Border Collie vs. Working Cocker Spaniel

[Ephigenia]

I’m researching our next puppy, for probably a year or so in the future. I’ve always loved the look and attitude of the working cockers (I don’t like show cockers), and having mostly had collies in the past, am keen on another biddable, trainable breed, but smaller. I’m curious about how the two compare. If I was researching collies, never having owned one, the descriptions would probably put me off! Talk of needing three or four hours of walks a day, constant occupation etc. My reality of living with several borders over the past 35 years is that yes they need training and exercise, but ours have generally been chilled around the house and happy with one off-lead 60 minute walk a day (plus weekly agility training). So if you have owned both, how do the breeds compare?

I’m a little terrified to comment because I know another poster who also has collies gets very cross but, I have one and mine also fits this:

’My reality of living with several borders over the past 35 years is that yes they need training and exercise, but ours have generally been chilled around the house and happy with one off-lead 60 minute walk a day (plus weekly agility training)’

But without the agility training as it amps her way too much and gets her agitated and I do tend to give her much longer relaxed walks though, 2 - 3hours typically, I do vary it and sometimes she’ll get longer, or shorter, or even no walk.

While I wouldn’t call them lazy dogs, I very much feel they are misunderstood and don’t need the hours and hours people say they do.

I also dislike show cockers.

My (limited) experience of working cockers is they are generally friendly but Go Go Go.
They seem to bounce rather than walk and want to be everyone’s friend, quite different to the collies I know and my own who are friendly but a little aloof.

We met a little cocker pup, 4ish months, the other day, he looked like a show rather than a worker and OMG, I said to DH if the Duracell bunny was a dog it’d be him!
Literally did not stop.
Round and round the fields.
I haven’t actually ever encountered a puppy like him and adorable as he was I wouldn’t ever want to!
The extreme energy was just off the scale.

I am the other poster that at times disagrees with MrsJungelow at times.

I have collies and working cockers. Both dogs work, the collies work the sheep and my paid work is scent work with the cockers.

The collies are wayyy easier than the working cockers. I can say this I have both, the collies are wayyyyyy more intelligent.

The collies are easily happy with brain work and some exercise (here I do agree with MrsJungelow). The collies also are very people dogs, they choose to be with me and work with me. I am all important, other dogs, environment, people even sheep are less important to them.

The working cockers drive to hunt and scent is huge, it is their life . I have had to work harder to get the bond it is there but never quite like with the collies. The cockers will work and work and work at 100mph, they never go in a straight line. Interestingly the working cockers have had more separation anxiety than the collies and this had to be worked on to start with. The energy of the working cockers is fantastic. Scentwork is hard hard work, we all have several dogs to let them rest, the cockers do not agree with this and would literally scent for hours if they could.

My "breed" is the collie. The dignity, empathy and intelligence of the collie for me is unbeatable.

The Working cockers are great fun, happy, busy dogs the friends you want to go out with but sometimes need a weekend off I love them for work but proabably would not have them as a pet having had collies first.

MrsJungelow I think in this post we agree

Ephigenia get a collie - some of the bitches are tiny.....

OP if you want to do agility also get a collie!

The collies listen, understand, and follow instructions.

The working cockers run, might listen, chase a rabbit, get back onto the course, smell a new scent pop over the tunnel, throw in an extra jump cos you were not quick enough or do the fastest lap on record or you may get the 1 in 10 that love it and make you look amazing.

One of my cockers is fab makes me look like the best trainer ever got to grade 7 very quickly. The other one however makes me look like I have never trained a dog in my life and we will happily stay in grade 3 for ever

get a collie - some of the bitches are tiny.....
True, particularly the agility/fly ball lines in my experience.
Handy if you are wanting an agility dog
Mine was bought from a sheep farm, she’s fairly dainty/fine boned but a tall girl, roughly Labrador height and her mum was a beast 😆

I've had a border collie non working when my kids were little and she was nothing like people say she loved everybody big and small she was not a constant ball of energy she slept she did not chase small flurries or try to round up my kids or cats. She was nearly close to perfect. I presume she was the odd one out compared to how many people slate them on here. If I was a first time owner of a collie I would not ask anybody their opinion all people do is moan about them and I hate when people say they are HYPERACTIVE they aren't they are collies and collies are energetic they are a working dog after all

I don't do agility at the moment (current DDog is nearly 14, hence why I am looking a year or so ahead...), but I would consider doing it again with any future dog. My last "competitive" dog was a whippet lurcher who would happily charge off and do the same tunnel 3 or 4 times at 100mph, before carrying on to complete the rest of the course perfectly!

