Do I need another?

[Sasha's Mom]

Hi all,

Sorry about the long post. Just need to get it out, I guess.

 

First, some background. I used to post here when it was at the old board... and my Sasha was a puppy (oh, 4+ years ago). In the last 3 years, the pack has been unchanged, and is a happy little bunch. There's Nikolai, the grumpy 10 year old boss GSD, Sassy, a 5 year old somewhat needy lab/setter mix, and of course, the Wigglebutt herself, Sasha. She's a mix, thankfully, so I've never been exposed to "Cat-5 Border Collie Strength" as it were. And there are a couple of cats too. So life has been good, I have a bit more time away from work, and wouldn't you know it, but I'm reading the rescue pages. Lots of them. And visiting shelter websites. And worrying about some dog I've never met that's 8 states away. I'm a runner as well, and in the Florida heat, I have to be very careful about dogs and overheating, so they run in shifts... and I'm running out of running partners by the time I get to 8-9 miles.

 

Aside from possibly needing a psychiatric evaluation, I was wondering:

 

Did any of you make a conscious decision to add more once you reached a decent "pack," or did it just happen? Dog #1 (Nik) was "planned," Sasha (Dog #2) was an accident as it were, and Dog #3 (Sassy) was also an accident. By accident, I mean somehow the dog found us, whether it was being dumped as a puppy or neglected and relinquished by a neighbor.

 

Also, how did you get into rescue? I don't have time or energy to do it all myself, but I'd be more than happy to support an existing rescue. I submitted a foster application to one of our local non-breed specific rescues, but haven't heard anything back. I thought that fostering might be the best way to start, but I'm trying to get up the nerve to email the local-ish BC rescue.

 

Oh, and I don't have sheep, but I do run, and have a nice big (6' fenced) backyard. Thinking about dog sports, but I work really weird hours and can't commit to any sort of regular meeting schedule. In another year, I'll finally be done with my training and my schedule opens up a little more (still nights, weekends and holidays, though.)

 

Thoughts?

 

I suppose I should be glad I'm getting Border Collie urges and not human baby urges.

Danielle

 

Oh, and since no BC thread is worth much without pics, here's my girl after a nice long run, a splash in the kiddie pool and a roll in the dirt. Repeated a few times. There really is some white under there - you just can't see it.

[silhouettestable]

Did any of you make a conscious decision to add more once you reached a decent "pack," or did it just happen?

 

Let see now, how did it go?

 

Had 2 dogs (a collie and a sick great dane on daily meds) and wanted a BC. Got a BC/lab puppy and within a year or so lost the dane. Back to 2 dogs. Started said BC/lab (Lightning) doing some sledding and he was good, too good to just pair up with with my collie Noah (who's too lazy to do much pulling). Decided I needed another dog for sledding. Found 2 rescued puppies in need of homes and didn't want to separate them. Thought, oh well, I'll have a 3 dog team instead of a 2-dog. Enter Thunder and Flash. Now I've got a nice 4-dog pack and I'm all hot-to-trot to run a 3-dog team, but guess what? Thunder likes sledding but Flash doesn't so I've still only got a 2-dog team. Hmmmm.... Start browsing the rescue sites etc. for maybe, just maybe one more dog and found a BC rescue that had a pregnant owner surrender just in. Adopted 2 BC pups from that litter to add to my "team". Wait a minute, how come I've suddenly got 6 dogs? Oops, how ever did that happen?

I think I'd better stop looking at ads and rescue sites. Six is a nice number....for now

[juliepoudrier]

Did any of you make a conscious decision to add more once you reached a decent "pack," or did it just happen? Dog #1 (Nik) was "planned," Sasha (Dog #2) was an accident as it were, and Dog #3 (Sassy) was also an accident. By accident, I mean somehow the dog found us, whether it was being dumped as a puppy or neglected and relinquished by a neighbor.

Oh yeah, it was a conscious decision. Some of them did "happen" to me early on, but after about number 4, I consciously added them. If you have the resources to take care of more dogs and your heart tells you to add another, I say "Why not?"

 

J.

[Vickkers]

Let's see... Pepper was an accident (a 3rd me down from a shelter 'surprise gift' puppy one christmas who was on her way back to the shelter), Clover we consciously chose, Zena we picked out at 3 weeks old and her brother Zeus was too precious to leave behind...

 

I also have 3 cats and not a single one of them was on purpose but they all needed homes and I'm a sucker for a sweet personality regardless of the type of animal

 

If it were up to me I'd keep perusing the rescue sites to add to my pack but DH says 'no more'...

 

cute little girl you have there... I say, if you are interested and have the means, why not!?

[Root Beer]

I'm reading the rescue pages. Lots of them. And visiting shelter websites. And worrying about some dog I've never met that's 8 states away.

 

Did any of you make a conscious decision to add more once you reached a decent "pack," or did it just happen?

 

I made a conscious decision to add dog #4. Like you, I had a nicely established pack, but I really wanted a purebred Border Collie with a stable temperament to train to compete in dog sports with.

 

So, my pack of 3 (since we added Maddie in 2002) became 4 this past December!

 

Also, how did you get into rescue?

