Who has a border collie?

[LeslieG]

My husband and kids want to get a border collie puppy. If anyone has one, can you give me some information on their needs and temperment. Are they really high strung? We most recently had a german shepherd for many years that just passed away last year, and he was pretty calm. I didn't want a dog that was really high maintenance.

 

[Pakey]

I did have one; she's passed now. Picture a large ping pong ball covered in hair.

She was very smart but needed a great deal of exercise and physical attention.

 

[kwelch10377]

I have a border collie mix. She is the most loveable dog and if anyone starts to pet her she will be your new best friend, at least until you stop pettting her and someone else starts.

They do need their exercise and to run around. She likes to dig holes under the fence and sneak out so she can run around the neighborhood. She also is very smart and can be a little sneaky.

 

[disneyfreakk]

I grew up with border collies.... LOVE THEM!!

If your kids are little, the border collie will herd them around. They LOVE their children. I used to walk to my best friends house when I was little and my border collie Missy would walk with me, act like she owned the place(kicked my friends dog out of her yard), wait for me to go home and then follow me home. Their temperment is great. They aren't really high strung, but they have alot of energy. They are all around GREAT dogs!

 

[HeatherH]

Not my dog, but my brother's, GREAT dog but needs LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of exercise! These are herding dogs by nature and they really NEED to follow that herding instinct. My brother has even taken their dog to a place that has sheep so the dog can follow her herding instinct.

They are smart dogs and very affectionate, but I think I would put them in the "high maintenance" category unless you are willing to exercise the dog HEAVILY each day. It doesn't have to be herding, it can be fetching or just running with an owner, but they really like to be worked to the point of panting. They will sit down and let you know when they've reached that point.

And keep in mind that ANY puppy is going to be higher maintenance than an adult dog.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[kacaju]

My husband and kids want to get a border collie puppy. If anyone has one, can you give me some information on their needs and temperment. Are they really high strung? We most recently had a german shepherd for many years that just passed away last year, and he was pretty calm. I didn't want a dog that was really high maintenance.

Border Collies are very high maintenance. I had one before dh and I got married. He was the best dog. When he died 12 years ago I knew (I had 2 small kids and 1 on the way) that I would have no energy to train a BC. We got a mix breed and he is just great.

My middle dd who is now 15 shows dogs. We were just at a show this weekend and I watched the border collies. I still love them and my dd asked if I wanted another. I said not until all of my girls are grown and out of the house...only then do I feel I can devote the time it takes to keep them active.

If you want a great family pet...look into a smooth collie. We have 3 now and they make the best family pets!! Smooth collies are just like the *Lassie* collies only without the long hair

 

[kacaju]

but they really like to be worked to the point of panting. They will sit down and let you know when they've reached that point.

Mine would run himself into heat exhaustion. Seriously he almost died on us because he did not know when to stop.

 

[Phil'sFrontier]

I would like a border collie. They are very smart dogs. I was watching nova a few weeks ago, they had on a border that knew the names of 1000, yes one thousand toys. It was pretty amazing.

I am surprised to hear that your gs was a calm dog, as they are usually very high energy and also can be hard to train. I would think a border collie will have at least as much, but probably more energy than that.
A great family dog though imho

 

[LeslieG]

Border Collies are very high maintenance. I had one before dh and I got married. He was the best dog. When he died 12 years ago I knew (I had 2 small kids and 1 on the way) that I would have no energy to train a BC. We got a mix breed and he is just great.

My middle dd who is now 15 shows dogs. We were just at a show this weekend and I watched the border collies. I still love them and my dd asked if I wanted another. I said not until all of my girls are grown and out of the house...only then do I feel I can devote the time it takes to keep them active.

If you want a great family pet...look into a smooth collie. We have 3 now and they make the best family pets!! Smooth collies are just like the *Lassie* collies only without the long hair

I had a "Lassie" collie growing up. He was a great dog. I would call him pretty low maintenance. He was content just to kind of lay around.

I really would prefer another german shepherd, but my kids want a border collie, because their grandpa has one, but he also lives on a farm, and the dog herds the cows. I've tried to explain to them that a border collie is too high maintenance, but I'm not getting much support in that, even from my husband. They think it's so much fun to play fetch with the dog, and he is a neat dog, but we live such a busy life that I'm worried about it.

 

[Nicolepa]

I did have one; she's passed now. Picture a large ping pong ball covered in hair.

She was very smart but needed a great deal of exercise and physical attention.

Ping pong ball covered in hair. Perfect description.

I love BC's, but they are nonstop activity. The first one I had experience with was named Pogo, because she would just bounce up and down like a pogo stick.

 

[Agri]

What everyone else said. I have a sheltie, but border collies aren't that far off in terms of maintenance. All working breeds need lots of exercise, but most true herding dogs still love to chase and circle like crazy and need a 'job' or they will become destructive out of boredom. They need a large area to run around in freely in addition to walks. They're definitely not a dog you can be lazy with at all - especially when they're young. (My dog will get so wound up I have to speak to her in my mean voice to get her to calm down for her own sake.)

From experience, GS settle down as they age, the little herding dogs do NOT.

I'd talk your family into getting a mixed breed at a shelter instead.

 

[plutotek]

We've had 2 BCs and a Sheltie, all of which have been relatively low maintenance. We've had the current one since he was a puppy and he is a goof, but a very smart goof. He has been fetching his ball w/no training since day one, and after 2 days, he was recently taught to fetch his leash for walks. They are very loyal and very protective dogs. We will never own any other breed, to be honest, even w/all the hair.

