Rough collie or dalmatian - views please!

[Cloudtree]

Right we might be taking the plunge and getting a puppy. This is the first time we've had a dog although DH always had dogs growing up.

I have two DSs 14 and 12. Two cats who have been with us for 8 years since they were kittens. 5 free ranging chickens...(I'm aware this could be an issue)

House is large and we have 5 acres of garden/woodland. I am a little concerned since it effectively isn't fenced off at the bottom of the wood. It has a post and wire fence only in that area, but it only backs onto unused woodland belonging to an absent neighbour.

I must admit I like my house to look nice and am a bit worried about it getting trashed. I am home a lot though since I work from home so hopefully that minimises the chance of a puppy going bonkers/getting bored and ruining the place.

Any thoughts on which might be a better fit for us. I like rough collies. DS2 favours a border collie although we have explained that they are generally happier when they are working. DH wants a husky which is obviously out of the question given the other animals. DS1 doesn't really mind.

I have spotted a beautiful dalmatian puppy and a litter of rough collies..

There are issues sure enough @Fucksandflowers but the same can be said of most pedigree breeds.

The dalmatians I've met have all been friendly, calm and well behaved dogs.

The cavalier king charles' I've experienced are horrible yappy nippy dogs with a squillion health issues. Yet I know lots of people love them and would say I was wrong.

I think teaching calmness and the ability to just chill and mooch is more important than exercise tbh.

A puppy should only be walked 5 minutes per month of age anyway.
So plenty of time to teach calmness.

Though rough/smooth collies tend to be very placid, easy going dogs.

Collies are great. And we had a sheltie growing up. He was also great if the opposite of bright

Yes it can msmarvellous but some breeds have bigger problems than others and the breed clubs are a disgrace.
You cannot tell a LUA Dalmatian from a 'pure' Dalmatian.
They are much healthier dogs yet nowhere to be seen, it is disgusting.

Compared to Dalmations, rough/smooth collies have less health issues.

I have never met a cavalier that was anything other than sweet and lovely personally but the situation health wise is shocking.
The breed will cease to exist soon the way is going.

I thought you could get LUA testing these days but I'm happy to stand corrected.

It certainly seems to be a much more common conversation happening in breed specific sites and forums that I've been hanging around in

You might find this link about it interesting:

thebark.com/content/dna-test-helps-dalmatians

I also know of a dalmation with the purine issue, they also shed their short but thick hair like crazy and the dog is batshit so I'd go for a collie over a dalmation

If a breeder suddenly has a pup available at the start of the holidays for no good reason then run! Good breeders don’t breed prolifically.
Having the kids home won’t necessarily be a helpful thing. You want to teach toilet training and how to behave in the house. Mad and bonkers playing could see the pup overexcited, the kids hurt and the house trashed.
KC reg means very little. It’s not a proof of decent breeding.

I have a rough collie from a breeder. He is the easiest dog I have ever owned. It is no longer a working breed and isn't bred for drive. His eyes and hips are perfect too.

The breeder I got mine from actually has mostly short haired collies born. Just get a short hair and the grooming problem is solved.

Shelties (Shetland Sheepdogs) usually get to about knee high. Some are smaller, some bigger but not as big as a Rough Collie.
We got all ours through official breeders through the KC & whilst they weren't from working stock they still had instincts, like they knew they should do something with sheep just not sure what!
These were our last two, Finn & Jake.

I know we wouldn't want the puppy to be over excited but the kids are 14 and 12, not babies and so that should be fine.

Litters of rough collies seem to be infrequent. its just good timing

Im biased as I have a gorgeous Dalmatian girl! she is very calm and laid back.However a word of caution ,my old dalmatian was completely nuts!.Loved people but nervous of other dogs and would have a set to occasionally .I would go for a girl (bitch) as less likely to be so hectic I think!.However if you are at home a lot, and have some land would be a great enviroment for any lucky dog I think!

Our lab used to help me herd up the geese, ducks and hens in the evening to put them to bed in their cages. Collies are too intelligent, dalmations can have health issues.

