Is a BC puppy for me?

[Casey12]

Hi everyone!

 

First I'd like to start off by saying that I have a very unique work/living situation, for the time being. I live in an apartment in a "city" of a pop. around 200,000 with plans to move to the country within the next year. I commute about 30-45 minutes to work on a farm 5-7 days a week where there is unlimited space for a dog to run.

 

I'm 31 years old and I've done quite a bit of research on Border Collies and their "horror stories". I'm quite aware of the responsibilities involved in owning such an active herding dog, but it seems like there is more caution than encouragement.

 

From what I gather, people get BC's and say that they need "MANY HOURS" a day of intense physical activity and that they tear up their homes, cars, and anything they can get their paws on. Most of these stories seem to come from the perspective of the person who leaves them alone for 8 or so hours a day to get into whatever they want in the house.

 

The reasons I'm looking into getting a Border Collie are:

 

1. I want a companion that I can spend literally almost all of my time with.

2. I work in a place that seems conducive to owning an active dog.

3. I'm an active person (Run, bike, swim) that lives sandwiched between a large park and an even larger playa lake/park.

4. I'm planning to move to the country within the next year.

5. I have friends who live in the country who have dogs, horses, etc. to help socialize my potential companion.

 

Questions I have for you:

 

If I am able to give my dog tons of companionship and love throughout the day, will that be enough to keep them content? Calm at night? (I'm thinking worst case scenario here, like bad weather days when I can't get out to run/bike/frisbee)

 

I'm worried about introducing my potential pup to tractors. If I take precautions to try to limit the dog's fear in the beginning, would a BC eventually like to ride in the tractor with me? If not, do you think they would like to run along behind or beside me in the field?

 

If given the proper attention will a BC still become neurotic and destructive by nature or am I on the right path to finding the complete life companion?

 

I live on the bottom floor of a quiet apartment and have ground access to the front and back of my place, but should I just wait until I make the move to get a dog?

 

Side note: I also have an 11 year old cat, so I'd prefer to get a puppy that will learn to respect her space.

[CptJack]

Okay, first of all don't expect that a puppy will learn to respect your cat's space quickly. Frankly, mine spent several months with the desperate desire to chase and harass the cats and it took constant management and months of consistency to get her to leave them alone - and by that I mean probably until she was 6-7 months old. And she was born in a barn with cats. And lived with my cats from the time she came home at 7 weeks old. And these were dog savvy cats who would smack her cross-eyed for being rude/rough/obsessive about them and weren't inclined to running away. Your BEST bet re: cats is to get an adult dog who is living with cats and has a grip on itself.

 

Also be aware that getting a puppy means you're going to need to wait until it's older to have a dog that's a companion for running and biking - probably 2 years old, definitely over a year for growth plate closure to prevent damage, but you know that.

 

Point two: Dog will do fine without a lot of physical space. The most important aspect here is:
A-) Good, solid breeding.

B-) Companionship/being close to you.

C-) TO BE TAUGHT/To learn.

 

The physical requirements are radically overstated. They do NOT need hours and hours of exercise. In fact, many well meaning people create monsters by trying to exercise them to 'tired and off' and think that if the dog can still go it needs to keep doing - that's baloney. BCs have huge amounts of stamina and determination and will go as long as you will and then some, no matter how fit you are. They have to be taught to relax and behave htrough means unrelated to level of physical tiredness, and fulfilled other ways. Not continually conditioned to need and expect 8 hours of exercise a day.

 

They need a human partner who will teach them things and let them be involved with life. If you want to do heavy exercise, that's fine and all but it doesn't prevent needing to do some training and working with the dog, but if you get a solidly stable dog they should be pretty good with basically no exercise some days.

 

The neurotic stuff? That's...either owner error in ways unrelated to exercise amount (like encouraging behavior that they think is 'cute' until the Border Collie takes it and runs with it), being fundamentally wired wrong, or frankly a border collie being a border collie and the person observing not understanding what they are seeing. It really just depends on what you mean by neurotic, here.

