YOU & Dogs

[nancy in AZ]

First dog as a child:

 

Hercules, a rough collie pup. He was bred by my friend's family. I was 11 and browbeat my mom into letting me keep him. After my first asthma attack he had to be re-homed. He went to a friend of my sister's family. They had a fenced yard that bordered on a huge school park so they used to let him run loose all the time. One day he disappeared. I was heartbroken.

 

First dog as an adult:

Sly, my borzoi. He was stunning. Originally bought by a breeder for show/stud until she found out at 1 year old he was blind in his left eye and "got rid" of him. My good friend took him but couldn't keep him, so he asked me if I would take him.

 

Why a BC?

 

Cause she looked so-o-o miserable and pathetic lying in the shelter so listlessly. Her eyes begging me as if to say, "please, there must be some mistake, I don't belong in here"

 

Did you do research?

 

Having been a dog enthusiast/know- it- all, I'd always admired their beauty, agility and intelligence, but felt they'd be too intense and demanding for me to take one on.

 

First BC:

Kit, my little goofball

 

What made you want to get another?

 

I still have my first

 

What have you done with your dogs?

 

Minnie and Kit used to come along when I rode my horse. They've all had obedience training. Boo and Kit have been tried on stock--Kit had no interest. They all love to hike and guard the homestead from the evil javelinas.

 

How many BC's?

Just the one

 

How many do you have now?

Three: Kit- 6 yr old bc, Minnie-ACD mix 12 next month, and Boo, crazy-ass Aussie-5yrs. Minnie was my only "purchase". I bought her on impulse off a ranch for $10 when I was at a roping.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs?

 

Kit, my bc is actually the least intense of my three. Also, when I discipline the other two they look ashamed, but Kit just looks up at me smiling and wagging her tail. Minnie is the most willful and Boo the most biddable. I'm sure there's a bunch but I can't think of them right now.

 

City dog or country dog?

 

Well, this used to be a semi-rural area, but development has taken over, so now it's alot like suburbia. But the trailhead to the National Forest is just up the street.

 

Would you ever get another breed?

 

Sure, although I am partial to the herding breeds. Working with the local rescue there have been, many fabulous dogs that have tempted me, but alas, I'm full up to my limit.

[soloagility]

Hi everyone....this is my first post, but I've been a lurker for a while.

 

First dog as a child: Chesapeake Bay Retriever

 

First dog as an adult: Solo, Lab/BC mix

 

Why a BC? I still only have 1/2 BC, but since Solo entered my life, I'll always have a love for crazy, intense, smart dogs.

 

Did you do research? No...I had no idea what I was in for when I brought Solo home.

 

First BC: Solo, 1/2 BC

 

What have you done with your dogs? Agility, obedience, aggression rehab

 

How many BC's? 1/2

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? Solo is one big quirk. He's not a big fan of petting, if you reach for him he'll often back up a step to stay out of reach. But in the morning, he's all about the cuddles. He brings all of his treats to a certain spot in the living room to eat.

 

City dog or country dog? City

 

Would you ever get another breed? I would love a pure BC as my next dog, but wouldn't turn down a nice ACD or Kelpie.

[Withzia]

First dog as a child: Vega, my grandmother's dachshund

 

First dog as an adult: Zia

 

Why a BC? Pure chance--there was a local rancher with one puppy left in the litter at the time when we were ready to

get a dog.

 

Did you do research? Although I'm usually a compulsive researcher, somehow this time I only glanced briefly on the Internet. I didn't find find all the warnings until later.

 

First BC: Zia

 

What made you want to get another? Zia is so splendid and smart, and we wanted to get another dog.

 

What have you done with your dogs? SAR with Zia, I intend to do the same with Zephyr.

 

How many BC's? Two.

 

How many do you have now? Two.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? Quirks that Zia and the puppy share? Although they often seem to move in sync (my favorite is when they go out the back door, turn back to look at me, wait for me to say "hurry up," and then pee at exactly the same time) I don't yet know whether eleven-week-old Zephyr is going to share any of Zia's particular quirks.

 

City dog or country dog? Zia started out as a country dog--we were living in a small second-floor condo in a very rural country. So it was country in the sense that moose and fox passed by regularly. We got Zephyr after moving to a single-family house with a backyard in a city.

 

Would you ever get another breed? I can't quite imagine it.

[Mojo]

I normally don't participate in things like this, but I have to admit, this one is really interesting! Here goes:

 

First dog as a child: This is a little bit of a sad story, so skip it if you don't want to feel down!! Although I truly consider Godiva (see below) to be my first dog, technically, my very first dog was a show-quality Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy named "Pirate," which my parents had bought me as a semi-surprise from a very well-known breeder when I was six years old, although I had campaigned to have my own dog probably from infancy. I had chosen the breeder myself, and had been looking at photos of sires/dams/pups for months, but the pup I eventually selected turned out to be reserved and sold to someone else, and I was a bit despondent. A few weeks later, my parents told me that my grandmother was coming to visit, but when we got to the airport, I started to wonder why we were waiting in the cargo area instead of by the regular gate...then, a kennel crate appeared with a squealing, squirming three-month-old pup in it. Apparently, the breeder had kept back this pup for herself, but she felt bad about the miscommunication that had occurred with the other pup, and so she decided to sell her pick puppy to my parents. This *would* have been a great story if, sadly, Pirate had not been given away to a neighbor within months of getting him because my mom began having nosebleeds at home, which she attributed to being allergic to the dog, even though she herself had had a German Shepherd (i.e., a heavily-shedding breed) as a child. There was absolutely nothing I could do to sway her decision, and thus, I lost my first dog almost as soon as I had gotten him. I know now that Pirate should have been returned to his breeder, but to this day, I know nothing about the terms of his sale, and my mom went completely over my head with her anxiety at getting the dog out of the house as soon as possible. After some time went by, I researched and discovered the Bichon Frise as a non-shedding, relatively hypoallergenic breed, but it took several additional years of campaigning before my mom would even consider the idea of having another dog in the house. This time, however, I was thirteen, and I brought my mom to and from the Bichon breeder's house weekly once the litter I had chosen was on the ground to see if my mom would develop an allergic reaction, but she did not. Thus, I finally received my parents' consent to buy Godiva (Bichon Frise) from her breeder, but this time, I had saved up the money to buy her myself (I was still quite bitter about having had Pirate taken away from me all those years ago), and thus, I wasn't about to let anyone take Godiva away from me under any circumstances. Years later, in retrospect, it turned out my mother actually had a very, very rare form of nasal septal cancer, and this was likely the original cause of her nosebleeds, not dog allergies. She eventually had (successful) surgery to remove the cancer, and has since been around all kinds of dogs of all shedding/dander types without any further "allergic" nosebleeds...and thus, Pirate was likely given away for no good reason. Godiva, however, is the best, sweetest, and most wonderfully socialized dog I could have ever asked for, so, as callous as this sounds, perhaps it was all for the best. Pirate lived just around the corner from my parents' house, and although his new owners and my family were not exactly close, I did get to see him out walking from time to time as I grew up, and as far as I know, he lived a happy life. I was not notified of his death, but even before I left home for college, it had been many years since I'd heard him barking or playing in his yard, so I must assume that he passed away some time ago. He was a very sweet, exuberant, and smart little dog...R.I.P., Pirate, even though he never really was "my" dog.

