Aussie or Border Collie? Which is your favorite and why!?

[ShrekDawg]

Dogs are like computers. Something is either ok to do or not ok. Always or never. Getting that through to humans is difficult.

Never thought of it like that before but totally true!! And yes, that is definitely the hardest part lol training the hulas is usually harder than training the dogs

 

[Rushdoggie]

The quiet times are getting longer as the dog learns to settle.

Good for you! Off switches (ability to settle) is mostly taught. Its a requirement in my world.

Yesterday was a busy day for us. I had a sheep herding lesson with my BC. Then I stayed longer at the farm practicing what we learned while my instructor worked elsewhere with a different student. I had my Papillon with me because I went from the farm to the agility barn and practiced agility with him for 30 minutes.

Then I had some errands to run, then I stopped at a favorite open field and I let them run free for 20 minutes (I usually try for 30 but it was about to pour rain) because they had been stuck in the car for an hour, and while there I made my BC swim across the creek twice to lift out the mud in his fur from working sheep.

When I got home there was a break in the rain so I went out and poop scooped my large backyard and cleaned the chicken coop and they were out in the yard with me.

Today I am doing nothing, still in my jammies. They are both sleeping in beds. When I went out to check the chickens they came out to pee then stood on the patio waiting for me to let them in.

Tomorrow I work but have an competition obedience class in the late afternoon with my Pap. I will probably bring my BC and give him 10 minutes of training in the facility after my class.

Tuesdays I usually have time to give them a long off lead walk assuming the weather is not totally gross. Wed I have agility class with my Pap and then have a 30 minute practice on sheep after with the BC at the farm. Thursday is a day I work all day then I teach a couple of classes in the evening so its a nothing day for the boys. Maybe a leash walk if I have time.

They will relax on off days (though they will be with me, often next to me or on my lap), plenty of hugs and scritches but no real serious activity. Its the ebb and flow of life.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Good info once again!! Thanks!

My main thing is I’ve always worried I couldn’t handle a BC, that they’d be a bit too intense, and an Aussie would be better, but maybe they’re both pretty intense and/or energetic?

Exercise, exercise, exercise. We have never gotten a bad dog. Just some need more to tire them out. Not just a walk around the block either. Mine will run and play for hours a day. They don't play either unless I'm out walking and interacting with them. Just putting a dog outside does nothing. You need to be with them, and than they play and exercise. You are the pack leader. The pack does nothing without the leader. So anyone who says a dog needs room to run should be saying the dog needs someone to go out and encourage that running.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Good for you! Off switches (ability to settle) is mostly taught. Its a requirement in my world.

Yesterday was a busy day for us. I had a sheep herding lesson with my BC. Then I stayed longer at the farm practicing what we learned while my instructor worked elsewhere with a different student. I had my Papillon with me because I went from the farm to the agility barn and practiced agility with him for 30 minutes.

Then I had some errands to run, then I stopped at a favorite open field and I let them run free for 20 minutes (I usually try for 30 but it was about to pour rain) and made my BC swim across the creek twice to lift out the med in his fur.

When I got home there was a break in the rain so I went out and poop scooped my large yard and cleaned the chicken coop and they were out in the yard with me.

Today I am doing nothing, still in my jammies. They are both sleeping in beds. When I went out to check the chickens they came out to pee then stood on the patio waiting for me to let them in.

Tomorrow I work but have an competition obedience class in the late afternoon with my Pap. I will probably bring my BC and give him 10 minutes of training in the facility after my class.

Tuesdays I have time to give them a long off lead walk assuming the weather is not totally gross. Wed I have agility class with my Pap and then have a 30 minute practice on sheep after with the BC at the farm. Thursday is a day I work all day then I teach a couple of classes in the evening so its a nothing day for the boys. Maybe a leash walk if I have time.

They will relax on off days (though they will be with me, often next to me or on my lap), plenty of hugs and scritches but no real serious activity. Its the ebb and flow of life.

Nice to know that they can chill and have off days cause that’s what concerned me about BCs. I thought they were like always “on” and/or needing stuff and never stopped or turned off haha

 

[ShrekDawg]

Exercise, exercise, exercise. We have never gotten a bad dog. Just some need more to tire them out. Not just a walk around the block either. Mine will run and play for hours a day. They don't play either unless I'm out walking and interacting with them. Just putting a dog outside does nothing. You need to be with them, and than they play and exercise. You are the pack leader. The pack does nothing without the leader. So anyone who says a dog needs room to run should be saying the dog needs someone to go out and encourage that running.

That makes a lot of sense! Thanks! Thankfully we have a huge yard so they can get plenty of running and playing in. I also like spending time with dogs anyway so I’d likely be out playing with them or walking them or training or something anyway haha fun to me but I’m also paranoid they could get loose or something.

I’ve never really understood the people who just stick a dog out the back door and think that’s enough exercise or even any exercise at all hah most dogs, especially the family oriented ones like Goldens or herding breeds, will just lay out there and do nothing.

Unless it’s just like for them to go to the bathroom real quick, someone should be out there.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine might monkey around when out without me for a bit, but they won't do the hard running and exercising. Both breeds are good off leash. Mine don't even wear collars.

Aussies especially like to stick tight with their owners hence the name "Velcro dogs".

 

[ShrekDawg]

Mine might monkey around when out without me for a bit, but they won't do the hard running and exercising. Both breeds are good off leash. Mine don't even wear collars.

Aussies especially like to stick tight with their owners hence the name "Velcro dogs".

Libby and Franklin are the same haha they don’t do much alone.

And that’s good to know!! Especially since I’d like to be able to have them off leash.

Do you think they necessarily need a fenced yard or can they learn the boundaries??

Cause ours isn’t fenced and while we do plan on fencing part of it if I ever got a dog, I don’t think we could fence the whole thing so they’d have to learn boundaries or at least have a good recall anyway ha

 

[Rushdoggie]

Nice to know that they can chill and have off days cause that’s what concerned me about BCs. I thought they were like always “on” and/or needing stuff and never stopped or turned off haha

Nope.

Think about farm life: some days its work dawn to dusk. Other days, there's not much to do.

A working dog who can't moderate himself to not be a nuisance when there's not work to do is not useful.

This is not to say they don't need exercise and something to do! But they don't need it all the time. Its not good for any creature to not be able to relax and have down days. Exercise as the only answer to tire out a busy dog will give you a very fit busy dog! They need more brain exercise than just straight physical exercise, and they also need to be taught that sometimes humans are doing other things and they need to chill.

Dogs are remarkable.

 

[Rushdoggie]

Do you think they necessarily need a fenced yard or can they learn the boundaries??

Cause ours isn’t fenced and while we do plan on fencing part of it if I ever got a dog, I don’t think we could fence the whole thing so they’d have to learn boundaries or at least have a good recall anyway ha

I would suggest a smaller fenced in area that your dogs can be in if you are not paying attention and you can then teach them to stay with you when outside. It takes a while to teach a reliable recall and you sometimes need to just let them out without watching them.

 

[daviechik]

I have 2 standard aussies, i find their less neurotic than borders. My girlfriend has 2 borders and theyre insane, absolutely need a constant job, dont tire, destructive, etc. My aussies, as much as they love work they can also lay down in the kitchen and relax. They are not neurotic at all, came from a breeder (working lines, not show) both breeds are super smart. My aussies can run horses for hours or enjoy a nice morning off. Great breeds. I think youd be happy either way. Our aussies are for sure loyal to us. If working will stay with us, lounging around the house they need to be tethered or have a fence.