 

I offered to transport, or just help in general, for the rescue that I volunteer with. At first I didn't do much, but after doing a couple of things, I got into it and now I do some regular volunteer things for them.

 

Oh, and I don't have sheep

 

Neither do I.

 

Thinking about dog sports, but I work really weird hours and can't commit to any sort of regular meeting schedule. In another year, I'll finally be done with my training and my schedule opens up a little more (still nights, weekends and holidays, though.)

 

If you want to participate in dog sports, you might be able to find a way to carve out time to take classes and, later, get to competitions. It's rare, but some training centers do have daytime classes, and privates are usually flexible.

[Sasha's Mom]

Ha!

 

Isn't it funny how things work out? I thought the rescue (not a breed-specific) had lost our foster application, so I emailed them, and sure enough, we did fall through the cracks per their reply. I got a phone call an hour later about a possible foster, as the foster family was going on vacation. And 3 hours later, they delivered a nursing mom and SIX 2 week old pups. We agreed to it, as we have an extra room, but wow, that's a lot of puppies.

 

The other dogs are adjusting pretty well, as mom dog has made it perfectly clear that they are HER pups and they are to be left ALONE. She's thankfully a sweetie, so we'll see. It's just for a week and change, but we're definitely jumping in head first.

 

Perhaps I'll get lucky and land a BC next. And then I'll end up taking them for the BC rescues too...

The more the merrier! ...although I never thought I'd have 10 dogs at once.

 

Danielle, Nik, Sassy, Sasha, Rosie the Foster-Mom and I don't remember all the puppy's names.

[Guest pax]

The two Border Collies were a concious decision and some good luck.

 

The three Corgies were fosters who just stayed, for one reason or another.

 

At 5 dogs, I would add another Border Collie if it was a good fit but I'm done with fosters for a while.

[OurBoys]

Congrats!! You're going to have a blast when all those little puppies start walking around!!

[Dixie_Girl]

Granny always said, careful of what you wish for! Looks like you got your wish! But since it is only for a short time, you should be fine! What a way to start! Have fun!

[ErinKate]

Hubs and I brought home our boys on the same day! lol Neither of us knowning what the other was doing! We both tried to say they were gifts for each other, but I claim the one I brought and he claims his, sometimes! Sometimes going on impulse just works!

[Sasha's Mom]

Sometimes going on impulse just works!

 

DH had an impulse to introduce our large black cat to the puppies. Let's just say that it did not go nearly as well as the dog-dog introductions. He's going to be feeling that for a few days.

[Guest SweetJordan]

If you're just looking for a jogging partner I'd pick another breed. You can run a BC all you want, but without an outlet for his/her mental energy you won't do well with a BC. I have a bike attachment that I hook my BC up to. If she wasn't hooked up to my bike I'd never be able to keep up with her(and this is coming from someone who is in top shape.) In other words she does all the work and there is very little peddling on my part. However, even after sprinting for miles she still has to come home and work. In her case she's a disc dog, but will be picking up agility soon as well.

[Guest LJS1993]

If you're just looking for a jogging partner I'd pick another breed. You can run a BC all you want, but without an outlet for his/her mental energy you won't do well with a BC. I have a bike attachment that I hook my BC up to. If she wasn't hooked up to my bike I'd never be able to keep up with her(and this is coming from someone who is in top shape.) In other words she does all the work and there is very little peddling on my part. However, even after sprinting for miles she still has to come home and work. In her case she's a disc dog, but will be picking up agility soon as well.

 

 

I don't necessarily know about that. I think alot depends on the individual BC in question. For instance, Freckles' main job is to watch the ranch, warn my Grandmother of customers coming to her produce stand, and to basically guard the area. I would say she is not very good at her job, or at least not as good as my last BC, but that is beside the point. So her job isn't as stimulating as flyball, agility, or disc, but nonetheless it is a task we have given her. At around 6:30pm daily we either walk or cycle with Freckles for a couple of miles and on some days we go to the dog park where she can play with a friend. Though none of these tasks are high on Bloom's taxonomy of mental challenges, I would say she is pleased with her life with us on the ranch. She has a playmate in our new male BC "Tucker", whom should be nice for her once he is bigger. Furthermore we do the usual "NILF" routine and do change things up with a different little task to accomplish. However nothing entering the realm of perfection or intense stimulation.

The point is I think you can have a full well rounded life in addition with having your Border Collies as content as can be. Not to say you were implying this necessarily, however, just wanted to make the point that a busy person can have a good Border Collie without doing flyball, agility, or disc, or even sheep.

[Guest SweetJordan]

I don't necessarily know about that. I think alot depends on the individual BC in question. For instance, Freckles' main job is to watch the ranch, warn my Grandmother of customers coming to her produce stand, and to basically guard the area. I would say she is not very good at her job, or at least not as good as my last BC, but that is beside the point. So her job isn't as stimulating as flyball, agility, or disc, but nonetheless it is a task we have given her. At around 6:30pm daily we either walk or cycle with Freckles for a couple of miles and on some days we go to the dog park where she can play with a friend. Though none of these tasks are high on Bloom's taxonomy of mental challenges, I would say she is pleased with her life with us on the ranch. She has a playmate in our new male BC "Tucker", whom should be nice for her once he is bigger. Furthermore we do the usual "NILF" routine and do change things up with a different little task to accomplish. However nothing entering the realm of perfection or intense stimulation.