 

First dog as an adult: I am almost twenty-eight years old now, and Godiva is still alive at 14.5 years old, so I guess she would also qualify as the first dog I have had as an adult. Mojo would be the first *new* dog I have had as an adult; I found Mojo as a stray in December of 2006 when I had just turned twenty-seven, and most people who have seen him in person agree that he is some type of Australian Shepherd mix, although several of these still believe (as I do) that there is some Border Collie and unspecified spaniel in him somewhere.

 

Why a BC? As noted above, fate thrust Mojo upon me with little choice on my part! Probably from the age of three and up, though, I had been borrowing dog breed books from the library every single week (every librarian in the non-fiction department knew me by name). I had always been attracted to high-energy breeds, and since I started riding horses at the age of eight, there were always Aussies or Corgis or JRTs underfoot at the barn, but such a dog was totally out of the question while I was still living with my parents, who, if they were going to let me have a dog at all, wanted a small, quiet, impeccably-behaved one. Interestingly, I had never even seen a real purebred BC in person until long after I got Mojo...no one I knew happened to have one, but I had always admired them on TV. Nevertheless, I was very happy with my mellow, sweet Godiva, and continue to be happy with her, and thus, I never really imagined my getting another dog of any kind anytime in the near future. I had even vowed that if/when Godiva passed, I would NOT get another dog of my own, and only do fosters for Bichon rescue in honor of her memory. Funny that the first BC-mix stray that ever crossed my path happened to be when a very dirty and matted Mojo wandered across my field of vision as I was driving home from Christmas shopping last year (Dec 2006), and I could not help but stop to pick him up. Godiva had just been diagnosed with kidney failure earlier that year, and I had already made several personal and career sacrifices so that I could work mostly at home and take care of her, as she needed constant medical attention, so the *very last thing* I had ever thought of doing was finding and getting another dog, particularly a high-energy, untrained stray from the street with no past history whatsoever! Nevertheless, with nowhere else to go, he came home with me that night, and after three months of advertising for his owner in person, online, and in print, with no owner in sight, I had considered giving Mojo up to rescue, but once his significant leash reactivity/aggression manifested itself, it became obvious that even if I had wanted to give him up (and I guess I knew from even the first night that I didn't, although I hadn't realized it yet), rescue was no longer an option, and it was either (unethically) shove him off on some unsuspecting shelter or adoptive family, only to have him (likely) eventually euthanized once they found out how difficult he was to handle, or to euthanize him myself outright (perish the thought!), or to keep the silly dog and work with him. Obviously, I chose the last option, and thus, I now have a possible Aussie x BC x spaniel mix in my house, but not by my design. Nevertheless, I have no regrets, and if given the chance again, I would do exactly as I did. I love Mojo and every single one of his crazy antics, and he acted like he was my long-lost dog from the very first moment he saw me, so it seems it was meant to be. Better yet, all of his vibrant energy breathed new life into Godiva, so I have absolutely no regrets, and actually consider myself lucky to have found such a wonderful second dog, even when Mojo suddenly started having seizures in April of 2007, such that I officially now have two chronically ill pets. I shudder even to imagine what he would be like if I was *not* at home most of the time to keep him entertained...probably how he ended up on the street to begin with.

 

Did you do research? Pretty much answered this above: yes, I had researched every single AKC breed over the course of my lifetime, but no, I had never particularly focused on BCs, nor have I had any real, substantial personal experience with BCs or Aussies before. Even if I had known what I was getting myself into when I picked Mojo up off the street, I still would have picked him up, and I wasn't about to give up on him, so research would not have helped much--although after his arrival, I have now researched the heck out of Aussies and BCs!

 

First BC: Never had a purebred BC before.

 

What made you want to get another? Now that I have Mojo, I *definitely* want another high-energy dog, and after what I've learned on this and the Aussie Board, for certain, it will either be a working-bred BC or a working-bred Aussie, and hopefully I will be lucky enough to come across one that is also a shelter/stray/rescue! Similarly to what SoloRiver posted above, I don't think I could ever have another Bichon of my own in the house after Godiva, since she is THE heart dog of my life, and any other Bichon would only pale in comparison. Godiva has been to the theater, eaten in restaurants, been on planes--she is just so incredibly quiet, accepting, reliable, and even-tempered, that everyone who has ever met her has loved her, even guys who say they "hate small dogs." So, while I may still adhere to my original idea of doing fosters for Bichon rescue, I am now thinking that it will likely be BC or Aussie rescue, as another rambunctious male in the house would be a great outlet for Mojo's energy and help to keep him socialized with other dogs. I don't know what it is about BCs/Aussies, but they are definitely infectious! Plus, if I do get another dog, having one that is roughly the same size as Mojo would be nice, so I don't have to worry quite so much about his injuring a smaller dog, as Godiva is. Then again, Mojo may actually prefer to be an only dog, and *my* life would certainly be easier if I only had one dog to train and take care of; however, I've noticed that as much as Mojo seemed to be tortured by Godiva at first, I think he actually finds her presence comforting now, even if he doesn't view her as a playmate, so perhaps I will get another dog someday, but I haven't come to any firm conclusions yet. There is *no way*, however, that I could ever personally keep three dogs happy, so if I am ever gong to get another, it will have to be perforce after Godiva is gone, and hopefully, that day is a LONG way off.