A lot of them are very sound/motion sensitive.

A lot of them will obsess if allowed to do so (most will if encouraged to, intentionally or not).

Most of them are soft, sensitive dogs in general.

 

If you mean any of those things then, well. That's just a BC.

 

If you just mean becomes destructive when under stimulated - well, that's any dog. Good news is, BC don't need a ton more than most any other breed.

 

I have no idea about the tractor.

**ETA:** And to follow up with mum24dog? My 8 month old is asleep on the couch. She's only been outside at all twice today and that was for a combined 10 minutes, to pee. I'll give her a half hour at some point to tear around, but that'll be it for today. Thursdays are busy days.

[mum24dog]

You'll be pleased to hear that most of what you have heard about BCs is total nonsense. The behaviour you describe can apply to any type of dog given the wrong circumstances. My 6 month old working bred dog is asleep on my lap. If I'm working on the computer he will lie by my feet. If something interesting seems about to happen he will be ready for action in a flash. And he's not a destructive chewer, neither was our older collie.

 

It sounds like you can offer a BC wonderful life but I would just warn about doing everything together all the time. The most valuable thing you can teach a dog is to switch off and be content with its own company. If you take a dog to work with you arrange for somewhere to leave it for some time without you. Left to its own devices a dog will doze most of the day and a dog that is on the go all the time will be wired in a way you won't like.

[kingfisher7151]

Hi Casey! Welcome to the forum!

 

I've found that most of the time the people who are able to ask "is this the dog for me?" end up being the best owners. Your situation sounds fine, ideal even, for a BC.

 

First thing you should know is that there are many myths regarding border collies. Many of them are based in a bit of truth, but there are tons of misconceptions. The number one myth (I think) is that border collies need hours on hours of exercise. In truth, like CptJack said, the people who allow their dogs to constantly be active are the ones who end up with a neurotic mess. These dogs are like toddlers. If you don't teach them how to put the toys down and go take a nap they'd play and play forever until they're cranky and don't know what to do with themselves. A well balanced BC is no more difficult than any other dog. If you've done your foundation you should have a dog that easily spends afternoons inside with bad weather and whatnot. And even then, it's exercise for the brain rather than the body that gets them tired. That has no space limitation! I live in a 700 sq. ft. apartment with a small yard and we get along just fine. Is it ideal? Maybe not. But even when I go to my parent's 5000 sq. ft. home my dog ends up being no more than 15 ft. away from me.

 

A BC should be fine with a tractor, as long as you do it carefully. Not all will be able to handle it. The last thing you'd want is to teach a BC to chase vehicles. They're prone to that already. But I know my dog's mom is the "tractor dog" who will spend hours up in the tractor napping during harvest.

 

Lots of people own border collies and cats. It's not always peaceful, but it can be done. My BC is 10 months old and he lives with my 2 cats, aged 12 and 14. These cats were NOT dog savvy. If you are very clear from the start that cats are OFF LIMITS you should be able to create at least a peaceful home. I can't quite get Keeper to stop staring at mine on occasion though, it's a work in progress.

 

It sounds like you've done your research. You should know that BC's ARE obsessive, high energy, quirky dogs. They have idiosyncrasies that are unlike any other breed. But that doesn't mean that they get to act on them. People get in trouble when they treat these dogs as "special needs" dogs. They should have the same expectations of being able to sit quietly and chill out. Some dogs are more difficult to develop than others, but it's completely reasonable to do so.

 

CptJack does have a good suggestion of adopting an older dog. I got my pup at 9 weeks so that I could introduce him to cats, but I think I would have had just as good of luck (if not better) finding an older dog (9-12 months) that already had an established temperament. And trust me, it's a loooong wait for a pup to grow up enough to do all of the activities you want.

 

But really, for the right home, these dogs are the best kept secret. Good luck in your decision! Keep us updated!

