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Border Collies on television


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I cant believe how many Border Collies I saw on commercials today! Was probally like 6 different ads out there that had a Border Collie in it. Then on top of that you have that movie Hotel For Dogs that has alot of Border Collies.Makes people think oh what a ideal house pet and so smart.

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Not only that, but they are sometimes ridiculous! I saw one yesterday for an osteoporosis drug that first showed a woman of mature years (like me) walking her dog. Then, unlike me, it showed her happily bathing her lovely split faced Border Collie in a metal tub in what looked like her living room! RIGHT!

 

Kathy Robbins

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Not only that, but they are sometimes ridiculous! I saw one yesterday for an osteoporosis drug that first showed a woman of mature years (like me) walking her dog. Then, unlike me, it showed her happily bathing her lovely split faced Border Collie in a metal tub in what looked like her living room! RIGHT!

 

Kathy Robbins

The thing that struck me about that ad was all the suds in the tub! No way she was ever going to rinse that dog off! :rolleyes:

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Not only that, but they are sometimes ridiculous! I saw one yesterday for an osteoporosis drug that first showed a woman of mature years (like me) walking her dog. Then, unlike me, it showed her happily bathing her lovely split faced Border Collie in a metal tub in what looked like her living room! RIGHT!

Kathy Robbins

The saddest thing about that is that there are so many side effects to the drug that the woman will be in the hospital or dead and the BC will have to go to rescue.

Barb S

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The saddest thing about that is that there are so many side effects to the drug that the woman will be in the hospital or dead and the BC will have to go to rescue.

Barb S

AMEN TO THAT!

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Yes, I will agree - great housepets in the "appropriate" home and family. My two will nestle down by my legs when I'm on the computer and who doesn't love that? However, the other 90% of the time, lol... I'm now thinking of my life as a can of Planter's Mixed Nuts, lol, two bc's, a staffy bull and of course top it all off w/the crazy dog lady who loves them...

 

It is very sad what these advertisements do to the general dog population, not to mention specific breeds. Since the economy is getting getting tougher, the advertisers are using the dog as a marketing ploy...tug at the consumer's emotions in stressful times...what better spokesperson, a creature who loves you unconditionally, woman's best friend, the DOG!

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Yes, I will agree - great housepets in the "appropriate" home and family.

 

Lately, I've been glancing through Patricia McConnell's The Other End of the Leash which I read when it first came out -- before I got Quinn. A few times, she goes on about how Border Collies make absolutely terrible pets unless you buy them a sheep farm or at the very least exercise them for hours each day and are willing to go for long walks even in a blizzard. Makes me wonder if she really believes that, which undermines her status as an "expert" for me or if she is trying to protect the breed by using what I think of as the Border Collie Hype. Don't get me wrong. I do a modified hype myself whenever people I don't know admire Quinn in one of his kick back moods. The Hype does work though. Kept me from even thinking about a Border Collie for years. I guess that is the general idea.

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Well, I think the point is that if you are really into your dogs, those are all things that you might not consider to be crazy things to do. Even if you don't exercise your dogs for hours a day, there are probably days that your dogs exercise for hours. Even if you don't buy your dogs a sheep farm, you've probably thought about it at least once, and have probably taken your dogs to work sheep at least a couple of times. In other words, your dogs get more mental and physical stimulation than probably 90% of pet dogs do.

 

You have to remember that the average pet owner is unlikely to exercise his or her dog for even ten minutes a day, and literally never going to take that dog for a walk in a drizzle, much less a blizzard. Most family dogs, and I think these are the luckier ones, go out to potty in the backyard a few times a day and that's it, pretty much for their entire lives. Most of the people I meet on the street are impressed that my dogs know how to sit on command. The average pet owner just wants a dog that lives there, not a dog to do things with. And yeah, for owners like this, Border Collies are pretty terrible pets.

 

Look at the market. The socially approved ways to "pamper" pets are to treat them like children -- to buy them clothes, toys, cushy beds, fancy leashes and collars, expensive food, treats that are made to look exactly like cookies and cakes for humans. These are all things that are passive and only require a monetary outlay, not physical or mental effort on the part of the owner.

 

Yeah, there's a "Border Collie hype" but I think it is generally true. The dogs that actually thrive on the sort of benign neglect that is the life of the average American pet dog are probably few and far between, but the difference with Border Collies is that a lot of the time, such a life is really a recipe for disaster. It's easy to forget, when you hang mostly with other Border Collie owners, or with dog sport people, that most pet dogs live miserable, boring lives.

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Hype, I'm all for hype...look at the pitbull? Had there been enough hype from the beginning this breed would not be as far down the toilet as it is...wrong people getting the wrong dog breed, not enough education. Every breed is different and there are breeds that will definitely make a better family dog than some. BCs are busy dogs and they enjoy being w/their people. If you don't have time to train, excercise, work (it doesn't have to be sheep) and love them they can become destructive to their environment in many ways. Look at how many BCs are in shelters right now? And why? Mostly behavior issues due to lack of excercise and attention. People really don't think when they see those cute lil puffy balls of fur and well look at that commercial and how good that dog is...

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Yeah, there's a "Border Collie hype" but I think it is generally true. The dogs that actually thrive on the sort of benign neglect that is the life of the average American pet dog are probably few and far between, but the difference with Border Collies is that a lot of the time, such a life is really a recipe for disaster. It's easy to forget, when you hang mostly with other Border Collie owners, or with dog sport people, that most pet dogs live miserable, boring lives.

 

I never forget that fact, actually. Hence the reason I use a modified hype. :rolleyes: I do think Border Collies require more than the average dog and the average dog deserves much more than he gets from the average owner. I just don't think the Border Collies I've met have lived anywhere near up to the Hype that others used with me when I was very active in agility and obedience with my dogs. I might be a loon for my dogs but I didn't want to live with one that was non-stop. Ironically, I'm out of all sports right now and working sheep is something we can reasonably get to only every other month or so. Fortunately, Quinn does quite well in his role as an outstanding companion. Currently, he is dozing comfortably on the loveseat at my office.

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Hype, I'm all for hype...look at the pitbull? Had there been enough hype from the beginning this breed would not be as far down the toilet as it is...wrong people getting the wrong dog breed, not enough education.

 

Sadly, I don't think the gang members, criminals and dog fighters would have cared about hype or education. But maybe some of the clueless could have been headed off.

 

...

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Border Collie - an ideal housepet? :D:rolleyes:

Well my 4 are (plus 4 other dogs for 8 total) for me. Can I see them all living at somebody's else's house, hmmm...not likely. I mean, aside from the fact that you'd have to pry them out of my cold dead hands before they'd leave here. :D

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Great post, Melanie!

 

I agree about seeing a lot of border collies on TV lately. There's also that one in the commericals for uh, I don't know. Appliances? With that lady, uh, I don't know. The one on the show with Regis? She calls the dog Chuck. I really hope that's his real name. :rolleyes: He's cute.

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