Rough collie, cardigan corgi? Breed info please!

[3ormoredogs]

My sister is looking for a new family dog. She’s always had GSD or border collies, as I have I, so experienced with perhaps more challenging breeds but for a number of reasons she wants neither of those again.

She has a large house and garden. Can offer lots of walks, training and full time company. She has competed in showing, obedience and agility in the past however hasn’t for a while since her last dog was too nervous and lame to do sport. She said she would maybe like to do something again with the next dog.

Weve been looking at some of the native vulnerable breeds and she likes the look of the cardigan or rough collie but has anyone any personal experiences of living with either? It would be with me some of the time so needs to be biddable enough to live with other dogs. Are corgis challenging?

Grooming or looks aren’t an issue, more personality. Ideally the dog would be confident in public places (ie. Able to join family camping and walk around a town without turning itself inside out) , will not aggressive or nervy in any way (no breeds prone to dog or human reactivity) , able to live with children, minimal prey drive, willing to follow basic instructions although doesn’t have to be a genius. She isn’t looking for something wired…as in can’t settle in the
home.

If anyone has any experiences, advice or alternatives that would be great! Thanks!

Just as a side note, she isn’t interested in spaniels, terriers, labs, sighthounds, anything brachy or bull breeds…not that she’s fussy! A golden is another consideration but looking at all options! Thanks!

No experience with either breed unfortunately, but there's also the short-coated version of the Rough Collie, the Smooth Collie, which I would say is actually even less common than "lassie" but also removes the grooming requirements that the huge rough coat needs. I just saw this beautiful Rough Collie at Dogs Trust, it's always interesting to read about the rescue dogs to get an idea of personalities:

Ah thank you! I forgot about the smooth collie. I’ll have a look at those too. Such a beautiful dog on the link. She’s basically left it down to me to find and narrow down her choices 😄

I read an article about vulnerable natives hence where the rough collie came in. She loved her border but another would be too much at the moment, so perhaps a toned down version might work!

Cardigan!

I have a cardigan border collie mix, apart from being a bit slimmer than a full cardigan she is 100% cardigan body and mentality, its like the collie just missed her out

Temperament wise she is just amazing I can take her anywhere on boats, tourist attractions full of people the kids at school line up to say hi to her

Easiest dog I have ever trained apart from potty training but that's due to having building work going on causing it to take longer

Shes so very similar to my Gsd in how she acts as well

@RockSocks thankyou! I’ve read they can be a bit aloof with strangers so I’m glad to hear yours isn’t. Is yours nippy/herdy?
Also does she bark much?

We both love GSD but she doesn’t want to take the risk of health/temperament issues any more.

I wouldnt get a corgi if I was going to do agility.

Shes loves a fuss won't snuggle up to someone else on the sofa but definitely wants a belly rub! Knows the word corgi as well and will plant herself if she hears it waiting for scratches

Hearding yeah she does a bit when playing with other dogs but not excessive, she's not a nippy dog and never has been even as a pup
The least mouthy dog iv ever had

She does bark but not much only really does it at cats on our fence, gets on fine with our 2 but will bark at them as well if they're up there.

We walk at 5am and she will also bark and growl if someone is walking towards us in the dark, I think that's due to me being nervous as there was an incident the year before I got her

Will chase someone else's cat but the bonus is her legs are so short she can't catch it and gives up after about 20 yards 🤣

Yeah theyd be no good at agility but there's so much more to do
Canine good citizen
Therapy dogs
Tracking
Heelwork to music
Shows
Way too many to think of these are just ones family and friends do
I'm currently hoping to get her into scent work as she shows great promise and there is an amazing dog tracking team near me

