Border Collie Puppy

[Eva1]

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Hi,
So im potentially getting a new Border Collie puppy. I know someone who is a very reputable breeder of these dogs and is willing to let me visit the puppies and see which one is best for me. She's had litters in the past and they have all gone to very happy homes. Everyone she has sold a puppy too has said they are the most fantastic dogs. She lives in a cottage which is where she breeds the puppies. The parents arenarentt working collies as the land she lives on only has horses, so the dogs are breed inside the home. As for me, my family live in a small-medium sized home, a good garden for the dog to explore and we have a huge park practically on our doorstep. Im currently at university and working part time but will be willing to take time off and reduce hours to properly train the puppy etc. Ive been looking into different dog breeds and done so much research. The puppies the breeder has are short haired collies which I much prefer. I guess im just wondering what its like having a collie and the work it requires. The breeder has said that Border Collies she has could happily have a 2/3 hours walk a say but really 1 hour walk would be fine for them which I can provide.The puppies since bred in the house aren't from a working line so they wouldn't have such strong hearing instincts right? Just any advice on this breed of dog and whether it's the right decision would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[JoanneF]

Collies are smart dogs, and even though not from working lines, a collie will be hard wired to have some sort of ”job”. It's the nature / nurture thing, hundreds and hundreds of years of selective breeding have developed certain dogs into certain roles and a generation or two won't change a collie's drive to work in some way.

The job doesn't have to be sheep herding of course but you should investigate activities - flyball, competitive obedience, heelwork, agility etc. A bored dog will make his own fun and that is usually by doing something you'd rather he didn't. The amount of exercise is important, but not more so than exercising his brain - you will find things that make him think are more tiring than physical exercise. And the more physical exercise, the greater the chance of developing a super fit athlete that you can never tire physically.

They are generally very sensitive dogs so all training should be reward based and force free.

I found out recently, while checking out border collies for a friend, that there isn't a line in the uk that is free of epilepsy. So I'd check how many generations of the dam and sire gave been symptom free.

 

[Flobo]

Hi and welcome, I'm sure someone will come along with more advice but from what I know of Border collies is yes amazing, lovely dogs but they do need good exercise and stimulation. I'm not sure if just the fact they are not bred from an actual working collie would mean their instincts would be less collie, but I may be wrong. You said everyone who has had one of these pups before have said they are fantastic dogs(lets face it though dogs are just fantastic anyway, even the hard work ones!), maybe you could contact some of them and see how your situation/lifestyle compares and see if that helps in a more informed decision?

 

[Eva1]

Hi and welcome, I'm sure someone will come along with more advice but from what I know of Border collies is yes amazing, lovely dogs but they do need good exercise and stimulation. I'm not sure if just the fact they are not bred from an actual working collie would mean their instincts would be less collie, but I may be wrong. You said everyone who has had one of these pups before have said they are fantastic dogs(lets face it though dogs are just fantastic anyway, even the hard work ones!), maybe you could contact some of them and see how your situation/lifestyle compares and see if that helps in a more informed decision?

Thanks for replying! I’m sure all collies will have some level of hearding instinct whatever form it may be. My dad knows the breeder so I will definitely be asking lots of questions and will ask how other people got on with her puppies. The puppies aren’t born yet but should be due around end of next week! So when ready I’m allowed to go visit and see the puppies for myself where I can ask more questions. Another thing I was wondering if anyone knows, insurance wise are they expensive dogs to insure? I’d be looking to insure my dog to make sure they are covered for any injuries etc. Thanks for your thoughts I appreciate it.

 

[JudyN]

In addition to what others have said, as well as them needing activities to stop them inventing their own fun, from what I've seen collies can become quite neurotic and develop obsessive behaviours or reactivity if understimulated. Some try to chase traffic, making them impossible to walk along roads, so they need good socialisation (which isn't just to dogs and people) to avoid this type of behaviour.

I would imagine they're reasonably cheap to insure as they are generally much more sound than some other pedigree breeds - but I haven't checked this, so I could be wrong.

 

[Eva1]

In addition to what others have said, as well as them needing activities to stop them inventing their own fun, from what I've seen collies can become quite neurotic and develop obsessive behaviours or reactivity if understimulated. Some try to chase traffic, making them impossible to walk along roads, so they need good socialisation (which isn't just to dogs and people) to avoid this type of behaviour.

