Probably depends on where you get them from/the breeding. I imagine the poorly bred ones could be slightly neurotic but that’s true of about any breed.
Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, All Herding breeds, Tell Me About Yours
- Thread starter oldhenlikesdogs
- Start date
Probably depends on where you get them from/the breeding. I imagine the poorly bred ones could be slightly neurotic but that’s true of about any breed.
- Thread starter
- #362
Thanks. I hadn't realized how small they can be too.Probably depends on where you get them from/the breeding. I imagine the poorly bred ones could be slightly neurotic but that’s true of about any breed.
Okay look Shelties can get a bad wrap most is how you are if your sane and stable the dog will be if your nutzo the dog will be but yes read the AKC standard there is height limit
- Thread starter
- #364
Well what I know for sure is my next dog will be a dog. Hopefully when the time is closer I can pin it down more. I guess I have 3 current contenders. Every other day I think I want the border collie still.
You have a good point there and I have enjoyed chatting about dogs
and health and everything in between
and health and everything in between
- Thread starter
- #366
The only thing better than chicken chat is dog chat.
You asked me that I would have argued it a few years ago
Rushdoggie
Songster
I have not read all the replies in this thread, but here's my .02.
I have shared my life with at least 1 and often several Border Collies since 1994. They are not like other dogs.
Many generations of breeding for what the dog can do instead of what the dog looks like, and a very high standard of working ability has resulted in a unique dog who is a combination of bright independence and also biddable and cooperative. They love rules and boundaries and clarity.
They need structure, and an opportunity to use their impressive brains regularly. While exercise is good, brain work is better. If you try to tire out an obnoxious Border Collie with exercise you will end up with a very fit obnoxious dog. Teach your dog to work stock if you have it, even if its just helping round up chickens towards their coop. Teach him tricks, how to track a scent or find a hidden scent. Teach him to gather dog bowls after dinner and fetch the paper. Take him on long outings where he can run some and explore with his nose. Spend a lot of 1-1 time getting to know your dog and his personality and learning each other.
They are excellent at training people, and manipulating a situation to their advantage: dropping toys into places where they will be addressed, pestering for attention of playtime etc. They can be taught that no means no and learn what "not now" means.
As a puppy, its helpful to teach them to settle and that every moment is not about them. I meet so many well-meaning people who think they must provide non-stop activity to keep their active dog healthy and they create a dog who thinks he needs non-stop activity. Its not healthy for the dog to not know how to settle and relax.
With puppies I set up a routine that has scheduled play time, training time and downtime in a crate or pen with a chewie or other toy and ignore the puppy. They figure out sometimes life is fun games, sometimes its not. Spend time just hanging, being close, talking, walking together. Border Collies crave human attention and approval.
Border Collies are very sensitive. The genes that make them excellent at reading stock and taking direction make it easy for them to be easily spooked by changes or overwhelmed by things. This is especially true when they are adolescents. Pay attention to your dogs reactions towards things and if they seem afraid don't force interaction. Give them distance and let them watch the new or scary thing and approach only when ready. Socialization is important for all dogs but should be more about exposure and watching rather than forced interactions.
Generally they are horrible adolescents. They are all awkward elbows and long legs, with full size bodies and undeveloped brains and no impulse control. They push limits one minute then fall apart the next. This to shall pass. Deep breaths, lots of chewies and forced downtime along with running and playing will help develop your dog into a great adult.
My adult dogs are very mellow in the house. If nothing is going on, they nap and lay around. This is true with my dogs from working breeders and dogs from sport dog lines. They get to train in stockwork, obedience, tracking or agility and work 2 or 3 days a week for an hour or two, and get a long off lead walk at the river beach or a field usually 2x a week. There are many "no fun stuff" days in our lives and they do fine. An occasional frisbee in the yard and some practicing in 10 minute increments now and then. Thats enough for them to be relaxed (once adults).
