What does it take to amuse your collie? General Chat

Hi I'd love a BC one day but I'm still slogging through the research period, heh. I love everything about them but I'd just want to know that I could keep up with one when the time came and my circumstances were right. So what kind of things do yours do in a typical day and how long for? Do you ever get a rest?

Well, Jack loves his tennis ball, preferably a sqeaky one, coming in second is a tugga or noisy toy he gets between an hour n half and two hours exercise a day, he loves water (apart from the bath ).

He can and will occupy himself, but never misses the opportunity to throw the tennis ball at you, usually when you have your arms full and can't see it, untill you fall over it if I sit down he either puts a tennis ball or toy on the sofa beside me or sits next to me and plonks himself on me for a cuddle, apart from the cuddle these playing sessions last all day with maybe just about 1/2 hour sleep after his main walk.

He also adores his agility but this doesn't always happen at training or showing, he will jump anything, anywhere, over the back of the sofa, over the wall in his Grans garden, all the BCs I have had have been such characters I wouldn't think about having anything else, you will definately have an energetic bundly of fun, but oh so worth it

Jack jumping his Grans wall

Well that question is simple.............

They Just need me, I'm so nuts that I keep them amused all day long.

Bruce loves to 'find' things, once he has found it he likes to throw it around and make a noise.

Skye loves to do 'Jobs' so Skye has lots of routine jobs...like fetching the post, seeing that the rabbit and guinea-pigs are put away at night. She likes to collect the pegs up when I fetch my washing in...although Bruce does that too. I just throw them on the floor and they collect them, Bruce usually puts them either in the pond or scatters them around the kitchen floor, Skye is a tidy girl and puts them in the bag, But Bruce likes to throw the bag, which means Skye has to collect them again.....she hasn't realised that he is pushing her buttons and taking the pi$$ yet.
Reah is totally different, being older she is a very mature girl and lies down.
They go out 2 or 3 times a day and play ball or go swimming in the Lakes etc., so they don't really get bored.

They play in the house too, that's thier playtime and we hide things or ask Bruce where the 'cream crackers' are he'll show you the cupboard. He fetches his dish too and sits outside the cupboard where his food is with the bowl in his mouth ( that's something that he has taught himself) Reah will collect thier dishes if you ask her to 'get the food bowls then' so they have plenty to occupy them

Well I'm probably really lucky because in actual fact, not that much really (when they're fit and healthy that is). But then I've also not had one younger than 3 years old, so that might make quite a difference too.

They get an hours off lead walk in the morning - this involves ball games for at least part of the walk - usually with the ball chucker. Sometimes we'll play hide it games (I go and hide their ball or something else in the long grass or the woods) and sometimes I'll do a small amount of training (e.g. down, stays etc).

During the day they can be left alone for quite awhile and usually settle no problem - no destruction, barking or anything - they just sleep. They'll get a short walk (15 mins or so at lunchtime) during the week and if my OH is home, he'll play with them in the garden. One of Hoki's favourite past times is watching my OH do DIY - she is just fascinated

early evening they'll get another 1 hour off lead walk. They're usually then quite content to just have a cuddle, but sometimes they are still restless and if that is the case, I'll spend another half hour or so playing with them or training them or sometimes taking them for another walk.

They get another 15/20 minute walk late evening.

Mine are about 3 and 7 years old - both were rescues who we don't think had had much attention/walks etc before coming to us, so I think they just think they're really lucky with what they've got. Whether that would be sufficient for other bcs, I couldn't say.

Have to agree hali......they do seem to calm dowm from 3 upwards...think they mature. Skye is maturing now too.

Have to say I can leave mine too. I have to go to meeting etc., and they are no trouble, just glad to see you when you get back. Upto now (and I won't brag because it could change) but Bruce has never chewed anything, not even shoes that are left in the kitchen. So HOPE it stays that way.

ps....yes we get a rest, once I say that's enough they all lie down

Jacks three now and hasn't started to calm down yet but he's never chewed anything he shouldn't either, and he's fine to be left on his own as well, no problem

Well I have a 10 year old BC x and an almost 2 full BC. They get a good off-lead run every day, and my older girl tends to sleep the rest of the day. I do half and hour or so of training with Alfie each day, and then we have Agility on Tuesdays and Obedience on Thursdays. It's the training that tires him out the most!

