Border collies

[GraceLikeRain]

[QUOTE=gloriginger;8426641]

A lot of people I know get their BC from this breeder. http://www.lockeyebc.com/ - What I like about her is that you can tell her, I want a low drive, not too hyper dog and she will give you that. BC can range from off the wall - peel them from the ceiling to more of a couch dog.[/QUOTE]

Not to take this totally OT but buyer beware. If anyone is considering this option I’d strongly recommend googling this kennel along with the search terms epilepsy, seizures, puppy mill, etc. Some of the stories are highly concerning.

[Calamber]

In case people do not know, OP is currently in a hospital, she has had seizures three days in a row and doctors were not taking her seriously and she could not get an MRI. Thank God someone from COTH suggested she tell them she had headaches and seizures (which she did) and she was hustled to an MRI. Four hours ago she was waiting for the results but she was very scared. I hope to God she is okay.

As for the dog situation:

There has been more than one time that I have been glad I did not pursue my equine veterinary degree, and this is one of them. I have driven into others properties on more than one occasion with my dogs in the car when I was taking care of horses, training or just needing to pick something up. My dogs are always with me and I do not let them out unless they are welcome. I am certainly glad that I did not have clients like some on this board because I would not have for long.

I really have never had a problem either way, my dogs went to work with me every day at some of the barns where I worked and managed and they also did not cause trouble with either resident dogs or to people who came in and out, if they would have they would have been crated, or kept in the office. I am dog friendly and savvy but I will not get out of a car with LGDs there, you never know if they might take exception to the smell of dogs also and as has been said, they are there because they are dangerous. If I had them and I expected people they would be put away since I do not like to intimidate or frighten people like that. I don’t want to be “one of those” people who think life is for just their convenience and to heck with others.

[DMK]

poor OP, I hope she is OK… I just had op sx yesterday evening at 5pm - that’s no food/drink for 18 hours, I can relate to hospital angst (it took 3 messages over 4+ weeks, the last being an irritable one, to get the doctor’s scheduler to remember to call me, so a procedure that was urgent took 6 weeks to happen and then had to be fit in at the end of the day. I was pretty irritated BEFORE I was hangry)

Anyway, my vet has dogs and they do travel with her. Not always, but often. Not once has she let them out without asking and more recently she hasn’t even asked. They are top gun dogs (her husband does GSP field trials and is very good apparently) and certainly well trained (the dogs, not the husband). I’m not a huge fan of strange dogs but like I said, they’ve never been out without me agreeing and in recent years it’s not even been asked. I’m assuming that between the trips back to the clinics and places to get them out during the day, it is still better than leaving a high energy gun dog at home all day.

So while we all like to leap to conclusions and think what could possibly go wrong, I think it is fairly obvious it can also go quite right

[Calamber]

I hope your recovery goes well and uneventfully DMK. Did you mean six surgeries?

[vxf111]

Hopefully OP is ok. Scary!!!

[gloriginger]

[QUOTE=GraceLikeRain;8427647]
Not to take this totally OT but buyer beware. If anyone is considering this option I’d strongly recommend googling this kennel along with the search terms epilepsy, seizures, puppy mill, etc. Some of the stories are highly concerning.[/QUOTE]

Interesting, thanks for posting that I had no idea. Just familiar with the name from a few people in New England with pups from her that have been quite successful in agility. But good to know.

I have a friend who bought an Aussie from a breeder in the mid-west. Spent around $6k for the dog. She ended up having cobalamin malabsorption and almost had to be PTS before it was diagnosed. The breeder totally blew my friend off. Not a small time breeder either- one of her dogs did quite well at a major dog show that year.

[Duramax]

I am on my second BC. They certainly can be quirky but they are also incredibly trainable. My first BC Charlotte, was allowed in a local church where we held our Pony Club meetings, and my second BC, Ollie, is allowed to accompany me to the dentist’s office. If you are diligent about putting good manners on them from tne beginning then they are incredible dogs. Both Charlotte and Ollie were/are ok sitting in the car patiently.

The downside of having a herding breed is that its very hard to train that desire to herd out of them. I always have to keep a constant eye on Ollie to make sure he is not harassing the horses. He is getting better as he gets older but I think that may be tricky if you’re having to tend to clients’ animals and also make sure the BC isn’t herding.

My vet brings her 2 dogs with her when she comes to my farm and I have no problem with it, they are such a part of her that it would be weird if they didn’t come.

[animaldoc]

Oh goodness! Hope OP is ok!

[DMK]

[QUOTE=Calamber;8427786]
I hope your recovery goes well and uneventfully DMK. Did you mean six surgeries?[/QUOTE]

sorry - sx is shorthand for surgery! (just the idea of six surgeries… <shudder>) and recovery was extremely uneventful, thanks!