[CptJack]

People get in trouble when they treat these dogs as "special needs" dogs. They should have the same expectations of being able to sit quietly and chill out. Some dogs are more difficult to develop than others, but it's completely reasonable to do so.

 

This is something else I meant to mention, so I'm just piggy backing off you, here.

 

Border Collies and herding instinct are not special magical snowflakes of the dog work. A border collie should have no more free pass because they want to 'herd' than a terrier who wants to eat the family cat or a GSD wants to bite the mail man or whatever.

 

Herding instinct is just modified prey-drive. A lot of people don't like hearing it, but at the end of the day if it's not directed at stock and managed, they're not herding crap. They're chasing things because it's fun. It's not only okay to put a lid on it and demand good behavior, it's a good idea and pretty necessary.

 

Letting the dog chase and bite the kids because 'it's herding, what can you do?!' is just as sensible as saying 'my Jack Russell keeps killing cats around the neighborhood, but it's a terrier so what can you do?!" which is to say it isn't sensible at all.

 

I have NO IDEA why people get so dumb about this, but they really do.

[Cass C]

The good news is border collies learn fast... The bad news is that border collies learns fast!

 

The point I'm trying to make is from day 1 you let the dog know what is expected of it. If there is no chasing cats make that clear and consistent from the first time your pup sees a cat. If you want a dog to ride in a tractor with you teach them that. However, a word of caution do not teach them that they will be exercised all the time or they will expect it and can turn into monsters. You will never wear them out, because they were breed to always be ready to go. I reccomend training an off switch to any dog, but especially a high energy breed like the border collie.

 

My dogs are crated for 8 hours a day 5 days a week while I'm at work. We then play/exercise for a half hour or so then they are off to entertain themselves for a while. My older one usually naps most of the day, because I've taught them to have an off switch. They do agility on the weekends, but I don't have the time to run my dogs for hours and hours during the work week. They don't seem to mind and are very healthy dogs.

[Casey12]

Thank you Jack for your in depth response! In regards to the cat situation, I don't plan on leaving the dog unsupervised with the cat until I am confident with their relationship...but I understand what you mean and will definitely take that into account.

 

"A lot of them are very sound/motion sensitive." - this concerns me with my commute to work and the potential to ride in a tractor and be at ease, but maybe I can let her out to romp and explore until she becomes comfortable with the sounds of the farm from a distance. It isn't a must that she be able to ride the tractor all day and maybe as mum suggests I should give her some time alone as well.

 

I plan on paying special attention to the socializing factor, so as to limit the 1 owner obsession that I can see developing. My girlfriend has 4 happy, well-behaved dogs to show her how to relax and have fun with other animals.

 

Oh....breeders.....I'm very skeptical! Everyone's sire and dam are frisbee/flyball/herding champions, akc or abca registered with "import" blood lines. That's all fantastic, but all I really want is a full blood, non-inbred, healthy BC from a breeder who loves animals more than money...if that exists?

 

I live in west Texas if it matters, and I'm open to suggestions of breeders that anyone knows to be respectable.

 

(I'm calling the dog a she for ease of writing, not that I already have the dog)

[Donald McCaig]

Dear Ms. Casey,

 

I've seen Border Collies riding everything from big John Deere tractors to dirt bikes. I will not allow my dogs to run behind or alongside farm equipment. One mistake might be fatal.

 

Donald McCaig

[gcv-border]

Kudos to you for putting a lot of thought into your decision to get a BC.

 

I echo what others have said above:

Teach your dog an Off Switch. They should learn that life is not all about them. They must learn to be patient. [That is assuming that some minimal exercise, etc. is done daily.] An adult BC should know that sometimes I am quiet, and other times I get a lot of attention and exercise. You start training this as a puppy - and a crate can be invaluable here.

