Second Dog?

[nes]

Well it's not specifically border related but I do have a dog question.

 

Our puppy madison is 6 months right now and in the spring when we move I would like to get a second dog . We're going to buy a farm or at least something with a BIG backyard for madi so we're looking for another really high-energy dog that can keep her entertained.

 

The big thing is i have cats & rabbits and will probaly have more farm animals in the furture (ducks, goats, horses, etc.) so they can't be a hunting dog.

 

Something smaller might be nice, we want a lap pup too but we might save that for a third dog (we both really like animals).

 

If anyone has some suggestions I'd like to start researching now, we'll be adopting from a rescue. We might even just adopt another border collie but I'd like to look at all our options

 

Thanks!

Vanessa

[Allie+Tess&Kipp]

I'll just jump in here and say that regardless of the kind of dog you have now or the kind you get for the second dog, you will need good fences and good training and good supervision for the health and safety of all.

 

Just because a dog is not a "hunting" dog does not mean it won't kill a chicken or whatever, I'm pretty sure. Further, hunting dogs, when trained properly, do not seek out and kill things as far as I know. A hunting dog is a dog who is trained to help the hunter by retrieving or whatever..

 

Allie + Tess & Kipp

http://weebordercollie.com

[nes]

Oh don't worry about that part - I would just prefer a dog that's not going to have the natural instinct to kill my rabbits. I want a dog that can lie in the living room and be ok with kits hopping around and I don't have to worry.

 

We had a problem with a roomate's beagleX and SO's family's huntingX both try and go after my rabbits. A beagle would never be ok with my rabbits, they are just too tasty looking. I just want to avoid that whole area so I don't want a hunting dog.

 

Nes.

[MaggieDog]

I highly doubt you can find a dog alive that can be trusted around baby bunnies. Even a small dog can have a prey drive strong enough to chase furry things. My Maggie is a BC/cattle dog cross - she's fast and agile enough to catch and kill wild rabbits and she's not beagle or hunting breed mixed even.

 

All that said, it's all about training. Maggie was good with my guinea pigs, tho I'd never have trusted her unsupervised with them, and she didn't meet them until she was about a year old (a month after her adoption).

[Beth G]

I do have to jump in here and say that believe it or not I did have a terrier/beable/cocker/lab mix that was excellent with baby bunnies and birds. It was mice she was not good with...lol.

[nes]

Guys I appreciate the concern about hunting dogs, but can we get back on topic? I don't perticularily want a hunting dog is all, I especially don't want beagles just because they are too nuts, same with jack russels etc.

 

If you have two dogs, one being a BC, what is your second dog?

 

Or what would you suggest we look into as a second dog for madison?

 

I like english cockers but they can tend to be nippy and that worries me as we may soon have a young family.

 

Nes.

[MaggieDog]

Well I personally only have one dog, but my parents' dog is Maggie's playbuddy on breaks from school and I fostered him before my parents adopted him; he's a Rottie mix. My current housemate's dog is an Akita/Boxer mix - a little bigger than what you were looking for lol.

 

Some of the fosters I've had, all of which were great dogs and did well w/ Maggie's herding dog play style and controlling nature, included a boston terrier/boxer cross (50lbs), a cattle dog/beagle (35lbs), a shepherd/beagle? (25lbs), a shepherd/mutt (baby, so 10lbs), a hound/boxer (40lbs), and my parents' rottie X.

 

I know a fair number of people on the board have small "auxilary" dogs like papillions and shihtzus, so hopefully they'll weigh in.

[RaisingRiver]

I have 2 dogs right now, my pup being a 10mo BC. I would highly recommend that a best senerio is to bring on a 2nd dog after your 1st dog is trained to your liking. My pup has learned a lot from my other dog and I often used my older trained dog to help my pup along (ie. calling them inside, I called my other dog's name, pup tagged along).

 

I think that is a good time to bring a second dog. How much you train your first dog and how solid/reliable your first dog is with training will show you WHEN is the good time.

 

Remember, new dogs (no matter what age) will pick up both good and bad habits of your current dog.

 

I don't think the breed of your second dog will matter... except that you'll want a good match for your current dog's play level, energy level, size of dog sometimes is important, etc. Pick a breed or mutt that works for you and your dog.

[nes]

That's what I'm looking for though, a dog that has a similar play level, energy level & size Madi is our first border collie.

 

I'd also like a breed that was known for being good with kids and small animals.

 

I've had golden retreivers all my life and would like to get another but I'm not sure he/she could keep up with Madison. They can be medium energy dogs but still I know even my guys at the peak of fitness wouldn't be able to keep up with Madi all day.

 

nes.

[Tammy525]

What about a mixed breed? I know I say this ALL the time, but what about looking at personalities of individual dogs to find a good match rather than excluding any one breed? Found our perfect dog on petfinder by looking at personality descriptions ONLY. We ignored size, breed, sex, age, etc. We came up with Scout who is a BC/lab mix and is absolutely the best dog I have ever had. His description on petfinder described him very well, mentioning "pleasant" twice. You might be looking for "likes other dogs, loves to play, agile", etc.