I believe in dogs bred to a working standard. A breed is what is is and can do,not as much what it looks like or who its parents were. In recent years I have gotten involved in stockwork and its made me love the breed even more. I would only ever buy a dog from a working breeder, and temperament and personality are somewhat heritable. Some BCs are bred to work cows or other more challenging livestock and they have a different (harder) temperament than a sheep dog. If I want a relaxed and soft dog I want one from lines that work sheep and whose parents have the temperament I want.
They should be health tested for hip displasia (with OFA or PennHipp scores that you should be able to locate on the OFA or Pennhip websites) and CEA. You should be able to see/meet at least one parent at some point. A good breeder will be as interested in you as you are in them and raise them ideally with a lot of human interaction in a house. Some working breeders don't raise litters in the house, but they should at least be handled a lot.
My boy Argos for cute tax.
I have shared my life with at least 1 and often several Border Collies since 1994. They are not like other dogs.
Many generations of breeding for what the dog can do instead of what the dog looks like, and a very high standard of working ability has resulted in a unique dog who is a combination of bright independence and also biddable and cooperative. They love rules and boundaries and clarity.
They need structure, and an opportunity to use their impressive brains regularly. While exercise is good, brain work is better. If you try to tire out an obnoxious Border Collie with exercise you will end up with a very fit obnoxious dog.
Teach your dog to work stock if you have it, even if its just helping round up chickens towards their coop. Teach him tricks, how to track a scent or find a hidden scent. Teach him to gather dog bowls after dinner and fetch the paper. Take him on long outings where he can run some and explore with his nose. Spend a lot of 1-1 time getting to know your dog and his personality and learning each other.They are excellent at training people, and manipulating a situation to their advantage: dropping toys into places where they will be addressed, pestering for attention of playtime etc. They can be taught that no means no and learn what "not now" means.
As a puppy, its helpful to teach them to settle and that every moment is not about them. I meet so many well-meaning people who think they must provide non-stop activity to keep their active dog healthy and they create a dog who thinks he needs non-stop activity. Its not healthy for the dog to not know how to settle and relax.
With puppies I set up a routine that has scheduled play time, training time and downtime in a crate or pen with a chewie or other toy and ignore the puppy. They figure out sometimes life is fun games, sometimes its not. Spend time just hanging, being close, talking, walking together. Border Collies crave human attention and approval.
Border Collies are very sensitive. The genes that make them excellent at reading stock and taking direction make it easy for them to be easily spooked by changes or overwhelmed by things. This is especially true when they are adolescents. Pay attention to your dogs reactions towards things and if they seem afraid don't force interaction. Give them distance and let them watch the new or scary thing and approach only when ready. Socialization is important for all dogs but should be more about exposure and watching rather than forced interactions.
Generally they are horrible adolescents. They are all awkward elbows and long legs, with full size bodies and undeveloped brains and no impulse control. They push limits one minute then fall apart the next. This to shall pass. Deep breaths, lots of chewies and forced downtime along with running and playing will help develop your dog into a great adult.
My adult dogs are very mellow in the house. If nothing is going on, they nap and lay around. This is true with my dogs from working breeders and dogs from sport dog lines. They get to train in stockwork, obedience, tracking or agility and work 2 or 3 days a week for an hour or two, and get a long off lead walk at the river beach or a field usually 2x a week. There are many "no fun stuff" days in our lives and they do fine. An occasional frisbee in the yard and some practicing in 10 minute increments now and then. Thats enough for them to be relaxed (once adults).
I believe in dogs bred to a working standard. A breed is what is is and can do,not as much what it looks like or who its parents were. In recent years I have gotten involved in stockwork and its made me love the breed even more. I would only ever buy a dog from a working breeder, and temperament and personality are somewhat heritable. Some BCs are bred to work cows or other more challenging livestock and they have a different (harder) temperament than a sheep dog. If I want a relaxed and soft dog I want one from lines that work sheep and whose parents have the temperament I want.
They should be health tested for hip displasia (with OFA or PennHipp scores that you should be able to locate on the OFA or Pennhip websites) and CEA. You should be able to see/meet at least one parent at some point. A good breeder will be as interested in you as you are in them and raise them ideally with a lot of human interaction in a house. Some working breeders don't raise litters in the house, but they should at least be handled a lot.