 

What have you done with your dogs? Godiva has her AKC Canine Good Citizen award (CGC), and used to be the official "greeter" in my mom's store while I was busy at school during the day, and so she learned to meet all kinds of dogs, children, and people. She is especially fond of babies and puppies! She has completed all the requirements to be a certified therapy dog, but I ended up unable to pursue this with her because right around the same time, she developed kidney failure, and I did not think it fair to make her "work" when her health was no longer 100%. She has been shown in conformation twice, and she won both her initial classes on both occasions, but came in second in her division at the second show. Mojo is actively training in agility (with a trainer), and we hope to compete in USDAA within three to six months, but we will also then have his leash aggression to contend with. Once he is more reliable around other dogs while leashed, my dearest hope is to have him pass his CGC test, too. I am also training him in the tasks necessary for formal obedience at the CD level independently at home, plus a few of the more advanced behaviors just to make life with him easier (like drop on recall), but I have no immediate plans for competition in this venue. I have taken Mojo to be instinct-tested on sheep, but while intially *quite* interested, he also seemed to lose interest very quickly. Nevertheless, although it is not a huge priority, I still think I would like to take him again someday if the opportunity ever presents itself to see if additional exposure makes any difference in his interest/attitude/ability.

 

How many BC's? Less than half a BC!!

 

How many do you have now? Two dogs, total.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? I'm not sure it's possible to list all of them here! The one that is common to both dogs is that they are actually each one-person dogs...while affectionate with my immediate family, both dogs really only take commands from me, and if I am gone, I have been told that they will mope until I have come back, no matter who is watching them in the house, and whether they are feeding/playing with them. When I was away at college, I was told that Godiva would sleep alone in my bedroom and just wait for me to come back...almost every night, for four years!!! Godiva is friendly with everyone, but Mojo is outright suspicious/aggressive with strangers.

***********Anyway, the most notable quirks peculiar to Mojo include: uncannily excellent vision and hearing, but an absolutely atrocious sense of smell; eagerly gobbling food in his mouth first before he has figured out what it is, often causing him to spit it back out in surprise (e.g., raw broccoli)...except that he has never refused any type of food, ever, so he will end up eating it, anyway, after putting it in and out of his mouth a few more times; sleeping on his back with hind legs splayed wide open, one front paw neatly tucked, and the other front paw extended delicately in the air like the Statue of Liberty; somersaulting on the sheets in delight when his butt is scratched and gently biting the covers repeatedly as he does so; refusing to go out in the rain to pee; refusing to move at all if he has his raincoat on; occasionally falling over in his haste to cock his leg and pee when in a new location; finding it necessary to poo at the precise moment he enters a dog park, even if he has pooed prior to leaving the house; finding it within himself to poo seven to eight more times while in the dog park, even though he normally poos once a day if we are not at the park; after having completed at least the initial poo, he will race around the dog park in wide circles, growling at the top of his lungs at no one in particular and in great apparent joy until he calms down a bit, much to the alarm of people who have never seen him do this before; having a high-pitched bark that sounds like "Woo, woo, woo!!!!" that makes people laugh at him when he is trying to be as threatening as he possibly can; audibly grumbling in a plaintive tone that sounds like a gargled "Woorrhmmmgrrwoor" when I tell him to stop barking and he doesn't want to--again, making people laugh at him; screaming bloody murder if his nails are being clipped but quietly puts up with having a bath and having his sheath/ears/teeth/nose/eyes cleaned, and any other number of unpleasant grooming tasks; grooming *himself* like a cat; rummaging through our laundry basket and making one clean rip in my underwear--and only my underwear, and only one rip--if he is pissed at me for whatever reason, despite the fact that he has never once chewed up anything else inappropriate in the house; insisting upon being with and watching over whoever is asleep in the bedroom, even if one of us humans has already gotten up, and only will leave the bedroom once everyone is up--even if food is being prepared in the kitchen; similarly, he will go to watch over one of us if one human has gone to bed and the other human has not; loving to be allowed on the human bed, but hating to be on any sofas; adopting the "flying frog" position with head between his paws and hind legs out to the side when down on the ground at every opportunity, instead of lying down normally; and, finally, while in said flying frog position, he will wag just the very tip of his tail when trying to look pathetic, but will keep the rest of his body motionless.

***********Notable quirks for Godiva include: her absolutely, totally confident personality. She really could have been named "the unsinkable Molly Brown." You can correct her, yell at her, carry on like a maniac, drop heavy pots and pans all around her, and she will only look at you calmly as if to say, "So what? Give me food!!" In comparison, Mojo will completely SULK if he thinks I am displeased with him. Anyway, more on Godiva: wiping her moustache thoroughly on ANY soft surface after eating, including pants legs, sofas, rugs, dog beds; even though I wipe her moustache FOR her after eating, if she is not able to wipe said moustache to her own satisfaction, she will then move from water bowl to water bowl trying to get a clean drink because she hates how leftover specks of food from her moustache "contaminates" the water, meaning that I then have to follow after her and clean all four water bowls on the first floor to try and appease her; like another poster said above, Godiva also play-bows at her cookie treats, even throwing them up into the air for herself and growling at the cookie and racing around it as if it is alive; leaving where she is currently sleeping and going to lie down on or crawling into/on top of any item that has been newly placed on the ground, including inside backpacks, cardboard boxes, piles of papers/mail/magazines/laundry/towels/blankets/hardcover books; following me around the house no matter where I go or how deeply she is sleeping before I go, including the bathroom, and even the SHOWER--she will actually poke her little face through the curtain (and get WET) to make sure I didn't disappear in there; she can open almost any shut but unlocked door with her head like a battering ram--she will just bash it again and again until the door gives, and she is barely fifteen pounds; if we have moved anything around in the house, she has to re-explore the entire perimeter of the room to make sure of where everything now is; wherever Mojo is sleeping, she *has* to get up from where she is and squish up against him, even in the same bed, peeving him to no end; falling asleep while standing up and sometimes falling over; trying to stay awake while begging for food but sometimes falling asleep; stopping to take a poo in the middle of a busy intersection; stopping to shake herself in the middle of a busy intersection; appearing surprised when a piece of poo expels itself from her rear without her seeming to be previously aware of it (i.e., she has actually pooed WHILE hopping up the stairs to the garden, and then turned around and looked at it in apparent bewilderment); preferring to climb into and pee in my flower bed rather than on the nice green lawn; refusing to go out in the rain to use the bathroom; refusing to MOVE at all if she has her raincoat on, posing like a statue in the rain with one foot up; and, finally, doing the "Bichon blitz," which means that she will race back and forth in the house at top speed, making funny growling sounds, but I think almost all Bichons do this blitz.

 

City dog or country dog? Godiva has been a city dog all her life, and both are city dogs at the moment....although Godiva is quite comfortable rolling around in the muck at the country farm where I board my horse. I don't trust Mojo enough around strange people/dogs to have tried taking him around horses yet. I am saving up to buy a small horse farm of my own, though, and hopefully, with some luck, I will be successful in making the move within the next five years, and then Mojo will be able to run and bark and howl and growl to his heart's content.