 

Intellectual exercise (mind games, trick training, obedience) can tire out a dog equally, and sometimes more, than mindlessly running around or playing fetch/frisbee. Train their mind on the bad weather days when you don't want to be outside for long periods of time

 

Be very cautious of any hard, repetitive exercise (sustained jogging for example) until the growth plates have closed - approx. 14-18 months. BCs are very agile and that 6 month old pup can jump high for a frisbee, but there are consequences to such activities (joint damage).

 

BCs are happiest when you involved them in many aspects of your life. It sounds like you will be able to do that.

 

Tractors: My older dog (7 years) was introduced to a tractor at around 6 months. I let him run along. He thought it was a fun game. I was VERY careful to make sure he stayed well clear (at least 20-30 feet) of the tractor while it was moving. I have heard too many stories of dogs being run over by tractors/ATVs/trucks on a farm. They are dogs after all and can make stupid decisions. I take the responsibility to make sure he is safe.

 

Cat: my young pup (11 months) out of working parents was very interested in my cats when I brought him home at 9 weeks. One cat will run, but the other cat seems slightly slow in the self-preservation department. My tactic was to monitor his behavior with the cats closely, and if he ran at them, smelled them too aggressively or stared at them, I would say "No cat" (not harshly, just matter-of-fact) and pick him up and put him into a half-bath for a time-out. After about a minute or two, I would let him out and see what he wanted to do. If he showed interest in me, it was "Good boy" and a treat or two, if he bothered the cat again, it was "No cat", pick up and into the bathroom for a short time-out. He is a smart boy and after 7-10 days, he was pretty much ignoring the cats. If he does bother them, a soft "No cat" will remind him.

 

For the general public, I do not dispel the myths about BCs being hard to handle, having high exercise needs, being destructive, etc. because I find that many people who want a smart, cute dog like a BC are not appropriate BC owners. I prefer to explain the realities to someone who has done their homework and seems like they will listen.

 

Welcome to the Boards, and I encourage you to spend hours/days reading through past posts to gain extensive knowledge from the members here, many of whom have owned BCs for many years.

[Casey12]

Thanks kingfisher, Cass!

 

Kingfisher, I'm open to adopting an older pup as you suggested, but it would have to be an exceptional situation. I would actually rather not have to go through the "puppy blues", but I'm fairly intent upon raising a pup myself to ensure its long term mental stability.

[CptJack]

I'm hopping back in here to say that please, please, don't get caught up in the idea if you raise the puppy it will be mentally stable. For YOUR mental health, don't do that. Please, just don't set yourself up for that. If you want a puppy get one, but do so with the awareness that you can do everything right and still end up with issues. Believing they're blank slates and if there are issues it's because you did something radically wrong is a great way to set yourself up for massive guilt and a deep sense of failure. I mean you'll feel that no matter what, but it's so much worse when you start believing that if you do everything right things will be perfect.

 

A-) There are things that will happen beyond your control - your dog will meet a dog that will play too rough or behave aggressively and all that careful socializing will go out the window because now it's afraid of dogs (or cars, or men in black hats, or...) And similar type situations. Not might - WILL happen.

 

B-) Your puppy is not a blank slate. It comes pre-wired with personality and that personality impacts things enormously. Even if the parents are fine, even if the grandparents and siblings are, your puppy is living a different life and has a different combination of genetics than those other dogs and you may get a pup who has some issue or another.

 

C-) A dog who is great in one environment may not be great in another and you'll never know if that pup is having issues because it's not living on a farm and mom and dad never saw lots of cars and neighbors and your puppy does (or vice versa) or if it's something else. But you can't get a perfectly clear picture based on relatives/parents.

 

And also?

It leaves others with the impression that the puppy they raised that has issues somehow failed - and it leaves you approaching and seeing them with that mindset and frankly it's just not true. Go read the thread 'How do you get through the low spots' (http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/index.php?showtopic=37711). I think you'll find it enlightening. I can assure you we aren't all dog newbies who screwed up royally. The situation is that, in reality, even when you bring that pup home at 8 weeks old, it's wired to be what it will be, and all the training and socializing and work in the world won't change that. It will only allow you to make sure that puppy becomes the best version of itself it is capable of being.

