Hello I have been reading this forum for some time to learn about dog breeds for my family but this is my first post. I am trying to decide between a rough collie or a standard poodle as our next dog. Both have waiting lists in Australia for a good breeder so I am doing research now. My main question is which one would require the most exercise? Our situation: Three kids aged 12, 10 and 6. Large backyard Next to parklands Walk current dog, 3 year old cavalier, 2x a day. Could don1 hour in the morning and 30 to 45 min evening. I work part time, 2.5 days I don't mind grooming but would also pay for professional. We go to weekly obedience class and I would like to do agility or flyball. Would love to hear from people who have owned either breed as I am getting conflicting information from google. Would we meet the needs for either breed? Thank you very much for your help
My comments are purely from my observations and not from experience but I would suggest that a poodle would need more exercise and would be a better prospect for something like agility. To be honest, you don't see many of either breed on the agility circuit in the UK although there are plenty of toy poodles - who mostly excel at it. I would also think that a poodle would need plenty of mental stimulation to keep it happy. Can't say anything about rough collies as my preference is for borders! Good luck in your search!
I have a border rather than a rough but I would assume they need pretty much the same amount? Or perhaps a fraction less? My collie does not need a lot of exercise, some days I walk her for 30 mins a day, some days I take her to the park and we run round and fetch for two hours or more and occasionally, she gets no walks at all. She is perfectly happy, she has never been destructive or neurotic, she is nice and calm in the house so don't necessarily believe all the stuff you read about them needing excessive amounts every day. I think they adapt to however much you choose to give them. I have a four year old, she is great with him. He helps train her, she loves him. She is never allowed to chase him when hes running round and is always distracted with fetch, i think that's really important with collies and kids because as a herding breed they like to chase anything that moves. She was a nightmare as a puppy but now we can leave her crated for 5 or 6 hours and she's fine. Usually I am with her all day though.
having rough s I can say they are happy with a ten minute walk or an hour one,. My guess is a poodle would need more exercise.
A poodle will certainly need more exercise. A rough collie is nothing like a border collie in the amount of exercise or need for mental stimulation. As long a they have a walk they are generally happy.
Thank you very much for the replies. I am thinking the rough collie may suit us better at the moment. Cheers
I know this is an older topic but I thought I'd comment in the event someone else reads it with the same question. The Standard Poodle would require more exercise. They are (generally speaking) a bouncy breed. The Rough Collie can have moments of being feisty (mine was like that every time we had a cold spell in the weather). She loved a good walk but if I was unable to walk her, she didn't bounce off the walls. In contrast to the Giant Schnauzer or the Belgian Malinois who required exercise, fast energy burning exercise. Those breeds can go miles & still want more. The Rough Collie is capable of being a jogging partner or a carting buddy but they don't get obnoxious if they don't get it. You can take the Rough Collie into the back yard & let the kids toss a ball or play hide & seek with the Collie & soon s/he has stretched their legs, worked their minds. My Collie was so calm people did NOT believe she would work. It wasn't true. They were stunned when she would fly across our farm to drive away a stray dog from our horses or watch her jump into the hen house & grab a snake out & kill it. She was brave & bold. She had good endurance. I am currently working on a cart because I want my next Collie (who is 7 weeks old now) to do carting along side my Giant Schnauzer. The Border Collie is very different than the Rough Collie In my opinion the Collie is very capable of doing agility or whatever you want from them but they're fired up & hardwired in a different way for work. They are thinkers. Mine & those of my mother were careful dogs. I love that when children are involved. I love the care a Rough Collie (when bred properly) can offer a family. I did extensive research when I considered the Standard Poodle. 85% of the Standard Poodle breeders I spoke or met with did NOT recommend a dog of their breeding to live with my tiny Chihuahuas. Most of them felt it was possible to have them together they didn't advise it. They felt the Standard Poodle was to lively/active. I admire the breed & the breeders' honesty. That's why I am waiting on my Collie puppy. While all puppies have to be monitored with the tiny dogs... Collies 'get' their place & their job quickly
Thank you for your reply. I thought I would update. After meeting both breeds we decided on the standard poodle mostly because I was slightly allergic to the collie hair. We have a 10mth old silver standard who we love. She is very gentle with our cav but I must say despite asking for a calmer pup, she is very very high energy. Probably more than we bargained for. However we are keeping up with her, providing lots of exercise and training. She is probably a bit much for kids that visit our house but I imagine she will calm a bit as she gets older. I love the collie's personality, it was a pity about the hair.
I'm still waiting for Pepe (three and a half year old Standard Poodle) to calm down a bit! He is very bouncy and full of enthusiasm for life - a typical poodle! Very good natured, wouldn't hurt a fly. I also have a Chihuahua, 5lb of muscle, and despite being so bouncy Pepe has never hurt Chico, despite the seemingly rough games they play. In fact it's Pepe who comes off worse, as Chico thinks his long dangling ears are there for him to hang on to! I've no experience of Rough Collies so can't make any comparison, but I'm sure you'll never regret your lovely silver standard!