[Emily_amp_Jake]

[QUOTE=gloriginger;8426641]
BC can range from off the wall - peel them from the ceiling to more of a couch dog.[/QUOTE]

This, is very accurate.

I have a 1yr old BC and he’ll probably be the one and only I own. Love the breed, but very demanding, and even though they are smart as a whip, they will test you, ohhh they will test you! My BC pretends to forget all his training, is still working on a recall, and has to be leashed/tethered/kenneled outside when unsupervised, because he will run off and we don’t have a fenced yard yet. He has his quirks, like all dogs, but especially BC’s.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

BCs have very lonngg puppyhoods. Seemingly endless in fact. Long enough to contemplate dog murder in all its permutations many times. Then one day you look around and there’s this canine genius who has it all together so tight she has time to run her life and yours too and does a damn fine job of it. Hang in there E&J.

[Thoroughbred_in_Colo]

Sorry to hear about your surgery OP, glad you were able to get diagnosed/treated finally.

IME female BCs are much faster to catch on and be confirmed in various skills, as well as being the most consistent working. Males tend to take a little bit longer to get things figured out and tend to be either very high drive or none at all. If you want to get a great pet, find a reputable breeder of working dogs (livestock, trials, agility, etc.) and ask them for a dog who has low/no drive. They’ll either have one (or more) available, or know someone who does. Stay away from “pet only” breeders, most of the insane, neurotic, and/or dangerous BCs I have ever met have come from people breeding for the pet market without consideration for the breed’s intended purpose and its effects on the dog’s attitude and personality.

A friend retained a male and a female pup from his bitch’s last litter to bring along so he can retire his current dogs in a couple years. Both parents have great attitudes and are successful working cattle and sheep as well as competing in trials, with generations of the same behind them. Both pups were raised together and trained in the same manner; the female will eventually replace her mother as my friend’s main working dog, the male “flunked out” and is now someone’s pet. He was one of the “no drive at all”. Of that litter (3 males, 2 females), both of the females and one of the males are starting to work stock, the other two males are now pets.

If you can manage to avoid getting a cute, fluffy puppy, you will be better off unless you have a lot of time and experience. Getting a BC at 6+ months will let you see what kind of dog you will end up with as an adult.

[QUOTE=pAin’t_Misbehavin’;8431543]
BCs have very lonngg puppyhoods. Seemingly endless in fact. Long enough to contemplate dog murder in all its permutations many times. Then one day you look around and there’s this canine genius who has it all together so tight she has time to run her life and yours too and does a damn fine job of it. Hang in there E&J.[/QUOTE]

:lol::lol::lol: I’ve had the exact opposite experience with border collies, but labs… Every lab I’ve ever owned, dog-sat, or spent any amount of time with has tested my patience to the limit. You couldn’t pay me enough to make me want to own a lab or lab x again, but I’ll take a BC any day. In fact, just got another right before Thanksgiving:).

[cbv]

We are on BC #3 and #4. The first one I had in college and she was a great dog. A stray that showed up at my trainer’s barn, I didn’t know she was a BC. Even when folks pointed it out I had no idea what a BC was til I read Nop’s Trials some years after college.

I am one who thinks the warnings against BC’s are overblown. Certainly not everyone’s cup of tea and understanding their range of character traits is good. But sounds like OP has familiarized herself. The ease of training and ability to channel that focus are what makes them easier than many other breeds for me. And all of mine, from an early age, love going in the car and could easily deal with making rounds with a ambulatory vet.

Also have had a number of vets and farriers that travel with dogs and none have ever let their dogs out of their vehicles without my offering.

And funny the lab/BC comments. We inherited a 2 year old lab and she tried our last nerve. I don’t think it is because she is dumb however. But I finally had to send her to boot camp cause none of the tools in my training tool box were working. Now she is finally a real part of the family but took 2 years.

[Jexa]

OP, take some time to peruse this board and ask some questions there (but use the search function first!). They are a wealth of knowledge about BCs : http://www.bordercollie.org/boards/

I could write a book in response, but I’ll just say, from my experience there are dogs, and then there are border collies. And that’s both a good and a bad thing, but I will never voluntarily have any other type of dog.

[blue_amp_blond]

I can only speak from experience of owning my first one that is a border collie / husky mix. I got her as a 5 month old from the animal shelter. She was a stray.

From almost day one she caught on to ranch life, acutely aware of where she is in relation to the horses, super smart/learns quickly, extremely playful and a lot of energy. I found out quickly that a brisk walk every night for extra activity wasn’t enough. I took up trail jogging.

The only problem I had was a bit of separation anxiety in the beginning, but that could have also been caused by being a stray / getting lost somehow from her previous owner.

She is a little over a year now and still has a lot of energy. I’ve added another pup to the mix (GSD / Husky mix) and it’s fun times.

Would I say her traits are more BC or Husky? Definitely BC.

So, from my very limited experience I think they are great dogs (for the right lifestyle).