I have a cardigan this is my 2nd one. I have gun dogs and other breeds in the past.
I admit my bias but I think they are the best breed on the planet! Positives not a popular breed so basically bred by breed obsessive breeders no puppy farms. Neither of mine have been neurotic or had health problems. They are easy to train, loving happy go lucky dogs and very adaptable they just fit into your life rather than becoming a way of life (unlike gun dogs) they are happy to walk miles or not, mine loves everyone that comes into the house and gets on with other dogs. He is aloof with people and dogs when out walking which I think is a good thing today he walked past a neighbours dog who hates other dogs he didn’t even look at him. Neither of mine have suffered from separation anxiety. They like their food but they are not food obsessed so easy to train. At home he quiet at the moment he’s sparked out on the floor that’s pretty normal for him he’s had two walks totalling about an hour today because I’ve been busy on other days he’ll get three hours of walking. He approaches the world with an easy going good humoured enthusiasm. He’s just an happy go lucky kind of dog. They have a great sense of humour both enjoyed winding up my other dogs. Four possible negatives they shed like nothing on this earth he has a double coat so hair falls of him all the time but then twice a year there’s carpets of the stuff it’s in on everything. They do bark more than I’m used too I’ve never owned a barking dog before getting a corgi and it’s a loud bark it’s best to view them as big dogs on short legs. They are bred to drive livestock so they are looking for livestock and will chase given 1/2 so you need to constantly be on the look out. I live in an area where there are livestock everywhere. I also own another breed of dog who wouldn’t dream of chasing anything. But both have lived with cats and shown little interest. Lastly especially when excited they can nip heals backs of legs, they were bred to drive cattle by nipping their legs.
Mine doesn’t do agility but some do and very obviously enjoy it they are surprisingly agile. Mine has a great turn of speed and loves jumping over things.
Lastly I personally think they are very good looking dogs everyone will ask you what breed it is and comment on them.
If you want one go through the breed club they have a list of puppies for sale.

I LOVE corgis! I have a Pembroke, not a Cardi but they are so smart and funny. We did agility with ours and he loved it and was fantastic at it! I also have a border collie, and she is great roo, but he is way smarter!
They are barky and shed for Britain, though!

They sound promising, I’ll have a look at the breed club website. She’s used to GSD so not too fussed about size or shedding.

I think the only worry would be nipping (small children) and perhaps the barking. Her GSD barks when someone comes to the door but I’m not sure she would be okay with a dog that barked for fun. I’ll get her to speak to some breeders and see if they think they would be a match.

re agility, it was just an example of sports she’s competed in the past. She much prefers showing but it would depend on the dog really.

Slightly off-piste but has she / have you considered a Bearded Collie? We’ve had three over the years (all from the same breeder who basically selects you. In a very good, cared for her pups, way). Similarly to the PP they are not popular so no backyard or puppy farms. Also on the Vulnerable Natives list.

We’ve had other breeds and our Beardies have hands down been the easiest to train and have around the house. Affectionate but not needy, fun, bomb proof, loves being with people, bright, (they have all had a huge vocabulary). We haven’t done this but they’re brilliant in agility trials too (you often see them doing Flyball). Our current one is pretty vocal when people come up the drive but I don’t mind that. He stops when we open the door. He gets a bit miffed if people are in separate rooms in the evening - will go and find people and stare at them from the doorway till they allow him to ‘herd’ them into the same room. Only when his ‘flock’ are in one place can he lie down for the evening!

Despite common belief, the coat is pretty easy to maintain (Brush once a week or so and groomers every couple of months). They do malt, but it’s worth if for their lovely temperament and coat (fawn is my favourite variety).

This is our Cardi. He's a rescue with some trauma in his past but he's a great dog. Very clownlike, happy go lucky, incredibly athletic. He is a big dog with a big deep bark, just on short legs. He's generally an easy dog, but he must have serious outdoor exercise twice a day or he destroys things. We always had Pembrokes in the past and I'd say he is more of a rough and ready working dog than they are. His favourite place is outside.

It may come as no surprise to see my recommendation of a Sheltie

My children were 7 and 8 when we got our first cardigan he was possibly less nippy than my current one they loved him to bits and vice versa. I’ve also had a Pembroke and he definitely nipped heals and backs of legs personally I found the Pembroke more needy and neurotic.
Neither of have ever destroyed anything and very occasionally they only get a 20 minute walk in a day and it doesn’t seem to make any difference to their generally chilled out demeanour. I just find them very easy going dogs.

Two other things neither of mine have been keen on heavy rain definitely preferring to stay inside which is strange considering they come from Wales! And I think they are prone to gaining weight and this obviously puts their long backs at risk. I’m slightly obsessed about mine and run him up in the thin side of normal weight.

I might be over egging the barking I have a very low tolerance of barking. So mine barks when someone comes to the door and when excited but only 3-4 woods so for example if I let him out into the garden to do a pee he’ll bark, he’ll do 2-3 barks when I put his food bowl down.

Woofs not woods!!

Thankyou everyone!!

