Considering adopting a five month old collie/terrier rescue.

[BlueBoy2]

We have been looking at rescue dogs and have seen a 5 month old puppy which is a collie with a possible terrier mix.
He's been mantrailing, walks well on the lead. He is in kennels at the moment and has been since a few weeks old I think.
Does this sound like a really active breed? Rescue said he doesn't herd or nip.
Im wondering has anyone any experience of a similar breed or rescue of that age? Any questions I need to ask?

At five months old he probably hasn't started pulling in earnest, so don't assume you won't need to do a lot of lead training with him to keep him walking nicely. Yes, he's going to be very active, but the terrier element may make him more independent and less bonded to one owner compared to a full collie which might make his recall a bit harder to teach. This is an issue to be aware of when you'll need to be giving him around 1.5 hours off lead exercise a day (lead walks won't cut it) as an adult. Have you had collies before? Do you know his background at all? If he's off a farm then farm collies tend to be more suspicious and reactive as they just aren't bred for temperament.

Two working breeds and highly intelligent dogs. Very trainable but no scope to drop your guard or they’ll outwit you. Every damn time.

Do you have experience of either breed? If not, I really wouldn't start with this mix.

No experience with either breed. Think from what youre all saying it might not be a great mix to start with!

It’s an awful mix OP. Combine the instinct of a herding breed with the instinct of a terrier breed and you have a developing fig whose brain is scrambled because its innate instincts are so opposed. Mixes CAN be successful - my terrier is Yorkie x Jack Russell, but age is all terrier. If only people would consider this, then perhaps there wouldn’t be so many loony dogs that have to live with a constant inner conflict, which only reflects in their behaviour. Any breed of hound (whippet, dachshund included) crossed with terriers, or with retrieving or herding breeds are a classic example.

The only type a terrier should be crossed either is another terrier, and having had (wonderful) border collies as a child and for my first grown- up dog, then three Belgian Shepherds, I truly don’t think collies cross well with anything.

A collie or collie mix is not usually a pet in the traditional sense, it’s a lifelong project. Either give them suitable work substitutes for the duration of their lives (eg agility or another sport) or you will find yourself in the receiving end of a neurotic, miserable dog with behaviour issues
Add to that a five month old dog having known a lifetime of kennels is going to be under socialised at best. With a sensitive collie mixed with a feisty terrier? No thank you!

I had one. From 3 months old until just recently died at 14. I adored her and she was bright, affectionate and very much ‘my ‘ dog but she was quite anxious (collie) and was t massively keen on other dogs (collie). Very trainable and when she was younger would have easily devoured 2 x hourly walks a day but was content as long as we went out and she coun chase a ball etc. I miss her so much

He’s very cute but not a mix I would go for and especially not with no experience - collies are high energy and incredibly intelligent and every terrier I’ve met has been feisty and reactive (probably an unfair judgement I admit, but I meet a lot of them) - I can’t imagine wanting a mix of both!

Pretty much my view.

And the rescue can absolutely not claim (well they can but they shouldn’t) the dog isn’t herding. It’s too young. It’s at the ‘land shark’ stage. The herding comes after.

@BlueBoy2 worth taking a look at Spaniel Aid if you want a higher energy style dog. They’re very good at judging the right home as well. Which might be better for you if you’re a bit more ‘novice’

I had a collie/german shepherd mix as a child and he was an amazing dog. They were a popular cross in the 70s and 80s. Ive since talked to others who had them and all agree. This was rough collie though. If i could get another after my current dog, a lab, dies, I would.

I wouldn’t unless you are willing to put in a lot of time and train yourself to work with the puppy. Also, unless you are very active and want to continue to have an active lifestyle. I love collies and other very intelligent dogs but you have to make sure they have a ‘job’ / purpose otherwise they will rule the roost.

A rough collie is a very very different dog to a border collie - much more laid back. I've also had a good collie mix (border collie x springer spaniel) and the spaniel has taken the edge of the neurotic nature of the collie, but it works because their natural instincts are more closely aligned than that of a herding breed and a ratter.