 

(I have 5 dogs. I've raised 3 of my 5 from puppies. One is perfect - seriously, she's perfect. The other has a few quirks, but is basically bomb proof especially when you realize he's a livestock guardian X german shepherd. The other? She's reactive as HECK when she's on leash and looks and sounds like freaking cujo when another dog looks at her on leash. Why? When I've raised ALL THREE in the same house, with the same people, and the same level of (good, appropriate) socialization? Because she's her, not them.)

[Casey12]

Thanks again Jack, I understand what you mean and thanks for putting it in perspective for me. Every animal I've ever had or been around has its own quirks and opinions, I just want to try and mitigate as many problems as I can. Like you say, give the puppy the best opportunity to be who it is.

 

Mr. McCaig, there is definitely a certain aspect of danger when working on the farm, for humans and animals alike. I guess I will have to observe how the dog reacts to things in general and adjust accordingly. Hopefully the dog will like riding in the tractor...it's the safest and most comfortable place to be.

[Tess's Girl]

You've been given some great advice, and there's not much more I can add.

 

Three things I wanted to mention:

 

1) I live in an 800 sq.ft. apartment with 2 working bred BCs. So, it's not about where you live you how big of a backyard you have, but the quality of interaction you put into your dogs. When I go take a shower and come out, where do I find my two? Not gallivanting around and destroying my apartment, but lying outside the door, waiting on me. Border Collies are definitely people dogs, my pup follows me around all day "helping" clean and "helping" me cook, etc. They want to partner with you.

 

2) My two year old comes from great breeding, great socialization, I got her at 10 months old. Her breeder did "everything right" in terms of socialization, etc. I also did "everything right" after I got her in terms of getting her adjusted to a new home and new lifestyle. After she turned 1 she gradually developed generalized anxiety. At first it was small things but it progressed to the point that almost daily she didn't want to eat or come out from under the bed. She's now on daily anxiety medication, and is doing much better. None of her siblings had the same problem. My pup is from the same breeder and though from different lines he was raised in an almost identical fashion. He's pretty much bombproof (though he is still young). So, sometimes no matter what you do, things still happen.

 

3) Go back in the archive. Read all the threads that you can, because all of them have valuable information. But I would suggest at first read the threads about things going wrong. Typically they have a title of "help, seeking advice, my BC just bit someone!' etc. These can give you a perspective of what can go wrong, why, and how to avoid it.

[dmadrid]

 

Oh....breeders.....I'm very skeptical! Everyone's sire and dam are frisbee/flyball/herding champions, akc or abca registered with "import" blood lines. That's all fantastic, but all I really want is a full blood, non-inbred, healthy BC from a breeder who loves animals more than money...if that exists?

 

I live in west Texas if it matters, and I'm open to suggestions of breeders that anyone knows to be respectable.

 

(I'm calling the dog a she for ease of writing, not that I already have the dog)

Hi! First off, I think you are asking a lot of great questions, and good for you for thinking this through so carefully! Border collies are fun dogs... Smarter than your average dog, and quirkier for sure....but at the end od the day, they are still dogs, so don't be too worried about all the horror stories.

 

Re: breeders.... There are plenty of good ones in Texas! Good place to start is here: http://www.texassheepdogassoc.org.

[B Point]

Nothing much to add except a pic.

 

Tio the BC is 20 months old and the cat is 4 yrs. For the first year or so Tio was always in the cat's face but the cat would give him a swat telling him to back off. I was wary of the cat getting Tio eyes but he soon learned how to dodge the cats claws. The cat didn't really seem to mind so I figured I'd let them work out their issues. Now they are good buddies and hang out together but as cats will be cats...this one will weave through Tio's legs purring and then out of nowhere give Tio a swat just for the fun of it. ...Cats.....haha.