 

Would you ever get another breed? I definitely am open to other breeds--all dogs are smart and beautiful, after all!!!

[Blueborders]

First dog as a child:

Up until age 9, I had Buster the border collie who was a great partner while I was growing up. After he passed on, my family found ACDs and then I had Amanda, one of the world's best Cattle Dogs ever who lived to be 19.

 

First dog as an adult:

Amanda was mine until my 20s and by then I'd also moved out and adopted my first border collie, Jezzi, who came from a local shelter.

 

Why a BC?

I had always loved the breed. My grandfather always had them and I idolized him and his dogs.

 

Did you do research?

Nope

 

First BC:

Jezzi was my first BC as an adult. Buster was the family dog but he was "mine" in the fact that he let me latch onto him and toddle all around.

 

What made you want to get another?

I began fostering and have a couple foster failures because just like potato chips, you can't have just one!

 

What have you done with your dogs?

obedience, some minimal herding tho I'd love to do that more, agility, and the most rewarding- therapy work. As a counselor, I typically have a dog at work w/ me.

 

How many BC's?

I've had quite a number through my house with fostering over the years.

 

How many do you have now?

Right now, I have : Sierra- a 9 yr old blue merle and Apache- 2 yr old red/white and Jaz a 2 yr old 17lb foster girl undergoing heartworm treatment.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs?

too many to list. Apache's latest is that he doesn't like to drink out of the easy pour water bottle for whatever reason.

 

City dog or country dog?

Country dogs tho I'm house shopping and will probably move into town.

 

Would you ever get another breed?

Of course! I"ll always have a Cattle dog or two. I have one at the moment as well as I have a Cardigan Welsh Corgi and a Boston terrorist mix...I love my Cardi and will probably have another one of those in the future too. I've always liked Aussies and English Setters and you never know what dog may come along that will just fit into our home.

[learning_to_love_BCs]

First dog as a child: Cocker Spaniel. We were "puppies" together and I lost her when she was 17.

First dog as an adult: Terrier mix named Spot (no spots on her ). She walked into the open door of my studio apartment when I was at college, announced she was staying--and stayed with me for 14 years.

Why a BC? I had recently lost my 15-year old "soul mate" GSD/Doberman mix Allegra and was hating the emptiness in the house (and my heart). I thought it would be nice to get two dogs this time so they could keep each other company when I had to be away from home, so was looking on the shelter boards for dogs that needed to be adopted together because they were so bonded. And there were Silver and Mack--maybe pure smooth-coat bcs, maybe mixes, no way to know. They had been up at a sanctuary for over a year and really weren't adoptable (though I didn't know that until after I had adopted them). But I fell for their stories and their cute faces. I didn't know anything about bcs, but wanted active dogs because I love to hike and run. So I had them brought down from the sanctuary (about 150 miles from me) and adopted them sight unseen.

Did you do research? Not before. But definitely after. That's what brought me to these boards, the need to understand about border collies.

First BC: Silver and Mack

What made you want to get another? Well, I got both at the same time. But I've been thinking I might start fostering in another 6 months or so.

What have you done with your dogs? We've done obedience with a personal trainer. Neither dog would have been able to work in a class environment, and Mack was fear aggressive, especially with men. He still isn't happy around strangers and wouldn't allow one to work with him. I think they're probably both too old (Silver is almost 5 and Mack is almost 3) to do Agility and neither show any interest in balls or Frisbee or anything like that. They love to hike and run and play on the beach. I figure with their hard luck pasts, they have a ticket to ride....

How many BC's? 2

How many do you have now? 2

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? They are crazy obsessive. If I'd let them, they would spend the entire day out in the backyard running from one end to the other chasing squirrels. Completely silent, completely focused, tireless, back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, following the squirrels as they jump from tree to tree. It's amazing. I have to call them in and close the door to get them to take a break for awhile. They're also fruit fiends. They pick up apples and plums and pears and persimmons that have dropped and eat them. Again, I have to stop them or they'd eat so many they'd get sick.

City dog or country dog? City

Would you ever get another breed? Oh sure. I'm not a kid anymore. I figure I'll have Silver and Mack for at least 10 years. At that point, I'll probably be too old to get young dogs. I won't be able to give them what they need in terms of exercise. So, I'll be looking for older rescues. Whoever steals my heart will come home with me.

[Seelie Fey]

Blank template Thank you! Helps for the computer challenged

 

First dog as a child:Black Labrador named Galahad. He was a family dog, not mine, and I didn't really like dogs as a child.

 

First dog as an adult: Zeph, an Aussie/GSD cross

 

Why a BC? I kept meeting them at the activities I did with Zeph and I loved the manipulativeness, enthusiasm, and the way you can't stuff them in a backyard and forget them.

 

Did you do research? Gobs, but I got one anyway

 

First BC: Seelie Fey, my weasel puppy

 

What made you want to get another? Still being broken in by the first one

 

What have you done with your dogs? Flyball, agility, camping, hiking, rally, herding lessons. I would like to get Zeph involved as a therapy dog now that he's getting older and calmer.

 

How many BC's? One bc, one product of random doggy love.

 

How many do you have now? See above

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? Seelie spins in manic circles, attempting to head off stop signs, trees, semitrucks, roadsigns and whatnot when riding in a car. She will not lay down, even on 10 hour drives across multiple states. Zeph is afraid of arial objects - specifically the Goodyear Blimp, also when walking at night he will become alarmed by reflective street signs or peices of white paper. When given a treat, he will often spit it out, and look at you with pitiful puppy dog eyes hoping for another, which he will add to the stack. Once he decides you have given all your going to give, he'll gobble them up. Seelie likes to play tug o war with rubber bands. She also is the most unphotogenic creature I have ever encountered. I have watched her herd bugs. Seelie seems afraid of hats and formal business clothes. When intent on something, one of her ears seems to disappear against her head.

 

City dog or country dog? City - would prefer to be country

 

Would you ever get another breed? Probably not. Depends on the dog.

[Greylite]

First dog as a child: I had a doberman named Caleb and two springer spaniels but I don't remember them at all. The first dog I remember was a Shetland Sheepdog named Shelby.

First dog as an adult: Spanky the BC.

 

Why a BC? He was a present. I really didn't want him but thought it'd be rude to turn him down. I am so greatful I kept him.

 

Did you do research? Actually yes. They were a breed I had al ways really liked and was considering for my next dog.