My boy Argos for cute tax.
Attachments
Your kinda late on the discussion we are pretty experienced dog people
old vets, groomers, handlers, breeders and so on but thanks for the input
old vets, groomers, handlers, breeders and so on but thanks for the input
- Thread starter
- #370
Thank you for all this amazing information. This is how I remembered my border collie. She could relax at the end of the day, and anytime in between. I have always given my dogs structure, and the have a routine.I have not read all the replies in this thread, but here's my .02.
I have shared my life with at least 1 and often several Border Collies since 1994. They are not like other dogs.
Many generations of breeding for what the dog can do instead of what the dog looks like, and a very high standard of working ability has resulted in a unique dog who is a combination of bright independence and also biddable and cooperative. They love rules and boundaries and clarity.
They need structure, and an opportunity to use their impressive brains regularly. While exercise is good, brain work is better. If you try to tire out an obnoxious Border Collie with exercise you will end up with a very fit obnoxious dog.
They are excellent at training people, and manipulating a situation to their advantage: dropping toys into places where they will be addressed, pestering for attention of playtime etc. They can be taught that no means no and learn what "not now" means.
As a puppy, its helpful to teach them to settle and that every moment is not about them. I meet so many well-meaning people who think they must provide non-stop activity to keep their active dog healthy and they create a dog who thinks he needs non-stop activity. Its not healthy for the dog to not know how to settle and relax.
With puppies I set up a routine that has scheduled play time, training time and downtime in a crate or pen with a chewie or other toy and ignore the puppy. They figure out sometimes life is fun games, sometimes its not. Spend time just hanging, being close, talking, walking together. Border Collies crave human attention and approval.
Border Collies are very sensitive. The genes that make them excellent at reading stock and taking direction make it easy for them to be easily spooked by changes or overwhelmed by things. This is especially true when they are adolescents. Pay attention to your dogs reactions towards things and if they seem afraid don't force interaction. Give them distance and let them watch the new or scary thing and approach only when ready. Socialization is important for all dogs but should be more about exposure and watching rather than forced interactions.
Generally they are horrible adolescents. They are all awkward elbows and long legs, with full size bodies and undeveloped brains and no impulse control. They push limits one minute then fall apart the next. This to shall pass. Deep breaths, lots of chewies and forced downtime along with running and playing will help develop your dog into a great adult.
My adult dogs are very mellow in the house. If nothing is going on, they nap and lay around. This is true with my dogs from working breeders and dogs from sport dog lines. They get to train in stockwork, obedience, tracking or agility and work 2 or 3 days a week for an hour or two, and get a long off lead walk at the river beach or a field usually 2x a week. There are many "no fun stuff" days in our lives and they do fine. An occasional frisbee in the yard and some practicing in 10 minute increments now and then. Thats enough for them to be relaxed (once adults).
I believe in dogs bred to a working standard. A breed is what is is and can do,not as much what it looks like or who its parents were. In recent years I have gotten involved in stockwork and its made me love the breed even more. I would only ever buy a dog from a working breeder, and temperament and personality are somewhat heritable. Some BCs are bred to work cows or other more challenging livestock and they have a different (harder) temperament than a sheep dog. If I want a relaxed and soft dog I want one from lines that work sheep and whose parents have the temperament I want.
They should be health tested for hip displasia (with OFA or PennHipp scores that you should be able to locate on the OFA or Pennhip websites) and CEA. You should be able to see/meet at least one parent at some point. A good breeder will be as interested in you as you are in them and raise them ideally with a lot of human interaction in a house. Some working breeders don't raise litters in the house, but they should at least be handled a lot.
My boy Argos for cute tax.
View attachment 1985452 View attachment 1985454
You sound like you've had some amazing border collies, and your dogs have a great understanding home with you.
Argos is a good looking boy. Do you breed? You are very knowledgeable about border collies.
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