Collie vs Labrador

[CleverQuacks]

Hi all,
I am planning to get another dog. I already have a 3 year old shitzu. She is a very good, laid back dog. However I have always had an interest in dog training and agility so would like a dog who I could do agility with. A Border Collie seems the obvious choice however I have read a lot about them not being keen on other dogs and children. I have 4 children so a breed that is good with kids is really important.

I grew up with a black lab who was the most gorgeous dog and so good with us so I am considering a lab but would a lab make a good agility dog? My lab growing up was quite a lazy dog (granted she was just a pet and never trained in anything active).

What would you advise? Any other breed I haven’t considered?

Lab. Every time.

Our dog groomer has a standard poodle that she shows and does agility classes with. He’s an amazing dog. And looks nothing like my stereo typed view of a poodle when he’s not clipped for a show.

My 1 year old working lab has just started agility and he loves it! He is fast, accurate, quick to learn and will try anything for the offer of food 😂. The only trouble is that he tried to jump off obstacles from too high (he loves jumping) and he’s so fast that I can’t keep up sometimes. Oh and he once go so impatient waiting for his turn that he jumped the fence into the ring (at his class, he hasn’t done an actual competition) so now we have to stand back 🙈.

I had a Border Collie years ago she was fabulous with everything, kids, babies, people and she was loyal and obedient she was the perfect dog never put a foot wrong. My vote is for the Border collie.

I have a Border Collie a working type not show-type. He is amazingly intelligent and loyal... however, he doesn't like children at all and I would never trust him in their company. A number of people have remarked that it's a 'Collie thing' so it may be that you would be better choosing a more child-friendly breed. That being said, a show Collie might not be so prone to this trait.

We have a little nearly 3 year old Shih Tzu…. she’s fab and super sassy! My friend has a border collie who does agility etc. based on us taking them both to an agility park, Shih Tzu’s can most certainly do some agility!!

Friends collie is lovely, but she herds children and is pretty bad with resource guarding (the main resource been any body of water.. yes, the dog guards the sea!.. she is ambitious!)…. Not sure if I’d like that around kids! …. But then there was a study recently which found only 9% of behaviours are due to breed (www.theguardian.com/science/2022/apr/28/dog-behaviour-has-little-to-do-with-breed-study-finds) so maybe it’s more about finding a good responsible breeder and picking the right pup from the litter… I’d pick a a better breeder over breed every time (if I got a puppy… our dog is a rescue)

I have a now lazy collie from working stock, he's a lovely chilled out dog as an older gent but wouldn't have been suitable with a toddler as he treated the kids as his flock - super protective but nippy at the heels to get them into a pack. Upside if you work is the collies I've had we're fine being left and like their own company (eg mine have all had space under a unit/desk for their own with bed, water etc and could be left happily for hours (even if we are home, doors all open they stayed there a lot).

Interestingly they don't need more exercise than other similar sized dogs but they need more mental stimulation so training is fun for them. Do you have the time?

Both breeds are very very different from shitzus in terms of energy and their need to be active. You probably know that already, but worth considering how different their needs will be and how that fits in with your life.

We have a working lab/ working golden retriever and she worshiped my mum's shitzu though the shitzu found her a bit annoying at times.

We do agility classes and she is pretty good at it though as a young bouncy dog, she does sometimes get zoomies towards the end of the session when the excitement of being around the other dogs, the intense focus of doing the course and the treats send her over the edge with excitement/ over stimulation.

Collies are in another league in terms of agility and are wonderful dogs but I personally would't get one as they need more input than we could give. They really are working dogs rather than pets, and from observation I think they need to be busy with a job to be happy.

There are all sorts of breeds at our agility class and with training and repetition they all do well. Collies are like a super breed though!

I have a BC and she is the soppiest, most lovable dog ever....Great with the kids and loves other dogs unless there's a ball around and then she ignores everything else. And the training is as easy as breathing. She picks things up within minutes. Great breed for a family I'd say.
I might add I also have a cockerpoo and they love each other ( we got our CP when our BC was 2).

What about a Papillon?
they generally get on really well with other family dogs and cats too.
Papillon agility winner

Could you also pm me the name of the breeder. We are currently researching breeders for a collie for agility.

Friends currently have three Border collies, the youngest about two. My friend has always done agility but the latest dog isn't going to. Like some other working breeds there is increasing divergence between family dogs and competing dogs. To succeed at agility, there are now super-fast collies being bred that would not generally be suitable for a family pet. It depends on the level you want to aim at.

I have always had Labradors and would not have wanted to do competitive agility with any of them, but did some pootling around courses, so they could jump nicely when out working.

As regards Labrador joints, you can check on Champdogs to see the health testing that has occurred. Hip scores below 12 combined (so 2,4 or 3,3 - don't have scores that are more than a couple of points apart, so not 2,10) and both elbows zero. Then graded exercise for the first twelve months. Careful breeding is eliminating hip and elbow dysplasia. Do your research. Good luck!

Beautiful dog

I have had a collie/lab cross, looked similar to the photo up thread.

Dream dog. Would do anything for us, and though we did not do formal agility, we did train her to weave and jump.
She was all lab in the water though, fabulous swimmer and retriever. Gorgeous girl.

I thought of this thread today as I met a dog walker walking an absolutely beautiful BC who sat and looked like he was smiling as I stroked him and didn’t move when my toddler stroked him!
Apparently the owners have several children. It was so calm and gorgeous, I had mega dog envy! (Cockapoo puppy of mine was obvs going crackers trying to eat his own lead 🙄!!) I always thought of BCs as being hyper vigilant and on the go but this dog (not an old dog) was wonderful.

We have a collie and he is the most chilled collie i know
But young kids and he thinks he has to round them up at times, or they stress him if too over the top for too long
Super intelligent and well behaved though but our kids were 11 and 13 when we got him and we had collies before which we had before the kids so mine were used to it
One of my previous collies didn't like other dogs apart from his companion, current one can take them or leave them