First BC: Spanky.

 

What made you want to get another? I didn't want another. Bandit was dumped at my house and I couldn't find a home for him so he stayed.

What have you done with your dogs? Agility.

 

How many BC's? Right now? Two. In the future who knows.

How many do you have now? two

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? They are both real quirky in general. Not bad dogs... just oddballs.

City dog or country dog? Country for now... not for too long though sadly.

 

Would you ever get another breed? Yes!!! I have other breeds I'd love to own but I'd forsure consider adopting a BC. They're terrific.

[jamesqf]

First dog as a child: Never had a dog as a child, unless you count Duke, the stray that I had for a couple of days until they took him away. Spent years thinking I would come across his bones somewhere in the woods.

 

First dog as an adult: Hard to say, as dogs officially belonging to roommates & significant others tended to become more mine than theirs.

 

Why a BC? My neighbors got Niki as company for their young Viszla when their two older ones died. Then they got a second Viszla, Niki became the odd dog out, and because of that was putting on weight, so I said she could come hiking with me. And as usual, she soon became my dog.

 

Did you do research? Other than knowing her, no.

 

First BC: Niki

 

What have you done with your dogs? Hike, ski, toss balls, go swimming at the lake... Nothing complicated.

 

How many BC's? Just one

 

How many do you have now? Just one.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? Nothing that I'd really call a quirk, just a very different personality from my last dog. Harlie'd follow me anywhere, right at my heel: Niki has to range ahead. Harlie was laid back, would always look to make sure I was really doing something interesting before stirring, while Niki goes from asleep to "Oh boy let's go" in about 0.1 seconds if I just get out of my chair...

 

City dog or country dog? Semi-rural. Not a farm, but a small group of houses surrounded by fields & wild country.

 

Would you ever get another breed? Not quite the right question. I don't get dogs, they get me. I've never made a decision to get a dog, or chosen one, they've just come along and said "Hi, I'm staying for a while". But I've never cared about breeds: a lot have been mixes (and in fact Niki may be half Australian Shepherd, depending on who you believe).

[sluj]

First dog as a child: Lab/whippet mix? She was really my Mom's dog; just tolerated the rest of us.

 

First dog as an adult: Sad story that I don't think I've shared here before. My third or fourth year of grad school, I moved to an apartment that allowed dogs, and just a week after getting settled drove two hours to a rural kill shelter and brought home a BC/lab mix named Moose. I renamed him Ansel for being black and white and loving the hills. We had a happy two months together before tragedy struck. On our evening walk, he was attacked by a loose dog, who somehow managed to unclasp his collar. He didn't have a real recall on him, nor an understanding of traffic. He ran out into the road and was hit instantly. I will never forget that sight as long as I live.

 

Why a BC? My mom took me to my first sheepdog trial when I was about 10. Have been fascinated with BCs ever since, though to be honest, getting to play frisbee with the demo SAR dog was probably the highpoint of that day.

 

Did you do research? I had read two or three books and dozens of webpages (including this one) before adopting Ansel. My library tripled by the time I got Allie. I'm by no means an expert, though I finally recognize that I'm not ready for a PB BC yet.

 

First BC: Have only had mixes: an ACD/BC when I was 16, Ansel, and Allie who is of uncertain origin.

 

What made you want to get another? Only have one - would like a second, but will have to wait till we move.

 

What have you done with your dogs? Nothing formal. We mostly hike.

 

How many BC's? just mixes so far.

 

How many do you have now? It's not clear whether Allie has any BC in her.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? Not exactly a quirk, but I do find it easier to communicate with them than most people. Allie and Squire are both incredibly expressive.

 

City dog or country dog? City, for now.

 

Would you ever get another breed? I love ACDs. I met a Belgian Shepherd I'd love to have. Huskies have always intrigued me. And really, I expect my next dog will be another foster failure (as Allie is), so who knows?

[Dixie_Girl]

First dog as a child: A GSD/Chow mix named Butch. He was a great dog that my brother and I had many adventures with in west Texas and Florida!

 

First dog as an adult: I got Schultzie, a weiner dog when I was 16, but had her until I was an adult.

 

Why a BC? I saw a sheepdog trial on the Grapevine while driving truck. I saw it from the freeway and pulled over to watch it. Even from that great distance, I was mesmerized. I waited till I got home and hit the internet. The more I read, the more I wanted.

 

Did you do research? More than 2 1/2 yrs. worth!

 

First BC: Jackson, from a breeder in NC that I had been in touch with for 1 1/2 yrs.

 

What made you want to get another? Jeeze, I'd have 20 if I could!

 

What have you done with your dogs? Stock training, ball/frizbee/toy throwing, hiking in the woods, and just hanging out.

 

How many BC's? 2 and 2 fosters.

 

How many do you have now? 4 BCs and my muttly Cheyenne, that graciously, (okay, not really) puts up with the BCs.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? If Jackson is playing fetch, he HAS to return to a certain place and some times a certain way. Like if it's out front, and I throw it to the left, he HAS to go around this bushy, fuzzy thing. EVERYTIME!!!! Skip has to copy everything that concerns me and Jackson interacting. Like if Jackson comes over and puts his paws up on my lap for some loving, as soon as he is gone, Skip has to do the same thing. Most of the time I make him wait. Trying to get him to see things differently.........

 

City dog or country dog? Country bumpkins, everyone!

 

Would you ever get another breed? I doubt it. When I get too old, I will just adopt older BCs like Lucy and Missy.

[WyoBC]

There seems to be a fair amount of new members on here. Some of them I have never met before. So welcome

[Brandon M]

First dog as a child: American Eskimo Dog

 

First dog as an adult: Labrador Retreiver

 

Why a BC? I had friends with BCs that did agility and I always went to watch them. I quickly became obsessed with wanting a BC.

 

Did you do research? not really.

 

First BC: My family had a BC mix when I was younger but my first BC would be Lance.

 

What made you want to get another?: I dont have another yet but I will soon. For me, two dogs is better than one. And I dont want any other breed but a Border Collie.

 

What have you done with your dogs? I've done obedience with Lance and a few herding lessons. We start agility Jan 9th. He's also my Jeep club's mascot And, believe it or not, Lance is a going to make a good flushing dog. He puts some spaniels and retrievers to shame.

 

How many BC's? ...

 

How many do you have now? Just one, going to have 2.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? I dont know if it's a quirk but Lance loves to wrestle cats. He goes crazy when someone is using a power tool. He loves the smell of Febreze and rolls anywhere it's been sprayed. And he loves to chase water from the hose or sprinklers.