@iloveeverykindofcat he’s lovely! What sort of exercise does he need? If he doesn’t get it does he just start chewing or refusing to settle?

Hadn’t considered a beardie just purely based on looks. I think they are lovely but she prefers a Wolfie or foxy face 😄 I will have a look though!

Hadn’t considered shelties either. Can you tell me a little more @FiveShelties? Do they need much exersise and what’s the temperament like? I’ve only ever met the pair that live near me and they are grumpy little things along with their owner but I’m happy to consider if that’s not the case generally!

She wouldn’t consider a Pembroke, really dislikes a lack of a tail. I think she wouldn’t mind some barking but not yapping or something that makes a racket at every little sound. She’s used to GSD alert barking but not constant barking for no reason like some breeds tend to be prone too.

Housetraining, has that ever been an issue with any of the breeds? I know some of the smaller breeds tend to be harder or so I’ve heard?

Our Pem has a tail 😁. She's a different dog altogether though.

Basically he needs a good hour's walk twice a day, and we live in semi-rural Wales so this involves varied terrain - beaches, cliffs, etc. He spends these walks zooming back and forth at incredible speed, and if he can find a dog to zoom with, so much the better. His recall is great because we are his safe people. If he doesn't get enough exercise, he'll chew things he's not supposed to, and be unable to settle. But you have to bear in mind he's from a very bad situation, when we got he was badly underweight and the vet said his thigh muscles had not developed normally, indicating he'd spent most of the first year of his life chained up or confined to a shed. 😢. Considering this he's remarkably free of issues, he's generally a very happy soul.

(I was not prepared for the DEEP WOOF though. Sounds like a baritone German Shepherd!)

Ahh he sounds lovely @iloveeverykindofcat I think she’s leaning towards a corgi but just want to be sure it isn’t a huge mistake. She usually walks her GSD for an hour morning and another 30mins at night but he sleeps the rest of the time. I don’t think she wants something zooming around the house 24/7 (nor would I to be fair!)

We lost our rough collie last year. They are a wonderful breed. A great mixture of intelligence, fun and calmness. Ours loved being outside but a lot of the time just wanted to sit under a tree and watch the world go by. He was so gentle with children and loved nothing more than a cuddle. A perfect family pet as long as you don't mind a weekly brush of the coat to prevent it from getting too tangled.

Most Pembrokes do have tails some are actually born with a stump of a tail but that is unusual.
Cardigans have particularly splendid tails which they use like a helicopter when running around.

Cardigans are basically a big dog body/mentality on short thick legs, I’ve never found housetraining to be an issue.

@3ormoredogs I have had Shelties all my life, all have had very different personalities. All have been very intelligent, love to please and immensely loyal dogs. The breeder of my last two were from does agility with Shelties.

They are happy to walk all day or have a quick walk and laze in the sun. Never known a grumpy Sheltie so that could be their owner! Have to be regularly groomed, but does not take long.

All have been terrific guard dogs, bark if someone approaching but never constant barking. They have all always been ready to play, Misty is 11 and loves shaking her Teddy! I have never had any desire to have any other breed, occasionally wished she did not shed her coat, but it is a small price to pay.

My Christmas present when I was 6 years old was a Sheltie puppy, apparently I had wanted one from being 3 years old! As my user name suggests I am now on my 5th one! They have all been gorgeous, loyal and so much fun.

My rough is snoozing next to me. Roughs are lovely. Less energetic than borders so you can get away with one good hour plus walk a day and then some vigorous ball games in the garden. They like their herd to be together. They are very bonded to their family and less bothered by other people - can be stand offish. Mine gets nervous of people staring at her and can get reactive if people approach her unasked and try to stroke her over the head. Once she knows people, then she is fine. Loves other dogs, particularly labradors. Was an easy puppy. Quick to toilet train. However, and this might just be ours, very noise reactive. She is terrified of fireworks and consequently loud bangs and gunshots. For some random reason has also decided to be scared of trains that she can see. I think this is just her though. She is stunning. People stop and talk to us all the time. The coat doesn't take much looking after - twice weekly slicker brush and comb. Ours blows her coat once a year and the floof is like having a sheep. They do collect mud!
Ours loves being outside and spends most of the time in the garden. She also amuses herself and plays with her toys by herself.
Eats like a horse.

Go on collielife website and there will be info on breeders and puppies.