During the day he just slinks around, watches out the window, follows people around as they're doing jobs, amuses himself in some other way, or sleeps! Of an evening, when we're sitting watching TV, he does 'the rounds' which involves going to everyone to get a cuddle, and then picks a toy out of his toy box and lies down with it, chewing it up.

I'd say not to worry, border collies do need something to do but they're still dogs, not another species entirely! I think people can worry too much, I've found that border collies are normally pretty adaptable believe it or not, and I think from the fact you are doing research, you'd be getting one for the right reasons. You do have to be on your toes sometimes, but my Alfie is really nice to have around the house, despite being a young border collie!

edit - Mine can both be left for a while if necessary with no worries at all.

I have found giving mine half an hour's work is the equivalent of about 3 hour run.

With a collie you need to tire the brain as well as the body - I have found it is equally as important. I can do bits and pieces of obedience training with my GSD and give her a couple of good walks a day and she is totally satisfied. My collies are only truly tired when they have been working sheep.

I am not saying all collies absolutely HAVE to work sheep to be happy, but it is a great start. If you don't have access to sheep then obedience, agility, flyball etc are another option.

I like it........I think Bruce will be older than 3 before he calms to....but he is a real boy.

I had a phone call yesterday from the chap who rescued his Mom, the conversation went along the lines of

'When you fetching Bruce up to see me agin, how about in three or four weeks'
I said OK
He said...Bring the girls as well, would love to see them all.
I said OK
He said...then you can see the ten puppies I have here all BC's and wanting a home

I said I love them to but I think Bruce is a wee bit young yet
I am going to be but tough ;-)

collie are in need to be kept busy , you just cant think im not , going out today ,they need to run ,they need there brain to be kept busy ,its the least you can do for them ,they are clever and need to be kept ,interested in life mine have three runs a day with ball on arope ,some times in a field like foot ball pitch ,but in ideal it will be in the park ,with area they can explore as well as run and chase one another ,the more friends you have with dogs the better ,they all run together ,and tire one another out ,which is ideal . so friends with dogs are a bonus
meet willow she is high maintenance


meet dylan he isnt so high maintenance as long as he has friends in tow


meet bessey the love of my life ,we lost her now but she started my crazy collies life

forgot to add dylan and willow are comeing up to 4yrs (about willow is rescue ) bessey we had from pup she came pretty much perfect ,dylan was more full of mischief but then that was his job . willow was a rescue she , i guess come from a horrible home ,but we soon stated ,to get there ,she has come along way ,in two years .if you get bitten by the collie bug ,you wont look back ....

With our first collie I worried about giving him enough exercise so we all walked him for hours. Then he lay down for five minutes and was ready to go again, so off he went to play football or cricket with the children. He was a great family dog. He also loved sledging in the winter.
Now I know better. You'll never tire them by walking. All we did was get him fit enough to go for longer and longer.
Dale gets a good couple of hours off lead each day, but we also play games and train. He enjoys searching, ball games and playing with other dogs. We go to clicker class and the minute I lift the tub of treats and the clicker he's all attention.
He loves to learn things and to be involved with whatever's going on. So he enjoys having lots of company.
Leaving him alone for an evening or afternoon has never been a problem. He gets a good run before we go and has plenty of toys.
He doesn't charge around all the time. He's got his favourite spots to lie and watch what's going on in the house or snooze in.
Mind you the best way of keeping him busy has been to get another collie puppy

Should have said Dale is 19 months now. He also has regular walks with other dogs and he really enjoys the company. We also vary where we go. I can think of over a dozen regular walks. I try to mix up fields and woods and trips into towns. Last week end we went to a brass band concert and the weekend before that a fun dog show. Collies enjoy a change of scene.

Hmmm... this is sounding more promising than before.. your dogs are all gorgeous. thanks guys i'd love to have a go at herding and agility etc with them one day, it all looks like so much fun. and then i can join the collie addicts anonymous :mini: :mini: do you think it's better to start off with a mature dog to let you get to know the breed before you get a hyper youngin, or do you jump in at the deep end? I have The Dog Who Sleeps All Day right now so it'd certainly be a culture shock

You can be an addict without having one (but once you have one, I would be surprised if you stopped at just the one )

As for whether younger or older, that can be a difficult decision. Our first bc was Kip, who was about 8 when we rescued him. We had no history with him but he'd evidently had a hard life. He ws with us for 5 eyars and what a gorgeous, super dog he was. We've gradually come down in age - next rescue was 5/6 years old (who we still have) and latest addition was about 3 years. Not sure I'll ever go for younger than that (but then last time round we said no younger than 5 years and came home with a 3 year old )

Personally I like getting middle aged ones for many reasons including (1) everyone else overlooks them (2) they seem so much more appreciative of getting a new home. (3) there are so many of them in rescues.