 

[sjones]

I would use caution with tractors and other equipment, one wrong move and might end up with a squished dog. Some things I have taught my dogs is that when I'm using the tractor they go lay down in the garage, or the shed while its being used. They learn from little on that when they see me get on the tractor and start it up they are expected to stay away from it not run after it, bite tires, etc. I don't have the luxury of a cab on the tractor, so its something they would never ride in. The same goes for the skidsteer. I do let them run with the 4 wheeler and the mule, but they learn right away that they can follow along, but no nipping at tires( I hate that). My newest dog Quinn enjoys rides on the mule, even though its diesel engine is quite noisy. I started with him as a young pup sitting next to me as he was way too small to run along side with the other two. My dad knew and elderly farmer who still used an old sickle mower to cut hay. His dog always would run around in the field hunting mice while he was cutting hay. It only took one time for things to go wrong and his dog got both back legs cut off in the sickle.

[dsmbc]

Lots of good advice. my first 3 BCs all did great with cats. No problems at all. All 3 of my current dogs will ride in a bicycle trailer, or in a canoe. I have never tried on our tractor, but they seem to be find riding on a moving object. to avoid a crazy dog, 1. Mentally engage your dog. BCs need mental stimulation more than anything. If completely ignored and left to their own devices, you may have problems. 2. Teach an off switch -- here a crate can be your best friend and your dog will thank you. 3. Spend time with your dog - as folks have said, BCs are bred to be a partner with a person. 4. Chose a breeder that is breeding for working ability -- check out the parents and their temperament. I have met a few flyball bred dogs that fit the description of being over the top crazy and uncontrollable. Most of the working bred dogs I have met have an off switch. ave fun! Once you get a border collie, no other dog will do!

[Gloria Atwater]

Hi there!

You sound like you're already head and shoulders above a lot of the pet border collie owners out there, so I think you're already on the right road. AND you've already gotten a lot of fabulous advice here - the best.

So, I'm just echoing the choir when I add my two cents, but here goes.

 

......

Questions I have for you:

 

If I am able to give my dog tons of companionship and love throughout the day, will that be enough to keep them content? Calm at night? (I'm thinking worst case scenario here, like bad weather days when I can't get out to run/bike/frisbee)

A. Absolutely! As others have already said, it's not that these dogs need hours of constant, frantic motion. They don't. What they do need is to be engaged and involved in your life and to have plenty to keep their minds occupied. A bored border collie is a problem dog - but that also goes for any number of other, high-energy dogs.

Plus, as has been said, make sure you teach an "off" switch and also how to hang out in a crate, if need be. Down time is good time.

I'm worried about introducing my potential pup to tractors. If I take precautions to try to limit the dog's fear in the beginning, would a BC eventually like to ride in the tractor with me? If not, do you think they would like to run along behind or beside me in the field?

A. This is just me, but I'm extremely wary of dogs loose around moving equipment. Yes, I have driven a tractor with my dogs running along side, but it was at about 5 mph for maybe 300 yards to dump some manure, and I never took my eyes of the dogs at any point. Sure, plenty of dogs run around with tractors all the time and are fine, but I just don't like the risk. Years ago, my husband accidentally ran over our corgi mix years when he decided to move the truck maybe 30 feet. He saw the dogs all over off to one side and the truck was moving at barely walking speed, but all at once the corgi caught a sudden scent and ducked right in front of the wheel. Fortunately, the dog "only" suffered a broken pelvis and survived to a ripe and healthy old age, but it was a gawdawful experience for both hubby and dog.

The point here is, no matter how lucky or clever other dogs may be, I would live in fear of that instant of "ooh, a smell!" or whatever other impulse, that turns your dog that quick in front of your wheels.

As for riding on the tractor with you, if you work with any fear periods and teach him its just a funky car, he should be fine with it. My dogs ride on tractors, four wheelers, wagons or whatever.

