Why do all People Assume all Border Collies are Nasty General Chat

Think you must be right Moobli, took mme by surprise, we've nevr owned or encountered a 'nasty' BC, there's a local one who's a bit hormonal and a bit big for his boots, but he's not nasty...the ones we know and have known are all lovely...especially ours!!!!;-) ;-) ;-)

hello
i know what you mean ,are two collies ,bark when any one comes to the door or on the drive ,they are lovely dogs ,but people who have never had a dog in there life ,think they are nasty just because they are barking ,hello they aredogs they cant talk the way we do .

My two will bark their nuts off too, when a visitor turns up! But that's all they do - bark. After all, it's their house too, and, as such, they have a right to defend it, and their people (at least, they think they have) - personally, I'd rather have a "pesky" dog than a thieved house, not that it's likely to happen here.

BCs are not "nasty" dogs any more than any other breed is "nasty" - you get the occasional crazy BC, but you get crazies in other breeds (and people!!) too.

However, farm collies and house collies can almost be different breeds! Farm collies live fairly rough and are used to it (It's likely that you'll be on a hiding to nothing trying to make a pet out of a farm collie!). Farm collies are frequently unsocialised, and nobody has taught them that biting visitors is wrong.

In my experience, Border Collies are natural defenders (often, not a bad thing) and that, combined with their natural agility, can make a BC a force to be reckoned with!

My two are farm-born, but they came to me early enough to think that being in a house is the natural thing for them.
My Kali is a peaceable old lummox, who loves to play with other dogs, BUT - he's still close enough to farmwork to be willing to finish any trouble another dog starts! At 13, he's getting to be a senile delinquent!

Snorri

My boyfriend is a shepherd and his collies are all working dogs - however, they aren't nasty AT ALL. They are all very people and other animal friendly I think it is all down to how they are brought up

No doubt, correct! What I was thinking of was the difficulty some rescues had with the rehoming "redundant" BCs after the BSE/F&M outbreaks - some of these dogs had bever been in a house before and were not amenable to being petted :-(

My two came from a farm, and their close relatives live there still, sleeping in a byre full of straw and cow***t, coping with the Orkney wind, and not knowing what a dog biscuit is (except when Mrs S and I call by ). Snorri-dog's dad (Kali's litter-brother) looks distinctly annoyed if he's invited into the house and is downright suspicious of the well-intentioned patting hand (so much so that even I won't get too close!).

Because my two were brought up not knowing that there were worse places than our warm house, with comfy dog-beds, carefully-selected food, friendly hands and biscuits, they may well think that all collies live the way they do. The local farmers consider my two as "potlickers", totally spoiled hangers-on, completely wasted.
However, to quote Robert, the farmer who sold the puppy Kali to me "If he gives you pleasure, then he's not a waste."

Hear hear!

Snorri

I think once a working dog, always a working dog - and rescues should look for good working homes for such collies. Regarding the F&M outbreak, there were many untrue stories circulated about the amount of collies being "dumped" on rescue by farmers. If you take time to read the F&M archives on the Border Collie Rescue site it goes to show that we shouldn't believe everything we are told.

I love the quote about if they give you pleasure they are not a waste........will remember that one for future use...

I have always had border collies and rottweilers. My sister says that she has never been scared of any of the rotties, but she has always been wary of the collies! I think it is because of the way a collie looks "into" your eyes,not just at you, if you know what I mean.

My two were farm yard collies before I had them - Snorri-dog's dad (Kali's brother) still lives on the farm. He's never aggressive towards visitors (only visiting dogs ), but he's very cautious and always makes it clear that he thinks he's in charge of the area!

If someone who was generally scared of dogs were to see Kali charging down the garden path to say "hello", he/she might well be terrified - I know he's grinning, but you might think he was not in a very good temper!

Snorri

A nsaty collie dont make me laugh never met one yet who was nasty my three would just lick you to death

hello ares are the same they come out the house on to the drive and they do make a noise and if some one comes past the drive at the same time ,they bark there heads off at them ,if they stamped there foot they would both be scared stiff .its just a front to protect the house and us they are the most lovely creatures ,we all ways have collies ,i have not meet a nasty one yet ,they just have there collie brain at work all the time .we take them out three times a day and play games with them they are lovely ,you have to feed there brains ,you ow it to them . i m sure are neighbours are scared stiff of them ,i find it really hurtfull but funny .dont these people exspect a dog to bark ,with even excitement at the prospect of going out .lol dont get me started on that one .

Here's an example of how nasty a collie can be (in a pig's ear).

I think I was about 7 years old before I was allowed to take our first BC for a walk by myself. Off I went, doggy trotting happily beside me - until we got to the dairy farm, where the cows were being driven in to be milked. Now, if there was one thing Glen feared more than anything else, it was a cow.
The drovers were in stitches when they saw the big, tough collie dog jump up into my 7 y.o. arms, for protection!

Mind you, a few years later when I was out with him, I ran into some boys from a rival school, who decided to give me a rough time. Glen just sauntered in front of me, to the end of his lead, and showed them a wall of teeth. Of course, the boys had no idea that Glen would have fled at the first hint of real trouble, but they weren't going to take a chance with him.

He was the ideal dog for young kids - beautifully tempered and always game for a game - in fact, I can't think of a greater compliment to pay a dog than to compare him/her favourably with Glen.

Snorri

snorri thats a lovely story ,i bet glen was your guardian angel collie lol ,are male collie blue merle boy what a good looking boy he is ,he is so big the biggest ever collie boy long legged he is ,smashing (then im biased ) he is the same puffs his chest up ,the look on peoples faces ,i could laugh ,he is soft big boy he is . are girl collie x spaniel (sprollie ) she has more go in her really than dylan ,if anybody gets to pushy with are dylan ,she jumps in front of him to protect him ,she half his size bless her . thats willow .