Border Collies-are they ever fully happy to be 'just' pets Questions

I have half a border collie (half springer too! ), he has a lot of traits from both breeds, I think more so as both parents were working and lived on a farm, got together and we have Charlie!

He's daft like a springer but very very clever like a collie, and with both being very active breeds he gets bored easily and will not really be destructive but will get depressed.

He deffinately needs a good few hours offlead each day to let off steam, which he has, and as a result, he is a very happy and very loving boy. I do know if i'm ill, or he is ill, and his outdoor runs are cut short, he does get very sulky and moody, and even will go off his food. He is clearly not happy if he doesn't get out EVERYDAY, so they're not for the slackers! He is the only one who will go walkies come rain or shine!

There has been a couple of times he's been running about like a manic and split his pad on god only knows what, and has had to have been kept indoors, and then onlead walking until he was fully healed. He did get very depressed and once he was allowed his normal walk again, he was MANIC, pulling onlead, running about non-stop, a very severe case of the zoomies!

In his previous home however he was not sufficiently walked/played/interacted with, and was a nightmare. Hence why they gave him up after just 10 months.

I think Charlie would really enjoy working, either as a gundog or herding as he has always shown traits and tendencies which lead me to suspect he'd enjoy either. I have no idea if he'd be good at them or not, but I have no doubts he'd have a great time trying! But I don't think he NEEDS to be worked to be happy, if you met him i'm sure you would see he is a very happy chappie!

I also don't think by working him this would make him happier than he is at present, as he would be doing this INSTEAD of his normal offlead/play with other dogs walks. So I think although he would enjoy it, he does enjoy his current walks, and I think it would be more a case of just substituting one for the other, so I think he'd be just as happy doing either. It's more the actual exercise and stimulation that is important.

So I would say yes they CAN be happy as just pets, in the right home. They are not for a first timer and you do need to do your research, but then you need to do your research on any breed. We all know some breeds are harder to manage than others, and i'd put BC at the harder end of the scale, but given the effort and channels they need, I have no doubts that they can make lovely pets.

ETA: I think if a dog is worked and then expected to go into a family home after that (maybe not good enough worker, e.t.c) and be 'just a pet', then that would be a different matter altogether. If you are going to have a BC as a pet, it has to be from puppyhood and he would never have been worked, so wouldn't miss it. But then I would say this of a dog of any breed whom has previously been worked in his life. Once they know work, they may not be happy as a pet later on.

My Blackie came from a working farm with beast, his parents on both sides were workers so was his grandmother who was there when we choose Blackie, but he hasn't got an ounce of work in him, he couldn't care less about sheep or cow's. His life is a bit like Snorri's two, a comfy bed and a bit of attention all day will do him, but he does get at least 1 hours exercise on a morning then what I can do through the day and a ten minute walk before bed. He isn't interested in playing with his toys etc, I think he sees his toys as been 'childish' he has a job to do, looking after me. I know this because when he goes out on a morning the lad that takes him says that he goes ape, galloping about the fields, playing with his pals (Dogs) and just going nuts, then when he goes out with me he walks beside my scooter never hardly straying from me (apart from earlier on today)

So I think overall it depends on what they are used to as a pup, train him to work and he will, teach him to be a couch potato and he will be.

Ian

Brilliant pic Snorri..and the quote is so my MO!!!!

I have always owner Border Collies and fully believe that they make loving and loyal pets and companions. BUT they will only make good pets if they are given enough mental and physical stimulation.

They need a variety of activities to keep them occupied as they are a highly intelligent dogs and become very easily bored, although some more than others.

My first collie was called Rocky and he was of working farm stock. We kept him solely as a pet and found that he was constantly "on the go" and we were always finding new things for him to do and places to take him out.

We later got one of his daughters, the mum was a family pet who came from showing lines. We found Bella to be much more laid back than Rocky and found that she was easier to 'wear out' if u like and did not need as much stimulation as Rocky. Both were exercised twice a day for 1 and a half hours each time.

I now have Max, his dad is from working lines and his mum from showing lines. Again he is not as energetic as Rocky was but he still needs a great deal of mental stimulation to keep him occupied! As some of you know I am unable to walk him at the moment so he is being taken out once a day by my dad. I was so worried about him becoming bored and destructive but thanks to some great advice from Moobli, wufflehoond and TBBS I seem to be keeping him busy! I plan to start agility training with him when he is old enough and I am back to fitness.