I've had a number of border collies over the years , fabulous dogs , but I had a big garden (3 acres ) no small kids , and was working mostly from home so they had a large % of their day able to access the garden , they vary in temperament quite considerably , from hyperactive neurotic to very laidback calm and placid , often they just like their own little family or extended family and can be quite politely aloof with outsiders , the rough collies I've known have been generally much more placid but to be fair I've not known more than a few and not very well but they came across as less active and less neurotic generally

The Dalmatians owned by friends were quite neurotic and not really that good as pets , less inclined to be trained but then they are carriage dogs and are more pack minded .i don't know much about them beyond this

Can you not look around the rescue centres ? June is about the time people decide they are going to dump last years Christmas pups before they go away on holiday , some people have a stigma about rescues but I'm my experience getting a young adult you are more likely to see it's personality and temperament than in a young pup

i've had a number of border collies over the years , fabulous dogs , but I had a big garden (3 acres ) no small kids , and was working mostly from home so they had a large % of their day able to access the garden , they vary in temperament quite considerably , from hyperactive neurotic to very laidback calm and placid , often they just like their own little family or extended family and can be quite politely aloof with outsiders

I live in a terrace and my dog rarely uses the garden and I have small kids and I have a border collie.
They don't need a massive garden or a kid free home.

Though I would agree that temperaments can vary.
Mine (working line) is very calm and placid as is my neighbours (also working line).
The ones from agility/flyball/sheepdog trials I've seen have been neurotic/no off switch.
I am vehemently opposed to 'show line' versions of working dogs but the ones I've met there have been placid too.
Although they are all ball obsessed!

I would also agree that they tend be aloof with strangers.
Mine quite likes getting a bit of fuss from strangers in the house but as soon as guests start to get up off the sofa she runs straight to the front door and if they don't come to the door quick enough she starts whining and will look at them then at the door then back to them.
It always makes me laugh like she's saying right, that's enough.
Time for you to leave my house!

On a walk she has no time for people whatsoever and will actually often jerk her head away if they try and touch her.

She likes children though and will sit and let them stroke her.

Hi Cloudtree, we have 2 dalmatians, a boy and a girl. You mentioned you like your house to look nice .... 1 thing to be aware of is that dalmatians shed their hair A LOT! White hairs will appear in your house, car so I stopped wearing black a long time ago! They were bred to run up to 30 miles a day alongside a carriage, and need to be walked twice a day for an hour minimum, you will not wear out a Dalmatian. Having said that they should only be walked for 5 minutes for every month of their life until they are 1 year old as they are strong muscular dogs, and if they are given adequate excercise become very chilled, very soon. They can be strong willed but want to please you, so respond well to and LOVE training. They are extremely sociable and love being in the company of family and friends. They can be escape artists so do really need a secure setting. If you can take on board the above and are willing to give them time and discipline, you will be rewarded with the most amazing, chilled family dog that just wants to love and be loved in return. Whatever you choose in the end, it's lovely you have given it serious thought and are doing your homework on all the different breeds 😍

My first dog as an adult was a whippet.
Loving ,loyal ,enjoyed long walks and was dream to watch when running.no shedding ,no health problems.id say the perfect family dog.

You haven't answered the question, OP. Where did you find the perfectly timed litter? If you've only just enquired, that's a bad sign. Good breeders have extensive waiting lists.

Not necessarily true in terms of lists - our breeder is excellent and happened to have two litters due at the time we wanted. Serendipity, I think

I adore dalmatians but I have never met one that wasn't completely barmy.

No good breeder would be breeding multiple litters at once.

I might be wrong but don't dalmations have health issues and tend to die young? Skulls too small or something due to breeding.

No good breeder would be breeding multiple litters at once

I have always been a little confused about this viewpoint.

Now, correct me if I am wrong, but I thought it was fairly common for entire bitches living together to come into heat roughly the same time?

Most breeders have at least two bitches.

So, if a breeder doesn't have multiple litters then surely they have either deliberately stopped one or more bitches breeding at the same time or the bitches don't live together/are living along exclusively in kennels?

Why is say 2 litters at the same such a red flag?

Because it suggests multiple breeding bitches, far too many litters being bred (if each bitch is only having a litter or two why have them at precisely the same tim?), not giving enough time and attention to each litter (puppies are hard work) and breeding in volume purely for financial reasons.

I see, but, it is surely perfectly possible that the two bitches simply came into heat at the same time and the breeder chose to breed them both?
I mean, it doesn't necessarily indicate a bad breeder?