Part of the reason for looking at the spaniels is the friendly temperament - since last getting a puppy I have acquired a husband, child and a social circle involving lots of other kids and dogs who in normal times we would see regularly, including camping trips, and the dog needs to be a happy part of this. Our collies, while being lovely with us, have tended not to be the most outgoing or social of beasts. Spaniels seem to be everyones best friend.

So sounds like WCS have less of an off switch than collies potentially. The ones I see are certainly like little duracell bunnies, tails constantly going as they dive around the place. I don't mind that energy outside, so long as they can be quieter in the house! I have a general rule of no games in the house, which I think has helped keep the collies quieter indoors, they know that the living room is not the place for chasing balls .

Other breeds would be considered - whippets are on the list, very different to a WCS but tick lots of the boxes. Also border terriers, but not sure about terriers with our cat and chickens.

I’ve had a border collie non working when my kids were little and she was nothing like people say she loved everybody big and small she was not a constant ball of energy she slept she did not chase small flurries or try to round up my kids or cats. She was nearly close to perfect
I presume she was the odd one out compared to how many people slate them on here. If I was a first time owner of a collie I would not ask anybody their opinion all people do is moan about themconfused and I hate when people say they are HYPERACTIVE they aren't they are collies and collies are energetic they are a working dog after all
I relate to a lot of this.
I’ve been blown away by the level of negativity towards mine and yet she is one of the laziest dogs I know in the house, very capable of going all day outside but in the house, she’s super calm.
She doesn’t bark, she doesn’t chew things, while she doesn’t try to say hello and be everyone’s best friend she is sweet and polite to everyone she meets. Adores children.
She is a lovely, lovely girl.
She is a working line though and definitely has plenty of herding instinct.
She’d have been a great sheepdog I am sure.
We had chickens once and it was amazing watching her moving them around having had no herding training whatsoever.

Have you though about a corgi? Not quite as biddable as a collie but intelligent, friendly and will have a go at just about anything you ask of them.

My collie best ever. Will walk for ever but at home always in her bed just watching. Never hyper never destructive. Love her to bits. My experience of working cockers completely hyper. Pain in the bum

Part of the reason for looking at the spaniels is the friendly temperament - since last getting a puppy I have acquired a husband, child and a social circle involving lots of other kids and dogs who in normal times we would see regularly, including camping trips, and the dog needs to be a happy part of this. Our collies, while being lovely with us, have tended not to be the most outgoing or social of beasts. Spaniels seem to be everyones best friend
Agreed.
My collie is sweet and gentle and friendly, she loves children but she pretty much never approaches anyone unless I’ve invited them in.
I find all the collies I know to be like that, friendly if they have to interact but wouldn’t actively choose to so.
Mine isn’t so great with other dogs, she has had so many bad experiences she is very wary now.
Fine with them around but won’t allow any actual interaction.
Though she did surprise me the other day, little poodle thing came racing over and I have recalled her and she looked straight at me smiling and trotted off to make a new friend
Said hello to it beautifully but that was as far as she seemed to feel comfortable and off she trotted ignoring it for the rest of the walk.

I have a general rule of no games in the house, which I think has helped keep the collies quieter indoors
Same here

What is putting you off the show cocker out of interest? To be honest it sounds like a show cocker could be the perfect dog for you. I promise I won't be offended by your answer

I grew up with Collies and currently have a 6mth old working cocker, honestly get the collie 🤣 i love my pup to bits but he is hyper, literally never stops, hes easy to train but is also the naughtiest puppy ive ever owned. He is fantastic with the kids especially my son who has asd in a way that i dont think a collie would be but he is exhausting.

Im a sahm so he gets 1 long off lead run, 2 short lead walks and a short off lead run a day plus short 10min training bursts throughout the day, chases after the kids all day and still isnt tired.

@Hairyfairy01

What is putting you off the show cocker out of interest? To be honest it sounds like a show cocker could be the perfect dog for you. I promise I won't be offended by your answer

They have lovely temperaments the ones I've met, but its the domed heads and overlong, low set ears, and slightly droopy face - I prefer a more "natural" looking dog without exaggeration, and many show cockers are tending towards exaggeration these days. I've also heard that some show types are just as hyper as the working types .