 

I had two goldens prior to this dog, they were night and day from each other, which supports my theory that every possible dog personality can be found in every size and breed of dog.

 

You would also definitely want to adopt from someone who would let you bring the dog back if things don't work out. Like they hate each other or something.

 

Best of luck.

[nes]

My only concern with getting a mutt is that it's hard to know if they are going to be able to keep up with Madison.

 

My SO's family has a german shepardX at 6 years old Madi bugs the heck out of her because she can't keep up. The poor thing can't get far enough away from Madi & we don't wan that happening to our poor second dog

 

Which is why I want to look into a rescued purebred, so we've got a good idea of their personality. Plus since we're planning kids I want to know the background, personality and prospective size of any more dogss we adopt.

 

Something really energetic, but not small and yippy We like big dogs, but medium sized would be ok.

 

SO's family's neighbours have a doberman that was great with madison! His long legs ment she could actually run with him - but I'm not sure I want a dog THAT big!

 

I've thought about a greyhound and they would probably make a great second dog

 

Nes.

[Tammy525]

We got Scout from a rescue, and the lady who was fostering him had cared for him since he was a pup. So she had a very good handle on his personality and interactions with other dogs. As well as his background, etc. I don't think choosing a certain breed is any guarantee of compatability between the dogs. I have no problem with purebreds, I would just be very careful about making any assuptions about a dog's personality just based on breed.

 

Best of luck, I know on agility trials, the most common dog besides BC's are shetland sheepdogs, at least in the little experience I have in that. They seem very energetic.

[MaggieDog]

Greyhounds are prob not the best play buddy choice from what I know of them - yea they're fast, but they are also known as "40 mph couch potatoes" and can be very laid back. The ones I know also had very thin skin and thus got injuries more frequently, even just from rough play.

 

If you want a dog that can keep up with your girl, herding breeds are prob the most likely candidates, but they are also going to be the most work to live with.

[Geoffrey]

well, they're not high energy, but....

 

the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is always noted for being trustworthy around animals. Of course, they're a bit small.

 

Another edit: Most high energy breeds are the ones least trustworthy around small animals.

 

A golden sounds like it might fit..they can bust out the high energy and playtime fun when needed, haha. There are energetic field line goldens that can keep up with any BC...I know of one named Cheetah. She lives up to her name!

 

Oh, and greyhounds tend to like killing small animals like rabbits.

 

Me thinks perhaps you should do more research...

[nes]

I know I want to do more research!! That's why I'm asking I don't want to go thru EVERY dog breed - it would take me FOREVER so I'm singling out what we don't want and what we do .

 

I would love a king charles! but yeah, too small.

 

I decided against greyhounds as apparently they also are known for running away : we plan to have a farm and we're not going be to able to keep the dogs and the horses fenced in all the time - I want a faithful companion to work with me, not one I have to do more work keeping an eye on!

 

I high energy golden might do the trick - my goldens have always been show strains not working so that might be part of whiy they are little lazy.

 

Madison is a pretty laid back dog at times. She's got bursts of energy but the rest of the time she's usually passed out somewhere because she's so tired She is just a pup though.

 

Discussing it with the SO a cocker spaniel might be a likley choice - he likes them too, but has anyone had a cocker and a BC could they play together and keep up?

 

I'm worried about nippyness but I've alwas trained my dogs not to bite at a young age & never had a problem

 

Any other dog ideas? The AKC (I think) used to have a table on their webpage you could pick out things like energy level and size and they would suggest dog breeds (?). Am I thinking of an other site or is it still there?

 

Nes.

[Jack & Co.]

I know more about children than I do dogs, so I'll put my two cents' worth in....

 

My husband and I had a Cocker Spaniel for 5 years before we had our first child. He was a good-natured dog, smart, and very active. Both of our boys were taught to respect him and he treated them gently.

 

However, let me point out that when the children were babies, they weren't capable of playing with the dog. By the time they could manage throwing a ball and stay focused on the task, the dog wasn't quite so active or interested anymore. He preferred long, leisurely walks on the leash. My boys still enjoyed him because he was calm and would sleep beside them while they played with their trains or cars. They were alarmed by big, "high-energy" dogs zooming around; someone would always get knocked down.

 

If you are planning to start a family soon, choose a dog that will be a good fit for your future family and be less concerned about whether the new dog can keep up with the current puppy. When you've been up all night with a crying baby, you won't feel like having to deal with a high-maintenance, high-energy dog anyway.

 

I liked Geoffrey's idea of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Spaniels are great family members.

 

Just my opinion..........

[MaggieDog]

On the size factor: Maggie has a friend that is a mini dachshund and they can play for a pretty long time, despite him having to run more to keep up. Little dogs might be more workable than you think.