 

City dog or country dog? Country dog. Lance goes to work every day with me at a ranch and we live outside of a small town in Northern California.

 

Would you ever get another breed? Only if I already have 2 Border Collies. Then I might consider getting another breed. I would probably just end up getting another BC though.

[NorthfieldNick]

First dog as a child: GSD/Collie/?? mix named Phantom (of the Opera- my favourite show when I was a kid)

 

First dog as an adult: Lu, GSD/best guess mutt. Best dog ever

 

Why a BC? It was a PITA to work my sheep without one! Yes, I got sheep, THEN a BC.

 

Did you do research? Not really, but I worked with a shepherd friend of mine who has multiple BC's, and a friend of mine used to train & trial.

 

First BC: Mac

 

What made you want to get another? Mac was not cut out to be a working dog. He liked it, but didn't love it. He's much happier being a pet who gets to round up the occasional stray sheep.

 

What have you done with your dogs? Lu is just a dog. She's my travelling companion, my shadow. She doesn't have a "real" job. Nick is a stockdog.

 

How many BC's? 2

 

How many do you have now? 1

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? Oh good grief, where to start?! Lu, who has major seperation anxiety, doesn't destroy things of she's left loose alone- she hides things! She once emptied my sis & BIL's bottom pantry shelf & we found bags of nuts, etc hidden around the house for 6 months. Not a single thing had been opened or eaten. She's a master at opening tupperware- doesn't leave a mark on it. She snerfls ears and is obsessed with licking eye glasses, also loves shredding paper. Nick will lick you to death- I mean constant, non-stop licking. Despite the fact that he's an amazing stock dog, if there are no sheep around, he is so clumsy! He falls out of the truck when you open the door, he smacks into walls, he tries to lean on me, but misses & hits the ground...

 

City dog or country dog? Country dogs! Lu has never lived in a city, and sidewalks confuse the heck out of her.

 

Would you ever get another breed? Oh yeah, I love the mutts. Not sure I could ever be without a BC, though. Gotta have that mind.

[LovaBelle]

First dog as a child: Beagle - Ginger Lynn

 

First dog as an adult: Well, we had Ginger for 16 years so I had her until I was 23. In the mean time I had met my bf and moved in with him and his Rottie/Lab mix Augie.

 

Why a BC? The first one was an accident (Belle) When Augie left us, we made it 2 weeks before I found this adorable little, what appeared to be a lab/? mix puppy at the local shelter. As she matured, the concensus of the Vet and the obedience instructor (both BC people) was that she was a BC mix. That new found info. sent me researching how to be a good BC owner.....I fell in love with the breed. Jake, #2, was rescued from a hoarding situation and showed up in our local shelter. I just couldn't stand the thought of someone not knowing about the breed and taking this boy and not treating him right. And....it's easier to have two, right?!

 

Did you do research? Absolutely, after I found out what I had gotten myself into....lol

 

First BC: Mirabelle

 

What made you want to get another? oops, I guess I covered that already.

 

What have you done with your dogs? Obedience and agility for fun with Belle. Obedience and will start agility for fun with Jake in the spring.

 

How many BC's? 2 - would have more if I had a farm.

 

How many do you have now? 2

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? Belle - "sings" with the church bells when they play, barks at "something" to get Jake excited so he'll move when she wants his spot on the couch or chair. Jake - has to be where I am at all times, waits for Belle to go into her kennel before he will enter his.

 

City dog or country dog? city dogs - well small town dogs anyway.

 

Would you ever get another breed? hmmm, probably, but I'm loving this breed a whole bunch.

[Samantha J]

First dog as a child: A Yorkie named Penny

First dog as an adult: A Yorkie named Tammy

 

Why a BC? After loosing our Yorkie we wanted another dog but something completely different. We liked the Border Collie and saw one at our local animal shelter. She was already going to a new home but was really lovely and named Holly. This made us decide for definate we wanted a Holly BC of our own.

 

Did you do research? Yes, brought BC books and read them to make sure.

 

First BC: Holly

 

What made you want to get another? Holly really as we thought she will really enjoy the company of another dog. We did always fancy two but the second was going to be a smaller breed. Holly really made us decide to get another BC now.

 

What have you done with your dogs? Only really obedience and trick training. We have garden agility too.

 

How many BC's? 2

How many do you have now? 2

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs?

 

City dog or country dog? Country

 

Would you ever get another breed? Probably would, DH wants a Retiever someday. I think for now BC's are great for us but later in life perhaps would be too much so maybe a less active breed would suit us better then,

[philip4420]

irst dog as a child: None

 

First dog as an adult: Irish setter named Paddy

 

Why a BC? After losing our setter my son wanted a BC. He loved our friend's collie and was 10 so old enough to do a bit with a dog.

 

Did you do research? Yes. Read a bit and talked to collie owners.

 

First BC:Sam

 

What made you want to get another? Sam was such a perfect dog that after he died I didn't want another. However my husband did and life wasn't right without a dog so... It had to be a BC. They are so special.

 

What have you done with your dogs? Obedience,tried agility with Sam but he had a joint problem. Now doing obedience and about to start agility.

 

How many BC's? 2

 

How many do you have now? 1

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? With Sam very few. He took his time weighed things up and was born sensible. He was obsessed with footballs and would head and kick the ball. He spent many hours playing with the children.He was so good at cricket the kids added a new rule 'dog stop.' This meant if Sam had the ball my son could only score 6 runs. Henry had trained Sam not to release the ball until he told him to drop it.

Dale is a different character altogether. He reacts to all sorts of things around the house. Herding hoovers, OK lots of collies do that but he tries to herd the ironing board, its got teeth marks to prove it He tries to attack dusters if I'm using them, runs from anywhere in the house if I open the dish washer,but runs to his crate when I pick up a lead.

 

City dog or country dog? town

 

Would you ever get another breed? Don't think so. if we were less able might adopt an older BC

[Tracy H]

First dog as a child: Collies

 

First dog as an adult: Yellow Labrador

 

Why a BC? I am having some fun with agility and am thinking of a border collie for that and would also like to start herding. Although I do not currently live on a farm, I come from a family of small farmers.

 

Did you do research? Yes, I am doing it right now and have been for the last year and a half! I have been meeting border collies and their handlers, reading, reading, reading, attending trials, talking with lots of people and I have even had the opportunity to run a nice border collie at an agility seminar I was attending.

 

First BC: Thinking of adding a border collie to our family next year- autumn perhaps, depending when the bitch comes into heat.