@thecapitalsunited

Have you though about a corgi? Not quite as biddable as a collie but intelligent, friendly and will have a go at just about anything you ask of them.

DH not a fan of corgies I'm afraid. I've looked briefly at Lancashire Heelers though.

@MrsJunglelow

I’ve had a border collie non working when my kids were little and she was nothing like people say she loved everybody big and small she was not a constant ball of energy she slept she did not chase small flurries or try to round up my kids or cats. She was nearly close to perfect I presume she was the odd one out compared to how many people slate them on here. If I was a first time owner of a collie I would not ask anybody their opinion all people do is moan about themconfused and I hate when people say they are HYPERACTIVE they aren't they are collies and collies are energetic they are a working dog after all I relate to a lot of this. I’ve been blown away by the level of negativity towards mine and yet she is one of the laziest dogs I know in the house, very capable of going all day outside but in the house, she’s super calm. She doesn’t bark, she doesn’t chew things, while she doesn’t try to say hello and be everyone’s best friend she is sweet and polite to everyone she meets. Adores children. She is a lovely, lovely girl. She is a working line though and definitely has plenty of herding instinct. She’d have been a great sheepdog I am sure. We had chickens once and it was amazing watching her moving them around having had no herding training whatsoever.

Brilliant that is so good to hear thought mine was the odd one out. I love collies but reading the things on here really put me off getting another. I thought I'd just hit the jackpot with mine.

@Accidentalaccountant

My collie best ever. Will walk for ever but at home always in her bed just watching. Never hyper never destructive. Love her to bits. My experience of working cockers completely hyper. Pain in the bum

Another collie lover beautiful to see. They get such a raw deal on here it's a shame.

I’m not a huge fan of the tailless pems which is what most people think of. I have a fluffy cardigan corgi and people are always asking me if he’s a collie cross. The Lancashire Heeler is a lovely too.

It does sound like your heart is with collies though so just get another. I got my corgi because I’d had one growing up and when I was researching dogs I just kept coming back to the cardigan. I think it’s ok to keep going back to a particular breed if you love them.

@thecapitalsunited oh he is gorgeous, not seen a fluffy one before :)

My cocker was off the wall for probably the first five years, after which she did calm down....a bit. The only time I saw her tired in that time was a day me and a friend took her, my friends two dogs and all our kids out into a forest for the whole day, where there was also a lake she could swim in. When we got back to the car to go home, she flopped into the boot and fell asleep, first time ever. Was ready to go again by the time we’d done the half hour journey home though! She was also very chewey as a puppy, probably because she wasn’t out all day every day (she got maybe half an hour morning and evening plus an hour off lead at lunch) and a bit nervous of people. She’s also got a very strong prey drive as far as chickens are concerned. Now she’s older she’s a lot more chill. I adore her.
The collie likes a walk as well but isn’t so completely crazy if she doesn’t get one. She’s also pretty dopey, not as quick on the uptake as the cocker. Very gentle and friendly though, and very rarely barks- the cocker has started to do this a bit now she’s getting on.
The collie also sheds quite a lot - a bit constantly, but there’s a couple of times a year for maybe a month each when it’s really bad. The cocker does a little, bit it’s not in the same league.
I’d get another collie puppy but if I was getting another working cocker - and I do love them - I think I’d try and get one that was maybe 3 or 4.

We’ve had collies/ springers/ sprockers/ cockers and I’d go for a collie in future. They have an off switch that the spaniels often lack. I do find spaniels so lovely too, but they have boundless energy that is rarely satisfied. My collies have been happy to sleep and chill out after a walk. The spaniels don’t miss a beat and just keep going.

They have lovely temperaments the ones I've met, but its the domed heads and overlong, low set ears, and slightly droopy face - I prefer a more "natural" looking dog without exaggeration, and many show cockers are tending towards exaggeration these days. I've also heard that some show types are just as hyper as the working types

I do know what you mean with your description! But they're not all like that, look at this gorgeous one...

I wish you lot would stop, I want a collie now!

@RonaCor

I wish you lot would stop, I want a collie now!

Same

Shelters are great for small dog agility, And lovely dogs.

I've got a Rough collie. They are known for being very child friendly. He's started agility and loves it. Coat isn't as bad to look after as people think too. Recall isn't quite as good as a border collies though, if he sees a bouncy, friendly dog the same size as him he's more interested in them than me.