I would imagine they're reasonably cheap to insure as they are generally much more sound than some other pedigree breeds - but I haven't checked this, so I could be wrong.

Yeah from researching puppies should be exposed to people, other dogs and noises when young to get used to the outdoors so maybe when a collie is a puppy getting then used to cars and traffic etc young would be a good idea. My family is me, my brother and my mum and dad. Me and my brother at 19 and 21 so no young children to we would be able to mentally stimulate a collie as well as physically I’m sure. I still have lots of questions to ask the breeder so I’m sure she can give tips and advice on ways to do that. Thanks for the advice!

 

[JudyN]

Make sure you socialise them to young children too - I didn't do this with my dog as I didn't know any and he's always been wary of them. In retrospect I should have hung around the local primary school at chucking out time!

Be aware that socialisation doesn't mean letting children and other people smother him - this could put him off for life. It's all about good, calm, positive experiences, never chucking them in at the deep end.

 

[Eva1]

Make sure you socialise them to young children too - I didn't do this with my dog as I didn't know any and he's always been wary of them. In retrospect I should have hung around the local primary school at chucking out time!

Be aware that socialisation doesn't mean letting children and other people smother him - this could put him off for life. It's all about good, calm, positive experiences, never chucking them in at the deep end.

Yeah defo! I have younger children in my family like little cousins etc. So can socialise a puppy around them. I’d be sure to give the dog as many positive socialisation experiences as possible to avoid when it’s older being wary of certain things. It’s still a big decision for me to make. I’ve always wanted a dog for as long as I can remember to have a little companion always there so getting advice is so helpful.

 

[JoanneF]

You might want to buy the book Easy Peasy Puppy Squeezy. It's quite new so I haven't read it (haven't had a pup for a while) but it is getting a good review from dog savvy people.

 

[JudyN]

I like The Puppy Primer by Patricia McConnell too.

 

[Steve Morris]

Hi,
So im potentially getting a new Border Collie puppy. I know someone who is a very reputable breeder of these dogs and is willing to let me visit the puppies and see which one is best for me. She's had litters in the past and they have all gone to very happy homes. Everyone she has sold a puppy too has said they are the most fantastic dogs. She lives in a cottage which is where she breeds the puppies. The parents arenarentt working collies as the land she lives on only has horses, so the dogs are breed inside the home. As for me, my family live in a small-medium sized home, a good garden for the dog to explore and we have a huge park practically on our doorstep. Im currently at university and working part time but will be willing to take time off and reduce hours to properly train the puppy etc. Ive been looking into different dog breeds and done so much research. The puppies the breeder has are short haired collies which I much prefer. I guess im just wondering what its like having a collie and the work it requires. The breeder has said that Border Collies she has could happily have a 2/3 hours walk a say but really 1 hour walk would be fine for them which I can provide.The puppies since bred in the house aren't from a working line so they wouldn't have such strong hearing instincts right? Just any advice on this breed of dog and whether it's the right decision would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

I have a border collie cross and have two friends with border collies too. They are not easy dogs. They can be stubborn, sensitive, over excitable and are difficult to tire out. But they are beautiful dogs, very loyal, often enjoy training and incredibly athletic. I love mine to bits but he is very hard work and way smarter than me.

Nothing prepares you for a new puppy, its 100% full on 24/7. Your whole life will change. Some people love the challenge but others think, 'What have I done'. Hope you're in the former category.

 

[Eva1]

I have a border collie cross and have two friends with border collies too. They are not easy dogs. They can be stubborn, sensitive, over excitable and are difficult to tire out. But they are beautiful dogs, very loyal, often enjoy training and incredibly athletic. I love mine to bits but he is very hard work and way smarter than me.

Nothing prepares you for a new puppy, its 100% full on 24/7. Your whole life will change. Some people love the challenge but others think, 'What have I done'. Hope you're in the former category. [

Are your collies form a hearding background? And are they hard work in terms or walking or training? I’m only asking so I know what to expect and prepare for. The breeder we are getting our puppy from, her collies the mum and dad have very good temperaments I’ve been told and said they are easy to train if kept on top off and patient. She couldn’t haven recommended them enough for us.

