Border Collies

[GinAndOnIt]

I posted a thread back in November asking for help with what breed our second dog should be, and lots of people said BCs. I'm really drawn to them, and DP is warming to them too, but we really want to know everything before we set our minds to it.

So, DP is a farmer (arable, no livestock) and I stay home. We don't have children. We have GinDog who is a lab/patt cross aged 4yrs, and an old rescue cat.

GinDog is a pretty flexible dog and can either run for a whole day, or stay home with me and have a long walk and then bits of garden play/interaction inside and lots of cuddling. He's very good at switching off and lazing about, but getting up and ready to go whenever you need him to. He is very good at 'protecting' me/our land/house with barking, but has the terrible terrier trait of disappearing on a walk/if a gate is left open. I'm trying to fix this. He is, however, excellent at recognising the different engine noises of farm vehicles, and is very good around them (i.e. runs along one side of it, never behind/in front etc)

For our second dog we are looking for a similar sort of thing really. We would most likely both take a dog so there would always be one at home and one on the farm. I would like to have the option to be able to keep both home for walks though. I would like a more intelligent dog (sorry GinDog!) that I would like to train a bit firmer into more of a helper at home. (They don't have to help, but I'd like a dog who would enjoy the challenge of learning new commands/tricks etc. GD just looks at me like I'm a fool if I try, and DP is normally in the background sniggering!)

Two things I'm worried about with a BC:

1. will it ever switch off and let me give it a cuddle/stroke? Or will it be wired constantly waiting for the next command?
2. will it be okay around children? I'm an ex nanny, and occasionally have children to visit, plus family members with children. Someone mentioned BCs are prone to nipping with lively children around.

If you have one, or have had one, can you tell us the good, the bad and the ugly of owning a BC?

Although it's not popular, we would be looking at getting one from a pup. I really want to work hard on training from day dot, and not have to battle with old bad habits. We need to be able to trust it to behave well on the farm. DP has also had two bad experiences with rescue dogs, and is really wary of doing it again.

I was honoured to be owned by my beautiful rescue collie for 10 years and a kinder, gentler, more thoughtful dog I have ever met. She was a highland collie and had been abused, so had dog aggression issues but years of work and she softened. That's it, they are hard work but I'd do it all again. I taught my girl to track and all manner of wee tricks for fun. She was my dog in a million, a qualified PAT dog and my best friend. Collies are special but need the right home. I see you're looking at breeders, please consider a rescue bc! So many of these beautiful dogs are abandoned thru no fault of their own. Good luck op, you won't regret getting a bc!

This is all so lovely to read! So many loved BCs. I keep reading this, then looking at GinDog, and wondering how on earth a dog could be smart enough to understand any command, let alone several

So, in all seriousness, I think we may just about be able to cope with a BC. I am talking to someone about their English Shepherd who will hopefully be breeding in summer sometime, but I'd like to keep our options open if a BC comes up.

How clever are they, really? If I was in the front garden and my hand fork was in the back, could I teach the dog what the hand fork is and then tell him to retrieve it for me once he knows? That kind of thing? Or would I have to show him the item first, go and hide it, and then get him to retrieve? I will probably ask for more help with this if we end up getting one, as I'm not used to a dog who can actually be bothered to do as I say!!

Yes you can ask them to go and find and bring you something like that (something safe- not a handfork!). It really is a matter of what you put in you get back with bc. Things related to what they want are very quick to learn eg 'Can you find your lead/my shoes/etc.' It is hard to talk privately in front of a bc sometimes, you spell things and they learn that, you say 'round thing' for ball, and they learn that, lately I remarked to dh that they were putting cows in the field opposite which had our bc skidding to the window so see if she could see them. Didn't know she knew what a cow was.
On the other hand, 3 hours min outside a day, whatever the weather, lots and lots of training time, ate a whole coffee table when teething, teething was terrible, like living with a hyperactive incontinent crocodile...

BC's are bred to please so they watch you. They study your body language and learn every nuance. My girl knew what I was going to do before I did it!! I had to be a step ahead of her on walks too, she was a wee minx!
You can teach them words and easily associate words with things, especially if you use clicker training or positive methods-they love to work!

If you're in England, have a look at these people : www.wiccaweys.co.uk/

The teething and biting is the thing that is getting me down. I spoke to a friend who has SIX BCs asking how long the puply stage lasts with a BC. 3 years he said! Dear God. On a plus note i took pooch off lead on a walk today. I was pretty certain he'd stay close. And without having yet trained him he walked to heel looking up at me constantly. His recall was spot on. As was telling him to sit when anyone walked past us or wanted to say hello. It was sheer joy today with him. Will this last or is it puppy nature to want to stay close?