 

 

What have you done with your dogs? As an adult our first two labs were just great family dogs, of course they rolled in gross stuff but we loved them. With my current lab we are training in agility and I hope to begin Field training next year.

 

How many BC's? none yet : )

 

How many do you have now? None right now, but thinking...

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? Our current lab also loves to chase flashlight beams and is a bit OCD when swimming in rushing water- there is nothing else on earth better than madly pawing at gushing water!

 

City dog or county dog? Country

 

Would you ever get another breed? Yes, I think we will always have labs, especially for my husband.

 

 

Tracy

[juliepoudrier]

First dog as a child:

My parents always had dogs, so we had German shepherds and a whippet or two when I was little. I don't have strong memories of the GSDs except for the one that had to be put down because of extreme noise phobia (my memory extends to us girls sitting around a little table swearing we'd never speak to our parents again, although in retrospect what they did for the dog was the best thing for him--he'd go through window glasss, etc. he was so noise phobic). The whippet was Polly and my mom had her when she met my dad, and I can still see her as if she were sitting right here. The first dogs I really remember really *interacting with* as a child were Nippy, the three-legged wire haired fox terrier (lost a leg in an accident with a horse), Bo the great dane, and Shai, a belgian tervuren. (Nippy and Shai were our boon companions as we rode the local countryside on our ponies. Those dogs went everywhere with us, even when we swam the horses in the river.)

 

First dog as an adult:

Indy, a blue merle border collie X Australian shepherd.

 

Why a BC?

Well, really it didn't *have* to be a border collie in the beginning. I still love terriers (most of them anyway), but I was most impressed by the extreme intelligence of our tervuren, so when I started looking for my own dog I started with herding breeds. I went through an all-breed rescue (Pet Assistance League) to look at a bouvier, but when I met her we just didn't click. My mother, who was with me at the time fell in love with an Italian greyhound in this same rescue (she already had a borzoi and an ex-racing greyhound). We went back the next day to get the IG, and the foster mom said to me, "I know you don't particularly want a male dog, but let me just introduce you to this one." That dog was Indy. And it was thanks to Indy that I decided the next dog would be a border collie.

 

Did you do research?

Not extensively. I got into it through Indy, border collie light, and decided that I really like the border collie aspects of his personality. And I wanted a high-energy dog.

 

First BC:

My first purebred border collie was Willow, a dog I got through Appalachian Mountain BCR. She's 10 1/2 now. I was planning to move from my home in Fredericksburg where Indy had always had neighbor dog playmates and I wanted him to have a companion, so I started looking for one in rescue.

 

What made you want to get another?

Well, the next one was pretty much thrust on my by my vet at the time--a crazy red dog in need of a home as his owner had died of cancer and the elderly widow couldn't handle him (this period in his life is when he developed the OCD behaviors he has to this day). I originally planned to rehome him but found that he had too many issues to make him a safe bet for adoption, so I ended up keeping him as I am willing to manage his weirdness.

 

What have you done with your dogs?

Originally my dogs were my jogging and rollerblading partners. Having Snarley Farleigh thrust on me prompted the rescuer I picked Willow up from to suggest that I take them to a farm about an hour away and try them on sheep (since Farleigh's pedigree suggested he might work). That was the beginning of the end. All dogs after that were gotten for stockwork. (Interestingly the person who originally found and fostered Willow, whom I didn't meet since I picked Willow up from a different person, is the person who later bred Twist--and Lark, and I happen to like dogs who go back to those same lines that indicated Farleigh might be a good worker, although he turned out to be a washout in that department, and most of my dogs carry those same bloodlines--it's kind of funny how all things border collie in my life seem to be connected.)

 

How many BCs?

Ahem, nine. (Ten, if you count Indy, though he's no longer with me.)

 

How many do you have now?

The same nine mentioned above.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs?

Typical border collie intensity. I probably have the full range of border collie quirks in my pack. Farleigh of course covers all the insanity type things. The rest exhibit the normal, everyday kinds of quirks.

 

City dog or country dog?

Country/farm dogs.

 

Would you ever get another breed?

Never say never, though I don't see it happening in the near future. Even if I couldn't keep livestock, I'd probably have at least one border collie, and since I keep bringing youngsters along to replace retirees, it's unlikely I wouldn't have a border collie at any one time. But that doesn't mean in my golden years I might not add an auxiliary dog, which would probably be a terrier of some sort, though not a JRT, probably a fox terrier or a border terrier or maybe an Irish terrier (had one of those growing up too).

 

J.

[OurBoys]

First dog as a child: A black rough-coat mix with short legs

 

First dog as an adult: Sheltie

 

Why a BC? Wanted an intelligent dog.

 

Did you do research? We thought we did but found out there's nothing like hands on experience!

 

First BC: JJ

 

What made you want to get another? With everything we were doing with JJ, the one thing we couldn't do is play with him like a dog so we got him a brother.

 

What have you done with your dogs? A number of obedience classes, frisbee, tetherball, catch, hiking, tug-o-war. We take them on vacations with us or sometimes just let them ride in the truck when I run errands. I enrolled JJ in an agility class one time but found out he is scared of heights.

 

How many BC's? 2

 

How many do you have now? 2

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? They both get upset and pace around a lot when we move furniture around or even move their crates a few inches. One time DH cleaned their outdoor water bowl. When he came back and sat it down, JJ looked at the water bowl, looked up at DH, looked at the water bowl again, then back at DH. When JJ looked at the water bowl again I bent down and moved it over 2". Only then would he drink out of it.

 

City dog or country dog? We live in a small subdivision that use to be surrounded by farmland and ranches (horses, sheep, goats) but new houses are going up all around us now.

 

Would you ever get another breed? Not sure. I think if I did, it would be a mini aussie.

[Ceredwyn]

First dog as a child: A cocker spaniel. First beloved dog was a mutt, probably Brittany spaniel mix. Poky. My first wonderdog.

 

First dog as an adult: Terrier/poodle Benji type mutt.

 

Why a BC? Now, by choice. First time, the BC chose us.

 

Did you do research? After the fact, yes. We didn't acquire Girlfriend on purpose. But when we began to realize what we had, we did the research.

 

First BC: Girlfriend the Wonderdog.

 

What made you want to get another? When Girlfriend died in October, she left such a huge hole in our lives and our hearts that DH and I both knew there would eventually be another border collie, and most likely a female, but we didn't think it would be any time too soon. Then a heartbreaking rescue came up on this forum. That effort didn't work out, but we found out about Belle, our puppy mill girl here, too. It was another case of the right dog finding us. This time, we had some idea what we were getting into.

