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Is a BC right for me?


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I have given a lot of thought to what breed of dog would be right for me and my lifestyle and I really love border collies. They seem to be good dogs... I dont need a working dog however I spend a lot of time camping/fishing etc and I need a well behaved dog that likes to be outdoors but can handle the time alone when I'm at school/work. I have heard that they can become neurotic if left alone much or dont work etc. I have a normal yard for a suburban area and would give them free roam of the house as well. I know most of this has to do with the specific personality of the dog as with any breed. Also I'm not totally against having two so there is some compainion when I'm not around. I will deffinatly be adopting/rescue and not getting a bred pup, I'll leave that to the people that want them for workers. However if it is strongly discuraged to get one as a camping/fishing buddy and to play around in the yard with then I will wait till I get some land to have one.

 

Also any information on where I could find one in the Alabama area, or if someone knows someone that is trying to get rid of one etc...

 

-Thanks

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Well I think they can be good dogs even if you don't plan on working them, or can't devote your entire day to them while your at work/school. I don't work stock with my Black Jack and he's pretty happy, but I'm planing on it later. (You'll want to, trust me) Fair warning :rolleyes: Here's a few things to think about. Can you devote the time before and after school/work, and are you willing to do so. They need a lot of work (playing, obedience training, etc.) to be great dogs. If you give them enough working time during the day and keep they're minds working they should be ok. But if you just don't feel like working with them at night after a long days work and just turn them out into the back yard, then they can turn pretty quickly. But with a lot of work/training, love, and devotion they can be great compainions. I'm glad your going to rescue if you decide to get one. Some of them need more work than others but it's well worth it with the love they give back to you.

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I think its fabulous you're getting one at a rescue!!! I got my BC mix from the Humane Society and she's great! Most BC's need a lot of exercise, but Rivendell, my BC is content laying around doing nothing, or going going going :rolleyes: Riven is a camping/fishing fool!

 

A rescue could probably help you decide which BC is right for you as well. But I also agree with WyoBC that you should be able to devote time before and after work/school. IMO most BC's thrive on human interaction, so even if there was a 2nd dog, the interaction with you is MOST important. Thats why I feel BC's should be inside with their "pack", so its great you're already accepting of letting the new dog be inside. :D

 

Once you do get a BC, if thats your ultimate decision, these boards are GREAT for helping with training, food, just about anything you can imagine.

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I have to take my girls on a minimum half hour vigorous <not meandering> walk before work and when I get home at night (in addition to having a big backyard with lots of sticks and interesting things to explore during the day) during the week. We also do about 10-15 minutes of 'work' after our evening walks (sit, stay, heel, speak etc). On the weekends we usually go on a 5 or 10 mile hike at least one of the days (if not both).

 

If I don't give Clover the minimum above exercise (when I am sick or whatever) she starts bouncing off the walls and generally not behaving as well as usual. Of course this could be because she's still a puppy (11 months old).

 

Now my mix is almost a year and a half and a lot less work.

 

As others have said, it depends on the age, the dog and most of all, how much time you're willing to devote to the animal.

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Good for you for doing your research and and BIG THANK YOU for considering only rescue/shelter!! All I can say is take the time to find the dog that is right for you. Consider an older dog 3 to 5 years old (which is still way young in a border collie). We have three dogs which have the run of the house and dog doors to their yard and they are home alone for up to 10 hours during the week. But when we get home there is no sitting and watching the news in our house. It's out the door to the park and lot's of play and interaction. They are walked a minimum of an hour in the morning before we leave. It may sound bad but if you are willing to dedicate yourself outside of work to your dog it can work. Good luck to you and let us know how it goes.

 

As far as camping and fishing our Rob is the best fly fishing pal in the world!

 

CampingOct045.jpg

 

RobRiver.jpg

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I've hiked a lot, I used to live right on the border of the Shenandoah and George Washington National Forests.