[nes]

My concerns for a second dog are more for a second working dog that would keep Madison company. We're not going to have a problem having a third (or more) dogs eventually but I think you brought up some really good points (jack & co ) I hadn't really considered the dogs knocking down the future kids :

 

I do have some concerns about madison once we move though - we're going to be out on a farm where she won't have so much access to other dogs & she's a very active animal.

 

Perhaps getting a second working dog (another BC or something) and then a cocker or golden for the kids would be the best option for us... but I'm not sure.

 

Nes.

[MrSnappy]

Originally posted by nes:

I'd also like a breed that was known for being good with kids and small animals.

Then why would you consider a second border collie?

 

Don't get as second dog to entertain your border collie. That's YOUR job. If you can't entertain one, you do not need two.

 

I think you are looking for a way out of working with your dog - you've brought up her energy level multiple times in this thread - and are looking for a dog to be a substitute for you. It's not a good idea. They are just going to feed off one another.

 

And if you can't prepare your new living situation to safely contain dogs, the LAST thing you need is a small pack of them roaming your property. People are giving you solid advice. Consider listening to it.

 

RDM

[Beth G]

I myself have two border collie pups. Same age. Both 6 mos. And am quite happy with the arrangement.

 

I just figured why not get another border? They are so smart, trainable, and alot of fun to work with, and spend time with.

 

Plus I came to find out that they are are a breed which really can be quite snobby to other breeds anyhow. So the two of them are quite happy together(they don't care about other dogs)...lol.

 

Plus what I like is that the two will wear each other out and their play style and energy levels are usually closely matched.

 

(Of course you will have to separate them to work them separately though and they will want to spend time alone with you separately also).

 

Nothing like watching two borders herd the heck out of each other. I think it's just beautiful!

 

Besides not alot of other breeds can put up with the herding and snapping behavior....but that's just imo...lol.

 

Although two are definately not for everyone I agree...

[nes]

I have nothing against getting another border, acutally there is a super cute one that looks just like madi up for adoption right now, but we're not ready for a second dog. I'm just considering all my options. Maybe I want an Aussie instead of another border, or maybe a corgi would be better since they are good around horses .

 

I have no problem at all with her high-energy, I love it! I've got a dog that always wants to play, I can take for long hikes out in the andwon't get tired, and will still come and curl up with me at the end of the day! But i do plan to run a home business (horses) and Madison is CLINGY, I need a dog that will be her companion while I'm training young-stock so she's not chasing them around because she's gotten bored.

 

She's going to get alot of people time - in fact she gets to restle with the SO for at least an hour ever night (usually while I'm trying to sleep)... but there maybe times when she has to be on her own for 3-4 hours and we want another dog that will be good friend; and One that is just as interested in playing ball for hours on end.

 

Madison is even starting to wear out the beagleXjack russels of my so's roomate as she grows and we never thought that would happen! But today bella took half the play-time to relax in the shade while madi was still on BALL mode; and that is my main concern in a second dog. I want a breed that will be right beside her every time we throw the ball

 

GTG so I'll make this example quick: yesterday so is changing the oil in the car - madison is jumping on the side of the car because she wants to go for a ride! (she wants to go for a ride! she wants to go for a ride!) we'd been home all day with her and she'd had a run but she was still in play mode. So this is the kind of time we'd put bella out with her to play so they can amuse each other & stay out of our hair for a few minutes, but bella wasn't home... So I had the job of keeping her away from the chemicals when he could have kinda used my help

 

nes.

[bobh]

Nes .I have 4 dogs and i must say that none of my dogs are for the other dogs .

I do not understand why you want another dog for madison.Who is a dog Right ? i do not understand why you would want to have baby rabbits running around with your dog.

Hey go for it let your dogs and rabbits run free at your new farm .Enjoy

bobh

[MaggieDog]

Ok I'm just putting in my two cents again. Just trying to help as best I can.

 

If your next dog is for Madison, but you want it for yourself as well and such that's good, esp if you rescue, but don't think that they can always entertain themselves OR keep one another away from **horses** -- NO dog should EVER be in a situation where they can get into a pasture w/ equines!!! I cannot say that enough! Do you have ANY idea how badly a horse can hurt a herding dog that's chasing it?!

 

If you're raising horses around dogs, build dog proof fences or fence a yard for the dogs and work hard to get them reliable around horses, it's not an automatic behavior, esp for a BC, and another dog will not change that. A long line, leash, toys or treats combined with a well thought out training plan creates a dog safe around horses or any other animal, NOT the breed or mix.

 

Also, when it comes to behavior around you or others when you're busy, a nice longline is your best friend, along w/ a stuffed kong or chewie. Maggie now knows to curl up and sleep while I do stuff in the house or yard that doesn't involve her, but at first she was tied w/ a chewie when I wanted her out of the crate but not bugging me. It worked like a charm. Remember the best way to teach a dog what you want is to "reward what you like and ignore the rest". Have your dog work for privledges like dinner and car rides and you'll soon find yourself with a well trained pup that can go most anywhere with you. There is never a substitute for good training!