He sounds gorgeous. Have you tried giving him big carrots frozen solid to help with the teething? Re biting, where you advised to squeal to make them stop, we found that just made biting even more exciting. it was all finished by 6 months old anyway, the coffee table munching went on a bit longer, but the scuttling after ankles etc was long finished.
I think they want to be with you, on the whole that is, until a squirrel needs organising up a tree. Ours never runs off out of sight of us, and waits for the 'say hello' or 'go and play' permission before she runs off with other dogs.
The hardest thing we have taught her is not to bark like mad at things she sees in the garden through windows. You have to 'capture quiet' and praise it. Not easy, took a long time, still not perfect. I do like her very very quiet wuffs that she tries to do now, I suppose her version of whispering 'There's a cat!'

We have 3 border collies and have lived with them for the past 17 years. I adore them. They learn quickly so you have to be on top of the training so they learn what you want them to learn. Wiccaweys are brilliant and will send you home with the appropriate dog and give you all and any of the support you need. A breed worth looking at.

Talk to me a bit more about Wiccaweys - I don't want to totally rule out a rescue pup but I am a bit sceptical (just with this breed) and DP will take some convincing. He's had bad experiences with bitey/aggressive rescue labradors, and with the addition of biting/nipping seeming quite common with BCs, I think he'd be a bit worried.
I'm mainly worried about having a dog who's already been taught bad habits IYSWIM - this is where we're at with GinDog and I really wanted to start from scratch with the new dog (so I only have myself to blame if they're poorly behaved ) - I do appreciate that a BC will learn new things slightly better than our lovely mongrel though.

Mollie the very cuddly, but very active, collie. If you say "Moll? Do you want a cuddle?" she will come over, hook her front legs over your outstretched forearm then pull her back legs up so you can scoop her up.

Oh my goodness hell - that is absolutely adorable!

Oh and Moll is a rescue pup, she came to us at 9 weeks old from a rescue organisation and is an absolute diamond of a dog.

Thank you, she is a bit cute (but I am very biased), she hadn't seen my daughter in about 8 weeks in that first photo as DD has moved out and she idolises DD so big hugs were had all round.

massi & hell adorable dogs

I'm on my second BC, first one we had for 11yrs, then ill so pts, she was a great dog, very soppy, not a huge amount of work, just liked her regular walks and company. Wasn't great with too many children around but we got her pre-DS from a farm where there was no children either. She was fine with DS but got nippy and barky if too many kids.

New BC is nearly 2 and is v full-on, lots of work, much more wired than previous dog but is absolutely great with kids, from a farm but one with children who played with the puppies frequently. She is full of energy and would chase a ball all day. Planning on trying agility as she loves learning tricks. She will also curl up beside me on the sofa if I'm watching TV.

Mainly I would recommend if you want the dog to be good with kids, make sure you have lots of visiting children when a puppy and lots of trips to the park etc. I would always want a BC, great dogs.

forgot to say, old dog could bring about 10 different toys on command, new dog not doing this so much, she just wants a ball, any ball and will flick it at us or drop it on laps.

She does bring DP his boots if he tells her

A question if I may?

As a very new doggy mum is it normal to feel this sheer overwhelming love for your dog? Its akin to the love I have for my DCs. Its very unexpected and amuses my DH. Dpup prefers me to anyone else too so we are rather inseparable.

Yes, completely and utterly normal. I never refer to my dogs as my furbabies but I do love them just as you describe.

We got our most recent collie as a pup. Please do not get a pup off gumtree. Our ddog is a true snuggle bunny and lovely. However, she is a yappy snappy bitch and has a fully wired temperament.

Whispers

Collies are the most frequently abandoned dogs in Ireland where they are so common and sadly not valued. Litters of collies pups in the pound is an everyday occurrence.
Many Irish dogs end up here

Apols - link didn't work but was for Heathlands Animal Sanctuary where they always have collies, including an eight month old pup right now.

Hi all, we got our BC in January from the Border Collie Rescue Trust near Staffordshire in January and they have been brilliant - we've rung several times for advice since and they've been great at suggesting training ideas and insight into behaviour. So you're not just left on your own once back from the rescue. Our collie is 11 months and gets 3 walks a day but we've found what really tires him out is mental stimulation- playing with other dogs, learning new commands or going to new places. Another thing I hadn't expected is how incredibly perceptive he is - he can really read your mood and pick up on body language, sometimes before you've even realised how you feel yourself.
Overall I'd say BC are hard work but having such a clever dog is really rewarding - being able to teach them so many things creates a really strong bond.
PS love the tip on giving a frozen carrot to chew - any other suggestions of keeping them occupied Welcome! Ours gets a frozen Kong filled with treats/ scraps and beef stock which is hidden in the house for him to find. X

Here is our collie. We've had her for four hours now.