The point is I think you can have a full well rounded life in addition with having your Border Collies as content as can be. Not to say you were implying this necessarily, however, just wanted to make the point that a busy person can have a good Border Collie without doing flyball, agility, or disc, or even sheep.

I wasn't suggesting that you can't have a life if you have a BC. Most people who have BCs work, and not everyone lives on a farm or has sheep. But most of them do need a job that involves some type of mental exercise. Even though your BC may not have a job in the traditional sense nevertheless they have a job.

[Liz P]

Got my first BC because my Mom was afraid of and didn't like other breeds. I was hooked! Got a second because I wanted another, one was not enough (was doing flyball at the time and our team needed a few more dogs). Bought yet another because I wanted to try herding and the first BC was a wimp, the second had many health problems. Saw an add for a litter out of the Southern National Herding Champion, who I had watched at trials and fallen in love with, and sired by my 3rd BC's great uncle. Did not plan on her but couldn't resist. Third BC proved to be a great working dog so I actively looked for a close relative to buy. Made offers on two sisters and a brother. Finally bred her when she was 5 and kept 2 pups, now about 9 months old.

 

Short answer, I bought one because I wanted a dog and got addicted.

[Sasha's Mom]

Thanks for the stories everyone.

 

I'm not sure that the next will be a BC - in fact, it's far more likely that it will be some poor mutt that desperately needs us. As far as the foster puppies, they are starting to really get around - the kiddie pool is not containing them anymore. They're growing like weeds (putting on 2-7 oz in a couple of days! Yes, I'm weighing them. Have to show some results! ) They're also cutting sharp little teeth now, which makes playtime even more interesting. It's also longer playtime, rather than the couple of minutes it was a week ago.

 

Amazing little critters they are.

[jamesqf]

I I have a bike attachment that I hook my BC up to.

 

I'd be interested in learning more about that. When the weather cools down this fall, I'm

hoping to do some biking with mine. (We're hiking trails at higher elevations now, most of

which aren't open to bikes, or really suited for them.) The dogs I've noticed biking with

people have been running loose, but she needs to stay on a lead of some sort until I'm sure

she won't get so involved in critter chasing that she runs off, so I worry about getting things

tangled up in the wheels, and one or both of us crashing.

[jamesqf]

...it's far more likely that it will be some poor mutt that desperately needs us.

 

Which I think are the best kind. I've never intentionally decided to get a dog: either they're

dump-offs that find their way to my door, or some acquaintance begs me to let them stay

"just for a week or two" - then a few (too few) years later I find myself digging another grave.

But every one of them were damned good dogs.

[silhouettestable]

I'd be interested in learning more about that. When the weather cools down this fall, I'm

hoping to do some biking with mine. (We're hiking trails at higher elevations now, most of

which aren't open to bikes, or really suited for them.) The dogs I've noticed biking with

people have been running loose, but she needs to stay on a lead of some sort until I'm sure

she won't get so involved in critter chasing that she runs off, so I worry about getting things

tangled up in the wheels, and one or both of us crashing.

 

There's something called a Springer that is for biking with dogs. Here's a website about them I just found: Springer

 

Or, if your dog will stay out in front of the bike and pull, you could always make up a bungee bridle and tugline and get your dog a harness for doing some bike-joring.

[Bo Peep]

I have one of those. Only problem was my dog kept going and going and would actually poop while running and I got actually no exercise at all. The dog was doing all the work. Not complaining. She loved it. I still have it although I can't balance on a bike anymore, but it is worth the money. Gives the dog one heck of a work out. As for me, I just coasted and gained weight- LOL.

[OurBoys]

LJS,

 

Actually you have worked Freckles mentally often. You're teaching her how to get along with others. That requires a lot of 'thinking' for a dog.

 

During JJ's 1st obedience class, I called the instructor to tell her we were 'skipping school' to take JJ up to the mountains to see the leaves change and to do a little hiking. (I'm sure she thought we were a couple of losers making up an excuse but we fooled her.) When we hiked, JJ did a lot of sniffing around. On the way back, JJ just sacked out. DH wondered what was wrong with him. I told him nothing. He just has a lot of different smells to sort out. JJ had a very mentally stimulating day that day!

[Guest LJS1993]

LJS,

 

Actually you have worked Freckles mentally often. You're teaching her how to get along with others. That requires a lot of 'thinking' for a dog.

 

During JJ's 1st obedience class, I called the instructor to tell her we were 'skipping school' to take JJ up to the mountains to see the leaves change and to do a little hiking. (I'm sure she thought we were a couple of losers making up an excuse but we fooled her.) When we hiked, JJ did a lot of sniffing around. On the way back, JJ just sacked out. DH wondered what was wrong with him. I told him nothing. He just has a lot of different smells to sort out. JJ had a very mentally stimulating day that day!

 

 

True, I've never quite seen it that way before.