Border Collie

SuperBowserWorld

My daughter (teenager) wants a border collie.

I know these dogs require a lot of time, exercise and space and that we'd have to fence part of the garden to keep it safe.

And I know she won't have time to look after it sufficiently so that'll be down to me. We had collies when we were kids and yep they are a handful, but very rewarding dogs.

Wondering if this is a no no and also where are the good places in Ireland to get one at a reasonable price and where definitely not to get one.

Also, it has to be a puppy, so it can get acquainted with a cat.

Thanks.

tk123

Honestly I think you’re mad! Collies are one of my least favourite dogs (sorry to any collie owners) as the majority we meet on walks are under stimulated both physically and mentally which makes them bonkers. It’s not fun having a collie aggressively trying to herd you because their owner thinks a quick run around the park is all they need! Unless you’re planning on doing some kind of dog sport like agility, flyball etc I’d rethink.

Buddy Bubs

Wouldn't get a collie. Of all my friends dogs that I get to see the collies are the ones I'd swear I'd never get. One friend has 2 of them, one isn't that bad but the other, a female is a nightmare. Way too much energy, too intelligent for its own good and is a massive handful for him. They are impressive dogs in what they can do but I don't see them as suitable house pets. Even on walks they are trying to herd things and not focused on him or the walk.

They have his house and garden wrecked.

If you want a medium to large dog, honestly get a labrador or a golden retriever.

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120414490#Comment_120414490

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120414531#Comment_120414531

Thanks for the feedback guys. I kind of expected this. They are incredible dogs, but yes, a huge risk.

Rows Grower

They are not suited to be kept in small spaces such as a backyard, it's not fair on the dog. We got one that turned 3 years old recently and she has probably sat still for about 20 minutes in total during those 3 years.

She has a few acres here and covers every square inch everyday. Constantly running after small birds (she's caught a few), she spends a couple of hours at the end of the field each day waiting for a car or van to pass so she can race it the 70-80 yards width of the field. She'll then wait in that corner for a car to come the opposite direction for another race. She won't waste her time with a bus or tractor they are far too slow to be fun. I honestly can't understand where she gets the energy from. She is a formidable opponent with a football, the agility and intelligence are off the scale but probably the last dog on earth suited to a confined space.

micah537

Is there any particular reason she wants a border collie? Appearance, playfulness, ability to learn new tricks, loyalty?

Border collies are fantastic, but if I had to get one again I'd prefer a 8 year old over an 8 week old. The first two years there are hard, with chewing, digging etc but sure you know that yourself since you had them.

Would you consider a mini poodle? They are similar intelligent wise, great at learning and constantly buzzing without the destruction. They manage to tire themselves out inside the house on a wet day. They don't seem to have the anxiety or snappy attitude that poodle mixed mutts can have. The only thing is their grooming visits (€70 every 6-8 weeks) and daily brushing (5 min). Lack of hair loss is a bonus.

We currently have a mini poodle, standard poodle and two German Shepherd's. While the mini is my least favourite, he is still great and maybe I would put him above the border collies I had previously. They are also incredibly hardy, certainly not afraid of playing rough with dogs 3 and 4 times his weight. They aren't these fancy things that need to be pampered.

Just one thing to consider. What happens in a few years when your daughter goes to college or moves out for work? Are you going to keep the dog as it would be extremely difficult to rent with one going by todays market.

If I had to rank dogs I owned or grew up with from best to worst it would be, GSD, standard poodle, toss up between mini poodle and border collie, lab, Yorkie, Bichon and JRT. From that list I would never take another Bichon or JRT. Hell no.

batyushki

We have cats too and got a border collie as a puppy for the same reason. She likes walks but she loves sports much more (frisbee, football, chasing leaves). We live in a small town with lots of green spaces so we walk from one green to the other doing sports along the way. They really want to run and play games more than walking, so if you live in a city and don't want to go to the park every time, I would shy away from dogs this energetic.

That said with some very intensive training on my part, she has been a great dog. Almost five years old and still very, very energetic, but completely house trained and has excellent manners in public. It took a year and something to get to that point. Very good with the cats. Totally focused on her work (which is doing sports, etc). We are often out with her to the allotment, beach, etc. She would not thrive in a more urban environment.