouldn't suggest a Border Collie, Springer or Beagle for a first time dog owner tbh. I breed Golden Retrievers and I'd even be extremely reluctant to home on of them with a family with a one year old. I would consider it, but they'd really have to prove to me they had done their research and knew what to expect and how hard it might get.

I think you need to decide what sort of dog you want and what you want from a dog, how much time you have to put into it and how much walking you are able to give, whether the dog will have to be able to have the odd day without walks if the DC are ill or something and whether the breed in general can cope with this without being miserable and wrecking the place! Then, once you have done all that and narrowed it down to a few breeds, get in touch with the breed clubs and find a few breeders to go and talk to about the breed in general and what having a dog of that breed will mean to your family.

I would honestly steer clear of any breeder advertising pups that are 'ready to go' or that advertises on websites such as Epupz or the local paper. You may well find a good breeder advertising in those places, but unless you really know what you're looking for it can be a minefield, so I really wouldn't recommend it.

Bearing in mind whatever dog you get is likely to be with you for 14 years or more, and that you are first time dog owners, please be prepared to pay a decent price for your pup, to find a good breeder who will be honest with you, that has enough experience of the breed to be able to give you good advice and who will be available for 'after sales' advice should you need it. To do this you will need to go via the breed club for your chosen breed and almosty certainly be prepared to go on a waiting list for a puppy.

The breed club websites are a good place to get general info on dog breeds, but do remember this is just a guide, all dogs are different, even within the same breed.

Thinking of buying a Puppy? What you need to know

Our collie is fab with our girls. We have had him (from pup) since dd1 was 3 & so he has been with dd2 (2.6) her whole life.

Never had a reason to worry about him. I was anticipating problems when dd2 came along, but nothing!

We are all very happy as a family!

I would say no. Some Borders are amazing with children, some are NOT. Cocker or cavalier king charles spaniel would be my personal choice.

Thanks for the links, I think I'll fill in the info form at our local pet rescue where they access you and advise you further.
Thanks again

I'm reasonably experienced with dogs (GSDs) and I wouldn't have a collie, because they're FAR too 'worky' for me. Sure, you might get some who are laid back family dogs without a massive amount of work, but you have to remember that these dogs were bred to be out herding for full days. They are generally not content to just chill out at home and they need a job to do. With a 1 year old, it's probably unlikely that you're going to have time to do agility, obedience, scent work etc with this dog.

I notice someone suggested cockers - but I'd employ similar caution with a working cocker, though a show cocker might fit the bill for you!

Beagles - hmmmm. Again, scent hounds aren't a breed for a novice owner.

As people have already suggested, don't get too hung up on breed at this stage - go to your local rescue and tell them what you can offer a dog and what qualities you're looking for. A decent rescue will match you with a good family dog for first time owners, which is definitely your best bet.

Unless you're very committed, I think you'll struggle with ANY pup if you've got a 1 year old child to deal with as well.

As for a BC or Springer or indeed any other "worky" type - nooooooooooooooooo!! Especially if you don't want to do anything specific like Obedience or Agility etc. That's just asking for trouble.

We have a 19 month old Border collie. He is the most laid back dog you have ever met, when it is just me and him here he curls up next to me asleep.

When the dcs get in from school and dp from work then it is play time for him. We are lucky in that we live right on salisbury plain so there is loads of room to run him.

I think it depends on your family set up aswell, how he will behave. Ours has come from a working sheep farm so he is very much a working dog but has settled into our family lifestyle easily.

He has just been used as a stud dog so we could well be having another border collie in the house in a few months time and i have got no worrys about this. We have found though that he is very much a one person dog. He took to my ds as soon as he arrived and he will do anything for him. I think you have to do what is best for your family.

tjacksonpfc
"I think you have to do what is best for your family."

What about what's best for the dog?!

It has worked for you but how many BCs / WSDs or their crosses end up in rescue or are destroyed weekly in pounds because people get them without considering how that dog is going to cope in a family environment. Literally thousands each year. Just look at pound and rescue pages.

OP you've had some good advice here from Valhalla, midori and calamitykate - I'm sure you are going to think seriously about it and consider the dog's needs as well as your own

We had 2 border collies when our DC were born. We never experienced any problems, although both dogs were older (4&6 years) when DS was born. We currently have a border collie puppy and, like ALL puppies, she is hard work. However, our collies are not worky because they are bred from show lines rather than working lines. In fact, my collie puppy is considerably more chilled than the various cockapoos and shnausers in her puppy class and nowhere near as hard work as my neighbour's labrador puppy!

However, like all puppies, she takes up an awful lot of my time with training and toilet monitoring! Although she is too young for long walks, I know that when she is older she will require a lot of exercise - not easy with a toddler! I also have to mentally stimulate her by making her "work" for her food. I was ill this week and not able to keep her as busy as usual. As a result, she has "re-designed" our garden! I can't imagine being able to train her properly with a 1 year old child as well. In your position, I would definitely be looking for an older dog and, if it is a border collie, one bred from show lines.

Here's just one example of what Laska and I mean - one example amongst hundreds. Jack is currently in a breed rescue. This is what they say about him:

"Jack has come back to us from his family. He was adopted as an 8 week old pup. Jack's family now have a young baby in the house and have decided they can't give him the time and attention a young and very active collie needs."

I see scores of dogs like this coming into rescue. It's something that happens far too frequently with all breeds but the risk of it happening are increased tremendously with certain breeds, border collies undoubtedly being one of those.

This is why I would never rehome or advocate the rehoming of such a dog to a novice or to a family with young children unless under very exceptional and experienced circumstances.

I dont have a BC but I do have a field working Labrador. He needs alot of time and has alot of energy I have seen show Labradors and they seem calmer than mine ever was. If you do get a dog I agree with previuos poster go for a show line.

I have both a border collie and a springer spaniel and I purposely chose working lines as I like my dogs to have some 'Zing'
TBH I have not done enough training with the spaniel..he just 'is'. However he is lovely with the children and very easy but has a lot of energy.
The collie is more work but only because she is not that good with other dogs or my youngest because she is very switched on by movement. She has had a lot of training and is very obedient.
You will fall in love with them all as puppies but I would steer clear of working collies unless you intend to work her!