 

If given the proper attention will a BC still become neurotic and destructive by nature or am I on the right path to finding the complete life companion?

A. No. Not unless the dog has something seriously wrong with it. As I said above, most of the horror stories exist about border collies because the dogs are bored, untrained or inconsistently trained, and their lives lack structure or interest.

 

.....

 

Side note: I also have an 11 year old cat, so I'd prefer to get a puppy that will learn to respect her space.

A. Don't count on that. One of my border collies ignores the cats, the other stares at them every time they move, and the new puppy hasn't decided which page she's on.

Border collies key on movement and cats can move and do things in funny ways. They go from dead still to hop on the furniture and they purrr and hiss and are just ... not dog-like, which a BC finds fascinating. Maybe your BC will settle right in with a cat, but a puppy is apt to be reeeally curious about this odd other animal and may not be willing to let it alone. So, be prepared to do a lot of monitoring and don't make kitty do the correcting for you, or it could get puppy hurt.

(We have 4 cats and now 4 dogs, so I know of which I speak!)

And that's about all I have for now. You're asking good questions and your active lifestyle sounds great, so why not? But also remember a pup won't be able to do jogging or bike rides until over a year old, so that their joints and growth plates are fully developed. Too much prolonged exercise at too young an age can do permanent damage.

If you don't require an 8 week old puppy, you can also look into rescuing a somewhat older dog, which means he'll be able to do more with you sooner, and his personality will already be evaluated. But whatever you choose, good luck and have fun.

~ Gloria

 

 

[alligande]

I will throw in another plug for a slightly older rescue for your first border collie, my first 2 I got as adults and you really get a sense for who they are, my current one I got as a 4 month old pup. We have fostered a number of border collies now, a few we have felt were dogs we would have wanted to keep, there was just something about them that clicked, others we could not wait for them to find a home. Most of my foster dogs have been reasonably sane, just occasionally we have had one who's is nuts, and you will usually find rescues are very upfront about personality quirks.

 

I don't have any other advice to add, that the others have not already stated well.

[Casey12]

Wow! I'm really thankful for all of the advice! I feel like it says something for the breed when there is a forum such as this where people will take time out of their day just to give some advice about their experiences.

 

I will take all of to heart and keep reading on the forum here. I'm sure I will have lots of questions as I move forward...and now I know exactly where to turn! I will keep you updated.

[SkunkOnTheFly]

my BC tortures my cats. one hates him (but hates my other dogs as well) and the other always comes back for more torture lol. my pup is only going to be 6 months and he has tons of energy but nothing that can't be maintained. i think there is a bit exaggeration from people about their energy levels. of course they need tons of exercise (most dogs do) but the thing is even on farms they dont herd ALL day everyday they need to learn to be calm at times. i have THREE dogs. a pit bull, a black lab/shar pei and now our BC. honestly..i love playing with them all but i dont have to. they keep themselves occupied all day and they wear each other down. we still do ball and training but most of the play comes between the three of them...and honestly they would rather rough and tumble with each other over me anyways. which is GREAT because we have a 4 year old and a baby on the way lol. my border collie is also pretty laid back (at least i believe so). he loves snuggling and will sit calmly forever if youre petting him or rubbing his belly. he puts himself in time out when he gets tired. he is also not as outgoing as some have made BCs to seem. he loves people and his own little pack but it takes a while to warm up to new dogs. with people he is less of a jumper than my other two dogs and a lot less hyper. my gram doesnt mind me brining him to her house when i visit but she hates my other 2 dogs because they are insane when they get around other people and animals.

 

we went with a puppy....mostly because my female pit CAN be weird around new adult dogs. shes been attacked a few times by other dogs so now she is a bit more cautious but she is very mothering. so kittens and puppies are her love interest.