 

I have to say, I felt better in the woods with a big dog with protective tendencies. I don't think I'd want a dog out there with me whose natural inclination was to alert and want to follow every white tail he saw, I want one that's thinking about me and my space. Ditto a hunting breed...one good scent and you're standing there till they catch it, two counties over.

 

I'm a woman and I was hiking the AT around the same section and same time as those two girls who were murdered a couple of years back, though, so that colours my perception of the question considerably.

 

Labs are excellent hiking companions. So was my Anatolian.

 

Also, my experience with snake bite is, the bigger you are, the slower your envenomization (is that a word?) and and the faster your recovery. Stands to reason that'd be true of dogs, too.

 

 

 

Do go with rescue....my best dog ever ever ever was a little mutt terrier cross from a pound in NY. She was the best dog in the world. (Amongst many other, I'm sure. ; )

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I think that a Border collie would fit your life style. It's sort of like the one that I have. We have to keep Jake in the backyard when everyone is away from the house for some amount of hours. Though he stays back there with Blaze (my Golden R.) and they are always fine. Though I also work Jake in Disc Dog and agaility for what we do to bond. Camping/fishing would be great, I think.

 

I don't know of any dogs in Alabama. Though I do have a BC/ACD with me right now that I got from a lady that cloud no longer care for him. We're just trying to find Shooter a home. I live in Georgia. If you would like to talk about Shooter, just send me a PM. =)

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My BC is a great outdoor companion - she loves to bound alongside while I'm out working on the farm. Or go swim in the ditches with all the runoff :rolleyes: . We have lots of deer passing through, and in hunting season hounds tearing through after the deer. Violet will chase them, but I'm always with her when she's outside, and a "that'll do" (or three) gets her back. Just be sure you train a gooood recall. :D

 

pax is right that BC are not terribly protective. Violet will hide behind me if something scary - like the neighbor's Boston Terrier - comes towards us. :D Although my youngster, Faith, is showing signs of being much bolder, so maybe it's an individual thing.

 

I think a BC could be a great dog for you. And a good rescue will be able to pick out which of their dogs would suit you best, since s/he will have lived with a foster family who will know him/her pretty well. Have you posted on the Rescue Resources and Dogs for Adoption forum on this board? There's also a BC Rescue Board - let me go find the link and I'll post it.

 

BC Rescue Boards

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Thanks for all the feedback, I have found a couple websites with some dogs and by following that link, there seems to be so many out there that need homes I shouldnt have a problem finding one with a personality that fits my life. I will probably wait till the middle/end of April to really start looking at individuals since I will have a lot more time then to get aquanted with them since that is the begaining of summer break. And I am looking for a dog to keep me in line, I dont watch much t.v. etc but a good dog to keep me from ever getting too vegged out infront of it is a plus :rolleyes:

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Hi Sam, I think that you have a good perspective and will find the right Border Collie for you. It's true, there are individual differences and a good rescue will match you up with a dog that suits your personality and lifestyle.

 

I think Border Collies are outstanding outdoor companions. They are predisposed to being obedient and staying with their people, provided they get the right sort of treatment and training and feel like part of the team. Obviously ending up with the dog you want will require work, but the way I look at it is that if you put in the effort, with 95% of Border Collies you WILL end up with an attentive, obedient dog. They come programmed to be receptive to training. A nice adult dog from rescue may indeed already have some training, and will be mature enough to hit the trail with you this summer.

 

I don't think that protectiveness is particularly characteristic of Border Collies (Aussies are more guardy, if that's what you're looking for) although there's individual variation in this trait, too. My male, Solo, is very protective of me. Sometimes it's a hassle (and not something I'd recommend to most urban Border Collie owners), but on the other hand I feel extremely safe out on the trail with him. I used to walk around in the wee hours in downtown Philadelphia and as long as I had Solo with me I did it with utter impunity. And I never worry about anyone breaking into my apartment successfully, whether I'm home or not. Protective dogs carry their own liabilities, though. Any dog the size of a Border Collie should be enough of a visual deterrent to keep a person from becoming a target, whether on the trail or on the street.

 

Good luck!

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