I suspected this! Im not an experienced dog owner at all and i think for this mix I would need to know what I was doing

If you don't give a working dog a job, they will go self employed. Believe me, you don't want a self employed dog.

This is a dog for someone who loves training. And training, and even more training. I have a working bred dog atm. He has done obedience training, clicker training, scent training and other types of training. I have to take him outside at random times during the day and do 10 minutes training just to unscramble his brain.
This puppy would need something suitable for collies, they love agility and flyball. Not sure what terriers love, other than digging.

Comparing a rough collie to a border collie is like comparing a Patterdale terrier to a Yorkshire terrier - the name is pretty much where the similarities end.

Terriers love digging, hunting, picking fights and barking. Lots and lots of barking
Oh, and getting stuck down holes!

We had a staffie once. She wasnt much of a digger, she was a good watch dog but could be very snappy with other dogs. Lovely with people.

Sounds typical staffie! They are terriers in name only though really

I would wonder why this dog has been in a rescue centre since a few weeks old..I have 2 border collies, I've had lots, plus roughs,a few crosses and a toy. Had dogs for over 60 years, and I wouldn't have this particular cross.. years ago a dog trainer I went to (ex RAF dog trainer of 35 years) he said border collies would go self employed.. I've had rescue dogs,4 only one was successful.. after a lot of thought,we went for a BC puppy 3 years ago.

I agree with @MiddleAgedDread - they are both hardcore dogs with strong prey drives.
I think he looks adorable and he is likely to be very clever (which can be a mixed blessing!). If you can get help and commit to training and giving him plenty to keep him busy, he could be lovely. But if he’s your first dog, you could choose an easier option. Whilst puppies can be time intensive in some ways, dogs are often most challenging between one and two, when they are adolescent and more independent thinking. He is bound to test you and you will need to be ready for him.
You have to remember that the breed you get has been bred for generations by channelling certain characteristics. My crossbreed, a bull Lurcher, has the prey drive of a Lurcher and the tenacity and wilfulness of a staffie (oh yes, and the prey drive of a staffie!). She is a fabulous dog but I need to manage her differently to my other dog. They are also individuals and there are some exceptions to the rule but generally gun dogs like to retrieve, herders herd, terriers dig and are feisty and lurchers lurch!

Gosh, he reminds me of my last dog, who we believed to be a mix between a Jack Russel and Border Collie. Adopted as a puppy from RSPCA. He was utterly amazing. Super bright and trainable and loved (and was loved) by everyone, he’d waggle about as if he always had a huge smile on his face and was just an absolute joy. He died two years ago, just shy of 16 years old, and I still miss him so much.

Just wanted to give an alternative viewpoint on this kind of mix 😊 you can never be truly sure what you’ll get, but I adored mine.

But at least a GSD and a collie are effectively both a herding breed (pastoral group in Kennel Club showing).
Of the very many dogs I’ve known over 70 years, I maintain that herders, hounds, terriers and retrieving breeds are hugely disadvantaged when crossed with something that has diametrically opposing instincts. Eg a terrier or a hound is more likely to catch and quickly kill, a gundog breed isn’t wired in the same way, although in this small village there are Labradors and cockapoos that Labradors that are compulsive chasers of muntjac, as well as hares, squirrels and cats.

And mine is obviously broken, she won’t dig, definitely won’t fight, and only hunts for toys or treats that I’ve hidden for her to find. My old cat brings live baby rabbits home and the terrier comes straight to tell me the cat did a bad thing. She has grown up with an older working cocker spaniel who loves nothing more than getting her nose down a rabbit hole, yet all the terrier wants to do is retrieve, and show off all the party tricks that my border collies loved.

I wouldn’t go for this dog.
The dog is probably quite happy in kennels as there’s a routine and company of other dogs so would be better suited to a home with an older steadier dog.
You don’t know what you’re getting it could be a highly successful killing machine if the terrier prey drive is strong I would look for a spaniel, lab or pointer if you want an active intelligent dog, they don’t tend to have the prey drive, I say that but our cocker has spent all week ratting as he likes a job