Some people worry that they won't bond as much with an older dog, having missed its puppyhood, but I have never found that - my bond is much stronger with my rescues than the (non-collie) dogs I've had as pups.

However, if they do come with bad habits, it can take longer to get over these (but I don't believe that you can't teach an old dog new tricks).

Evidently if you want to do agility etc, you don't want to pick one too old. For your first, I would probably avoid a 'teenage' dog - go either for one maybe 3 or 4 years old, or pre-teenage .

Many of the border collie rescues (i.e. breed specific) would be very good at matching you with a suitable dog.

they are SOOOO seasy to entertain, they are obsessive so its just Give a dog a ball type of thing!!!!! However you would need to do some "mental" work also at other times, TBH mine are in general real couch pots & are happy to chill out in front of the tele with me. I think the problem is sometimes TOO much Physical exercise & no Mental, thats when you are going to get Problems, a really FIT dog which is having none of its mental needs met.

Also i think mine benfit from having a very relaxed routine, we do different things each day, including differing feed & bed & walk times, as i think they can get very very demanding & pushy otherwise

^ I agree with that mish, mental stimulation is so important.

I'd say it's totally up to you. My first dog was a BC x by chance, we just wanted a rescue and we got her at 6 years old. She's not very BCish at all really, thick as a plank of wood bless her heart & likes to sleep all day. I then jumped in at the deep end and got a pup, and although it's hard at times, at least I did start with a clean slate. But getting a puppy doesn't mean you won't have problems, so it's swings and roundabouts really!

I'd say if you want to do agility, don't get a dog that's too old, but there's lots of dogs in rescues that would be suitable. Have you looked at the Wiccaweys website? They have lots of gorgeous collies and I'm sure would be able to match you up with something suitable. If you do want a pup, there are lots of different lines that can get very complicated, working, showing, obedience, agility lines, but you're best to talk to people & decide for yourself what you'd like

I've only had one dog from a pup, he was a BC. Jack was a rescue he was 11 months old when we got him, and watching him turn from a nervous, terified heap of quivering wreck, into the confident, entertaining, loving dog he is, and seeing him like this gives me so much pride. He is so eager to please, and thrives on learning something new, which can be a problem as he learns so fast, you end up running out of things to teach him

When or if you get a BC, you will never regret it, but you have to remember that they have a brain, and it needs to be used on a regular basis, we do some sort of training on a daily basis, or something that he has to sort out for himself, the days we don't manage to do this, he's seems hyper and more on edge, but as long as you are aware of these things, then you will be fine

I love the bit.....remember they have a brain....Oh! and what a brain...so smart

I always find these kind of questions difficult! I have a full BC but an extemely diluted version! He's generally quite low energy and happy to lounge around all day. He doesnt display typical collie behaviour neither such as herding, being obsessed with toys or traffic etc. So in my household, owning a BC is extremely easy!

I do find though that you get the best from him when keeping him engaged. In training classes he gives you his full attention but out on a general walk, he does his own thing and ignores what you say.

Both dogs get walked twice a day (99% of the time they get walked together) for at least an hour each time of off lead exercise. I find Jed loves flushing pheasant as much as Flynn so he does that to keep his brain and nose working.

I have to admit I dont play with the dogs all that much with toys. I might take the ball out but Jed loses interest after the first throw so I only really take toys for Flynn.

He goes to obedience on a Thursday night for a couple of hours and usually does agility for 1 1/2 hours on a Wednesday evening. He loves both of these and shows true enthusiasm when we arrive. It's the only time he gets excited and will work hard for me.

Flynn hates obedience and heads for the door each time we get up! It's so much harder taking Flynn than Jed to those classes because I really have to work Flynn and he's way behind compared to Jed at the same age. Jed knows the routine, he knows what he's supposed to do yet the whole proper obedience thing (as opposed to basic training) hasnt clicked with Flynn. I guess thats what makes collies so good as such things...they are naturals with the right style.