 

What have you done with your dogs? Lots of wild playing, wood walks, swimming. Girlfriend had an injury when she was 8 that slowed her down a lot physically, but after that she became a nursing home therapy dog and brightened the lives of many, many people. We're still learning about Belle. But she already loves the ball. And she will discover the woods after deer season. She's a nine-year-old puppy in many ways, just learning to be a dog in a friendly world.

 

How many BC's? Two.

 

How many do you have now? One.

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? Intensity, intensity, intensity. Wild glee. Cunning. Remarkable (and occasionally annoying) persistence.

 

City dog or country dog? Nope. Very small town with a cow pasture out back. Unfortunately, not our cows. In-laws have a small farm where we often play. And there's a lot of forested "government ground" in the area.

 

Would you ever get another breed? Have always had more than one dog of more than one breed. Currently, we have 3 treeing walker coonhounds, Little'un the shepherd/Rottweiller/something else mix, and Belle the border collie. That said, we'll probably always have a border collie, although we may not have another BC puppy until at least one of us doesn't have to go to work.

[sheepandakom]

First dog as a child:

My first dog was a Benji type dog named Sugar Britches. I grew up with sheep and goats, so we always had a LGD, too, but they all lived in the house. Buffy the Pyr was a rehome from her breeder. The family that bought her as a puppy was going to shoot her because she barked too much. Boy the Komondor was given to me because his owners were moving to Montana. He was HW(+) and 10 years old when we got him. We only had him for 2 years. Brandy, also a Komondor was my dog. She was a rehome from her breeder, too. I left her with my mom when I went to college, but missed her too much and went back and picked her up 2 weeks later. She died this May at 14 1/2 years old.

First dog as an adult: Barkley, a smooth coated Border Collie.

Why a BC?: My ex-boyfriend and I were looking to adopt a dog. We had narrowed it down to either an Aussie or a Border Collie. We went to the pound, but they were closed. He went back the next day and picked out Barkley. A military family bought him, had him for 2 weeks, found out they were moving and took him to the pound. He was only 3 months old when we got him.

Did you do research?: Not a whole lot. Growing up raising and showing sheep, I knew a lot of people with Border Collies. I didn't realize it at the time, but one of my high school friend's dad trials regularly and does quite well.

First BC: Barkley

What made you get another?: When Barkley was about a year old, I started to volunteer with Border Collie rescue. I've placed a lot of dogs, but there were two I just couldn't let go. Manse and Rebel.

What have you done with your dogs?: Barkley competes in agility and flyball. He also earned his CD but hates obedience. Barkley worked sheep for a while, but it seems so stress him, so he and I are going to stick to agility and flyball. Manse herds sheep, is learning flyball, and goes everywhere with me. Rebel has recently been started on sheep...time will tell. He's also training for flyball.

 

How many BC's?: I've had 3 of my own and a whole lot of foster dogs.

How many BC's do you have now? 8 and 1 Aussie. I have 3 Border Collies, 1 Australian Shepherd, and 5 foster Border Collies.

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs?: My own dogs aren't quirky, but I've had some pretty strange fosters. Dogs that were thunderphobic, afraid of men in hats, afraid of men, chased shadows, chased cars, barked at the other cars when we drove, barked in the crate, you name it, I've had a foster dog that's done it. I try to break them of their odd habits before I place them.

City dog or country dog?: Country

Would you ever get another breed?: Yes! I will get another Komondor in a year or two, but I'll always have Border Collies.

[Veracity]

First dog as a child: A Keeshond named Shadow

 

First dog as an adult: Scout a "lethal white" Border Collie (he was completely blind and mostly deaf)

 

Why a BC? I love their personalities, and their drive, always ready to go

 

Did you do research? Yes

 

First BC: Shasta was one of the family dogs when I was little

What made you want to get another? I absolutely love this breed

 

What have you done with your dogs? SAR, Agility, Schutzhund, Obedience, Rally, Herding, Therapy, and of course number one pets!

 

How many BC's? I've had three of my own so far but have trained and fostered many others.

 

How many do you have now? Just one BC

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? The ability to know what I'm going to say before I say it when practicing tricks...even when I mix up the "routine" on them

 

City dog or country dog? They have all been country until Shawna...She loves the country and the livestock but since we moved to a small city she's had to learn more about traffic and people.

Would you ever get another breed? Yes; German Shepherds, Ibizan Hounds, and Collie's all share that top spot. I've had or worked with other breeds outside of those that I really liked, but I don't think I would ever get one.

[aussiered]

First dog as a child: Boxer X Ridgeback named Allie

 

First dog as an adult: Bonnie, my BC who I have now.

 

Why a BC? I've loved them ever since I was a little girl and my pop always had BC's (and kelpies and crosses of the two) as working dogs on the farm

 

Did you do research? Alot of research. Even though I'd had alot of experience with the breed....I'm kind of a research nut.

 

First BC: Bonnie

 

What made you want to get another? I haven't got another yet, Bonnie's all I want for now (maybe).

 

What have you done with your dogs? Starting obedience and agility in the new year with Bonnie. Have done a little obedience with my kelpie and alot of cattle work with various dogs.

 

How many BC's? 1....so far....

 

How many do you have now? 1

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? I've noticed BC's just seem to be so in tune to people's emotions and read body language really well (too well, there's no hiding anything from a BC).

 

City dog or county dog? Well technically we live in suburbia but we're out in the country so much I like to think of them as country dogs.

 

Would you ever get another breed? Maybe....

 

 

Now it's your turn.

[allisonintx]

First dog as a child: White Shephard....Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog. Best brother a girl could have.

 

First dog as an adult: see that dog in the avatar? That's him

 

Why a BC? he's a rescue. it was right. it was a medium sized breed dh and I could agree on (he wanted a HUGE dog, and I just wanted a smart active one.)

 

Did you do research? oh yes. lots.

 

First BC: that one over there again.

 

What made you want to get another? we're currently a 1 dog house, and will be that way for the forseeable future. We have four children and homeschool. I don't have the energy for more than one BC!

 

What have you done with your dog? We're still working on manners, and trying to keep him from biting his tail right off.

 

How many BC's? just this one.

 

How many do you have now? Just one

 

What "quirks" have you noticed with all your dogs? obsessive tail chasing/biting, running running running running before toileting, WILL NOT toilet while leashed. likes to twirl his frisbee around his nose, but won't chase one....yet.

 

City dog or county dog? city dog

 

Would you ever get another breed? too soon into this adventure to say

 

 

Now it's your turn.