So my answer would be yes, collies can make excellent pets but only if they are kept both mentally and physically stimulated. I also believe that dogs from certain lines may make more suitable pets than others.

I have two tri border collies two years old and they are so good we don't even know there most of the time. They are out running, walking and playing with there ball for at least 4+ hours through the day so they get plenty of excercise. There tails are always up and i know they are happy with there life. They are both from working stock and although one of them shows good herding abilities the other would rather just play and sleep when he can. We took the decision not to work them as our other jobs would not allow the time that would be needed to do train them.
Always alert to what is going on around them i know it was the right way to go and have them as pets and not working dogs. I have attached a photo of my boys i think they are brill.
Karen :smt023

Gorgeous dogs Karen - fab photo of your lovely boys

hello
gosh yes ,have had 3 and yes they are just pets ,they are so very happy ,we love them dearly ,they have three runs a day ,with a ball on a rope every time they go out ,they love running after it they ,drop to the the ground ,in true collie style ,they go out every sunday for couple of hours in one go ,then back out again on the night .i have never had one that ,has seemed un happy or not stimulated at all , its probably because ,we realise if you take a collie on you have a duty to them to keep them happy and fill there brains. i love collies i realise you have to put the leg work in with them ,for a happy life for both of you really .

depends really imo how much exerscice you give them and how much you make them think and the character of the dog as well as age etc - a lot

our 2 collies did agility until they got too old lol

then now they just chill and are pets - ones not well - the others jst quite happy to sit and do nothing

I think it greatly depends on the dog, my last BC was more than happy to be a pet, he loved his walks, but was just as happy being at home, Jack on the other hand needs to be doing something, we do agility with him, and obediance classes, he's at his most happiest when learning something new, or training, or playing, or out walking, would I recomend a BC as a pet, that would depend what they wanted the dog for, unless they are prepared to put time and energy into a BC, then probably not, if Jack didn't have the mental stimulation he gets, I think he would be a very distructive, unhappy boy!

we got our collie ice as a pup , shes always been a pet , worked in harness with my huskies as a younger girl , when retired from this shes just been going for walks / runs in the park etc ,never really been distructive either , a content girl now at 12 yrs to just nap , go for her walks , occassional days out to beach also. But very well behaved as a pet though.

hello
ive had three collie in all ,are first one bessy ,we never worked her inany way ,she had loads of walks and exercise ,she lived for her frisby she loved it ,she lived in a town ,she loved us all we adored her ,she was left whilst we were at work with mom and dad who dotted on this little lady she lived till she was 12 ,i would say ,she lived very very happy ,in the family and new we all adored her very much indeed ,(we miss you bessy every day ) i now have dylan full collie and willow collie x sprollie ,both of these dogs get loads of long walks ,three runs a day with ball on arope that they both adore , they run till they cant run any more every time they go out ,i like to think these two ,dont miss out at all ,and if they could speak i know they would say they are happy and content and know how much we all love them very much ,so in ansew to your question i do very much think collie can live happy lives and not work , as long as you keep them active which is most important .

Defintally with the right dog!!!!! Fabulous pets, for the right person!

I agree , some BCs shouldnt be pets. However the more work these dogs get the more they want! The obsessive Single mindedness is what makes collies collies!& why they are so good at what they do.

I know some people with working bred dogs that they WONT even try on sheep.as they feel it would be unfair to try the dog & then take that away,.

& one of them is me Mish I know Rjj would work sheep all day & it I was to start him on sheep he would need a daily sheep workout & I'm not in a position to do this. So we occupy his day with playing & training & him playing with the kittens. He learnt to play retrieve in a day-the day I got him ! & is more toy obsessed than interested in food.

He has his own games too like stalk the squirrels & sit for hours watching the birds come & go from the feeders & likes nothing better than to take one of his footballs up onto the lawn & play footie with it

He wouldn't be suitable as a pet without all the physical & mental stimulation, but then neither would any of the dogs I have owned.

Border Collies aren't really a first time owners dog, unless they are prepared to listen & learn before they get the dog, mind you there are lots of breeds that need owners that have researched & learnt about the breed before getting one :smt002