 

we live in a 3 bedroom house that is actually fairly small and have 2 acres of land. my dogs wont venture out of the little piece of front yard we have. its kind of annoying to have land and they wont run lol.

 

my puppy likes the normal stuff. my daughters barbies, blocks, wood...but his OBSESSION is toilet paper, paper towels and...just any paper (magazines, news paper, etc). we dont crate our dogs but put them in our bathroom when we leave and if my husband forgets to remove the toilet paper...we come back to a lovely shredded mess. he also likes cushion stuffing (my hubby washed the cushion covers and the one zipper broke). hes a baby but my 2 yr old black lab still loves destroying stuff when we arent home. my pit got over that stage and we leave her out by herself now to watch the house. but she didnt get out of that stage until around 3yrs old. lol

[D'Elle]

Hi Casey12, You have gotten great advice, and you sound like someone who will make a fine home for a border collie.

 

I will second two things that others have said: You can make a good home for a border collie even if you live in a small space. I know, I have done it, as have many others. And border collies can do great with cats - mine do. You just have to set limits and do some training, especially with a puppy. Occasionally even that is not necessary. I had a foster dog -- an adult -- who became my cat's best friend. It was sad to separate them.

 

One of the best things you have already done is come to this forum. It is an amazing wealth of information, advice, and support. Keep reading and posting here - these folks love to help and know what they are talking about. Welcome to the BC Boards, and best of luck to you!

[Ttiffany20191]

I live in an apartment and it works as long as...(and this is so important) I get her out for two hours of exercise a day. I'm telling you..you may not get it yet but on rainy days or days that you can't get them out they will literally drive you up the wall until you take them out. They are focused and won't give up

 

If you work a normal work day out of the house and are in an apartment I don't think it is a good idea..I'm home 24/7. They don't like to be alone very much. They will become your shadow..which I love!

 

If you give proper exercise then they shouldn't be destructive. A lot of them tend to be scared of loud noises..stimulating their brain is important too. They don't like to just lay around and not do anything and that is when they become destructive.

 

They are a great breed but definitely a lot of work...but worth every bit of it.

[CptJack]

Two hours a day, or be prepared for awfulness?

God, don't talk to my working bred bc teenager. There are days when it's cold, nasty, I don't feel well, that she gets like... 10 minutes total for potty breaks and that's it. Weekdays she USUALLY gets like... 60 minutes split up into 20-30 minute intervals of running/playing/ball/training and excluding free play with other dogs in the evenings (but mostly that's low key and indoors and often is more 'cuddling' than 'hard exercise'). Weekends is more.

Strangely, she has never been a pest or driven me up the wall about it, or become destructive. She sleeps. Or chews something legal. I'm sure if it was a week or two she'd start to come unglued, but a day or three? Nah.

 

She CAN get a bit annoying if I don't spend enough time with her, but sleeping on the couch with me while I watch TV counts. She can also get a bit weird if she doesn't get enough brain work for a few days in a row, but that doesn't have to be high impact or high energy, just teaching a new command or a puzzle toy.

 

 

So, seriously: Don't tell her that. I like her the way she is and two hours of exercise a day is a bit much for me to get every day.

[urge to herd]

Echoing what Cpt.Jack says - no, indeedy. No 2 hours a day here. SuperGibbs gets a morning stint at the dog park - half hour tops. Quick ball games that last maybe 5 minutes in the back yard, 2 or 3 times a day. An off-leash walk in the afternoon, another half hour. Mid-day, a 15 minute on-leash walk, some indoor Frisbee combined with trick training for 10 minutes or less about 4 evenings a week.

 

I went through a rough time a couple weeks ago, mostly sat and watched tv for about 10 days. SuperGibbs slept in the corner, didn't bug me once.

 

Set your reasonable expectations, give your bc regular mental stimulation and reasonable physical exercise, and you should be fine. There will likely be a learning curve, but that's to be expected any time you add a new life form to the household.

 

Ruth and SuperGibbs