Calling all writers!

[Heather]

The All About Border Collies web site needs your help! Last year we completed a face lift of the old site, updating the code and improving its design and flow. Now we really want to beef up its content. But we need the help of our BC Boards community to do this well--we have a lot of talent here to harness! If you have a good idea for an article that can be added to any of our main categories (Basics, Health, Training, or Culture) and you can produce it or can get someone else do so, let me know, either by posting to this thread or by private message. Right now, this site is the number one place that people seeking information about border collies find when they do a web search. We want the information that they find when they get here to be the best and most current it can be.

 

Remember: we all love the border collie. If everyone does a little bit, a lot can get done in education and communication. Thanks very much!

[Alchemist]

Heather: I once (in a weak moment) promised to try to write something on the topic of "OK, so you now own a Border collie puppy, and I bet every other person you're running into is saying "OH, I bet you need to give it a LOT of exercise", and you're feeling guilty because you're not roller-blading with it for miles every day... there are many people (though you'll never get a unanimous opinion) who feel that you should be careful about the sorts of activities you allow a young dog to pursue before its growth plates have healed".

 

Is this the sort of thing you're looking for? Certainly I have no professional credentials to lend this sort of writeup any legitimacy, but I know when Duncan was a pup I kept running into other people with puppies who (in my opinion) were over-exercising them. It struck me that this sort of caveat might be useful for new dog owners. I know my own vet (whom I quizzed in detail before we acquired Duncan) had a rule of thumb "never let a puppy jump higher than its elbow", and I've heard other rules (like limit activities to those a puppy will initiate itself, as in running on its own is fine, but running after a frisbee in the course of "fetch" might be asking for trouble down the road).

 

If others think this sort of thing would be useful, are there any BC Board members with "street creds" who could write something up? I'm a good editor and would be happy to help.

 

ETA: this is, of course, something that's not unique to Border collies. It's just that they have such a rep for being high-energy dogs that leads people to make that sort of comment. (I'm guessing no one would think of making the "give it LOTS of exercise" suggestion if it were a Chinese Shar-Pei, for example, not that I know anything about the breed..).

[scullywags]

I am new here but this is my second BC had I any idea before I got my 1st one she would have had a much better life thankfully with my current BC I am prepared and more aware of what they need to have a happy life.

I do understand why so many get sent to rescues if you are not ready to commit to ownership

I really think thats important fact for anyone to consider when getting a dog but even more so with a BC

 

 

Subject matter on the best place to find the right match such as rescues

If there were a test or quiz to see if you are really ready for a herding breed

maybe some lists of genetic things to be aware of

options for life without sheep! there is so much to do like tricks agilty frisbee swimming lure coursing

and of course herding maybe some stuff on herding for city folks its out there you just have to look

 

just some random ideas

[Heather]

I think an article about the day-by-day living with a border collie would be a nice addition. If anyone wants to take that on, make sure to look at the material that we already have in the BC Basics section, so you won't duplicate efforts. Thanks for your thinking caps!

[Mdaniels]

I would love to see some articles on Border Collie Collapse, which I believe we are struggling with here, with our Ben.