 

[Whippylove]

I had a border collie for nearly 13years out of all my dog's he was my most loyal dog. He took a lot of work when young we trained him a lot he needed constant mental stimulation, Zak liked to herd everything lol so I decided to find out about working with sheep and he loved it, it was just for fun. I definitely think they need more training than other young dog's and introducing to other dog's and people once they get a bad habit it can be hard to break.
If you can put the work into a collie then definitely go for it they are wonderful dog's

 

[Steve Morris]

Mine is a border collie poodle cross. He's taking a lot of training, and really keeps me on my toes. I'm always thinking of ways around problems I encounter. At 25 weeks he needs constant mental stimulation or will dig, chew, and bark. My friends border collie was a nightmare for nearly two years, play biting was terrible, but he's blossomed into a beautiful dog, obedient, calm and super friendly now at 4. I'm hoping mine will be the same. He's a real character, learns tricks at the drop of a hat, but very wilful.

 

[merlina]

I'm wondering about the special circumstances of covid 19 at the moment which will make having a new puppy really more difficult. Socialising will be tough if we're expected to keep up social distancing for some months- also it won't be possible to get the puppy used to people visiting your home and visiting other places. So be prepared to work extra hard- and good luck. I would never have a border collie- I love them but they're just too smart for me! Even the corgi gives me a knowing look these days, as in 'I'm Jeeves to your Bertie Wooster'...

 

[Eva1]

I'm wondering about the special circumstances of covid 19 at the moment which will make having a new puppy really more difficult. Socialising will be tough if we're expected to keep up social distancing for some months- also it won't be possible to get the puppy used to people visiting your home and visiting other places. So be prepared to work extra hard- and good luck. I would never have a border collie- I love them but they're just too smart for me! Even the corgi gives me a knowing look these days, as in 'I'm Jeeves to your Bertie Wooster'...

The puppies won’t be ready to leave their home till mid/end of June anyway as they aren’t born yet. Likely end of next week they’ll be born. So hopefully by that time when they can go to their forever homes things will hopefully be better and restrictions maybe not as strict.

 

[Steve Morris]

The puppies won’t be ready to leave their home till mid/end of June anyway as they aren’t born yet. Likely end of next week they’ll be born. So hopefully by that time when they can go to their forever homes things will hopefully be better and restrictions maybe not as strict.

Lots of things you can do to prepare. Start working out to get yourself in shape, source all the stuff you'll need like a crate, beds, endless toys, grooming stuff, a pen, food, a nearby vet, insurance, and watch endless videos about clicker training with people like Zak George, Kikopup, Michael Ellis, McCann and many more. Get yourself a puppy training journal. Prepare a daily training, play and exercise schedule. Get plenty of sleep so you're prepared for the loss later. Store any furniture or rugs you're not prepared to get damaged.

And then you'll be read for the big day.

 

[Eva1]

Lots of things you can do to prepare. Start working out to get yourself in shape, source all the stuff you'll need like a crate, beds, endless toys, grooming stuff, a pen, food, a nearby vet, insurance, and watch endless videos about clicker training with people like Zak George, Kikopup, Michael Ellis, McCann and many more. Get yourself a puppy training journal. Prepare a daily training, play and exercise schedule. Get plenty of sleep so you're prepared for the loss later. Store any furniture or rugs you're not prepared to get damaged.

And then you'll be read for the big day.

Yeah as soon as they are born and ready to have visits so I can pick my pup, I’ll be buying everything I need, cause we know the breeder she’s offered to give us a crate and some things to start us off which is fab! A journal I never thought of but will definitely do as having a routine for the dog and the the family will be ideal. Thank for the advice!

 

[Finsky]

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Nothing prepares you for a new puppy, its 100% full on 24/7. Your whole life will change. Some people love the challenge but others think, 'What have I done'. Hope you're in the former category.

LOL....and to add to that...for pups to learn even the basics will take months of effort from our behalf. First year is VERY hectic and testing times (at least!)
Can't believe what some folk thinks when taking a week or two off from work for new pup's arrival.......like they are able to sort it all out in that time scale.