 

[CathrynRose]

A very good g/f of mine owns a Dog Training facility. She also is called often to help cast any dog roles, in TV, commercial and movie filming being done in the Chicago area. ("Her" dogs have been featured in numerous commercials, as well as that Vampire show... what is it? True Blood... the one on HBO) Anyways....

Before we got Hazel (brown spot girl, down below) and were tossing the idea around of getting another dog, my g/f pushed and pushed and pushed for us to go the Border Collie route.

Why? She couldn't stress enough how *smart* they are. And how marketable they were. She got calls a LOT looking for Border Collies (think about all the commercials featuring a pet - almost always, a Border Collie)

But with that smartness, she said training had to be above and beyond and over the top. If bored, they're too smart for their own good.

And then I looked on the Shelter website and saw that little Demon Dog down below. No Border Collie for me.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My husband and kids want to get a border collie puppy. If anyone has one, can you give me some information on their needs and temperment. Are they really high strung? We most recently had a german shepherd for many years that just passed away last year, and he was pretty calm. I didn't want a dog that was really high maintenance.

Then don't get a border collie. I have one and they are very high maintenance.

Just the double coat alone is a PIA. My girl is blowing her coat and the hair will kill you.

Seriously they are great dogs but they are waiting to please you 24/7. My BC is at my beck and call at all times to do anything I ask her.

She is trained, can do tricks, she reads my mind. Actually she studies your every movement and voice so she knows what you are going to do just with your movements.

She is a mix and not a full BC however she was a rescue. So not sure of her parents but she behaves like a purebreed. If I put her out with cows she would probably herd them right away.

 

[MichelleVW]

Ping pong ball covered in hair. Perfect description.

I love BC's, but they are nonstop activity. The first one I had experience with was named Pogo, because she would just bounce up and down like a pogo stick.

Lol!! I have a ping pong ball covered in hair too! He's a border collie/corgi mix and is extremely high energy! We live on 4 acres so he runs and runs and runs. If you want low maintenance, don't get a border collie!!

 

[tlbwriter]

My sister had one and he was the sweetest, smartest dog you ever met. But yes, high energy and high needs. We went with Basset Hounds, which are the exact opposite.

 

[bettymae1121]

I have a border collie mix (mixed with black lab) and up until her senior years when she slowed down some, I'd say she was high maintenance. I'd only recommend them to experianced dog owners who have the time and energy to devote to their training, exercise, and care. If you have that time and energy though, they are well worth it.

Keep in mind that they do "nip" when herding. It doesn't usually hurt much but it can startle some people, especially children.

Also they are SMART. They can and will get into anything and everything (I went through several trash cans trying to find one she couldn't get into, eventually had to give up and DB built me cabinet to store my trash can in), and are pretty good escape artists too (mine could open a chain link fence gate unless we had it either tied off with rope or padlocked). This is one reason why they need so much training, if you don't give them something to do, they'll find something to do on their own and odds are, you won't like it!

Overall they have an exellent temperment though. They LOVE their owners. I won't count on them for protection though. While they will bark to alert you, they aren't always very brave. Mine hides behind me when she is scared, hoping that I will protect her!

 

[AmongMadPeople]

For the OP I would not recommend a border collie. If you don't have the time to devote to them, they will become destructive. 10 minutes of playing ball isn't enough for them.

We have a border collie, and our trainer has several. Our BC does not like chaos. She has to be in control of her environment, so for that reason we don't let her around running, screaming things (i.e. kids ). Very soon we're going to start regularly herding with her so she has an outlet for her instinct, but it is going to be a big time and financial commitment.

For some people, BCs are great choices, but just because they are smart, beautiful dogs doesn't mean they will work for you.

 

[kwelch10377]

I have a border collie mix (mixed with black lab) and up until her senior years when she slowed down some, I'd say she was high maintenance. I'd only recommend them to experianced dog owners who have the time and energy to devote to their training, exercise, and care. If you have that time and energy though, they are well worth it.

Keep in mind that they do "nip" when herding. It doesn't usually hurt much but it can startle some people, especially children.

Also they are SMART. They can and will get into anything and everything (I went through several trash cans trying to find one she couldn't get into, eventually had to give up and DB built me cabinet to store my trash can in), and are pretty good escape artists too (mine could open a chain link fence gate unless we had it either tied off with rope or padlocked). This is one reason why they need so much training, if you don't give them something to do, they'll find something to do on their own and odds are, you won't like it!

Overall they have an exellent temperment though. They LOVE their owners. I won't count on them for protection though. While they will bark to alert you, they aren't always very brave. Mine hides behind me when she is scared, hoping that I will protect her!

Mine border collie is also mixed with a Black Lab. She is exactly as you described. Although mine doesnt' nip a kids to herd them, but she does nip at her son who we kept after she had puppies. When it comes to kids she doesn't want to be near them until she figures out whether or not they are food droppers. She use to run the other direction when my brother's girlfriend's 1 year old daughter would come near her, that is until she figured out that she would always drop food.

She is also not a good watch dog, she likes to bark at things, but if someone ever broke into the house she would bark at them and then lick them to death.

It is very funny when you yell at her though, she will lay down and then roll on her back and give you this look that is so pathetic.

 

[disneyfans95]

I had a pure breed Sheltie and Border Collie at the same time for 12 years till they both passed last year or so ago..

Talk about a housefull of energy!