Border Collie owners…what should I know?

Haven't read any of the above comments, sorry. In my experience, they are silly mad for about 12-18 months, stick with it, then they mature into great dogs/pets. My sisters collie turned out to be a jem and so intelligent he didn't require any formal training, but you wouldn't know it!

Grew up with a border, I was 5 or 6 when we got Ben and he lived untill he was 16. Fantastic dog, I think it helped he had a family of young kids to entertain him! Hated getting a bath tho!
My greyhound was 'rounded up' by a young collie in the park on Sunday- every time he moved the pup headed him off! Jim was not amused- squirrels to chase etc!

My dog is 1/8 border collie, 1/8 bearded collie and is mental if that is any help.

Lovely dogs but agree – get it socialised with other dogs/people early. I've met a few Collies that distinctly tried throwing themselves at bingo to fight. Its stressful for the owners having another dimension to worry about IMO.

Mine is ace – mad as a box of frogs and doesn't get anywhere near the physical exercise he should do. Follows you around a lot, lets you know what he needs… loves to play (and will collect the correct toy that you tell him to get – so long as he can remember where he left it that is, we are in a 3 story town house so it can go missing from time to time).

He keeps himself occupied mostly trying to herd our two cats. 1 of which is a teeny tiny moggy (well, she was – now a fat little cat) and the other is a HUGE Maine Coon. Jake the Collie and Ed the Main Coon get on really well together, probably as they are both so intelligent. I think Jake just wished they would play with him more!

I very rarely put him on a lead, my wife does a lot more than me (I just whistle to him to keep him close and on pavements). He charges around like a mad thing on the hills and in the woods, loves playing with sticks and is very hard to knacker out. Took him on the mountain bike when we lived in Scotland and only did a max 10ish miles but he would run flat out for the full ride, then fall into an exhausted heap for 10 minutes before wanting another go 😉

Ace dogs, so long as you get a good one and spend the time with them. Bit neurotic, but if they are occupied then they are fine – we can leave him alone for half a day without any problems (the cats keep him company – he will just gaze at them for hours if they are asleep!)

Ours was a rescue dog – had him for coming up 2 years and he is about 6 now I think.

Thanks for the replies, we have had dogs before and have been without one for 16 months, we line 5 mins walk from fields and moors so not bad and 400 yards from a park.
Intresting as we took him to puppy class last night far far more intrested in humans than dogs……….very wary and then snappy and then literally bored of them.
Plays with toys for ages happily, on the moors really good bar grouse freaking him out.
Exercise is a good point as getting the right level seems hard as he flys on the downs and trudges the ups, currently 30 min in the morning, 30mins play at lunch and then upto 45 mins moor/field walk with some days as more of a saunter than a walk.
Training wise possibly the easiest we have ever had, really eager to learn and very receptive.
but loves to try and chase cars, got over nipping us but still likes to 'soft chew' in play, when running tries to bite/nips legs and veers in front almost to trip you up…gotta work on that…..gets beaten up by the cat!
couple of pics

sorry

#
NikNak7890 – Member
RichC
3 hours a day? For a 10 month old?
That's WAY too much physical exercise for a dog so young.

Thats what I thought, however after we took him to the vet we were told that was about right because of his size/development but it needs to be in 45 minute chunks, so he is walked 4 times a day.

He is isn't a collie, (he's a mongrel chesapeak/spinone cross) but due to his size (he's around 28" to the shoulder, and 42kg of muscle) he needs a fair bit of walking or else he gets the puppy zoomies really bad and jumps up, play mauls etc and takes a lot of calming down/controlling which isn't easy

They have evil looking eyes collies!