Border Collies! Where and why? Discussions

Do you have any piccies JFK? Is your Kyp a merle? He sounds very special.

Will do. I can't wait for the season to start! I only do KC shows and will probably start at Easter.

My star boy has Woodsorrel on his Dam's side and all ISDS registered dogs on his sire's. The next two are both Foxtwists out of Blackrobin Highlander although the youngest one goes back to Woodsorrel on her Dam's side as well. She has an unregistered dog a few generations back so she is WSD whereas her 'uncle' is BC - daft isn't it!

Lovely pics everyone

I am an ex collie owner but would definately have another some time in the future.

Freddie (RIP) was farm bred in Co Mayo, Ireland. Freddie belonged to somebody that a friend knew. He was going to be shot due to chasing sheep and not working them. He arrives to us with a piece of baler twine round his neck at about a year old. He was a wonderful dog and so clever.

I now compete in agility and obedience and do regret not doing it with Freddie. He passed away aged about 10 with a suspected brain tumour

Sorry, I meant what ISDS lines are in your boy I don't really know the lines of show or sports collies.

We currently have 2 Border collies Astra Sky who is black and white and is ISDS Registered and Sunny who is a a Red and White Tri colour who came from a farm about 40 miles from us - Sky is 3.5 and Sunny is 2

One day I will have the Blue Merle I wanted but got these 2 instead they are the best of friends and live with the Clan cats mainly ferals who are the dogs best friends and can be found sleeping in their crates and cleaning their heads daily

I'm afraid I'm not really familiar with how the ISDS system works - I just know they all have ISDS in front of their names! His sire is a Ravenscliff if that's any good?

His grandsire on his Dam's side is Mary Ray's Quincy.

I wish I did, I'm technically rubbish and photobucket gets the better of me every time! Lol! He really is my boy in a million don't think I'll ever get another like him. He is a tri blue Merle and a huge one at that +23 inches. I can post a link to his page on the corriedhu website if you'd like to see his pics . www.corriedhu.co.uk/Kyp.htm

Interesting post, looking forward to reading everyones replies

Hi Kirsty, I have always had an interest in Obedience as My mother competed when we were kids, I did some agility training with PRT's & that started the Passion and I got Len with the idea of one day being able to do agility.
Lens sire was competed in sheep dog trials & belonged to a Man named wilf reed Damm wasn't reg but worked sheep.
I can't wait to have another Collie, am so broody for a pup but I am still trying to sell & move house to somewhere bigger!!

Pam I'm doing saturday at Tag this easter.

I've entered TAG as well for the whole weekend. I'll have to pm you my mobile number. I'd love to see Len in action!

Ahh that would be brill! I'd love to do whole weekends but not easy with kids & work & I'm not set up for camping.

Be nice to meet you & your star boys!

When I was not much more than a baby, my parents took in a rescue BC boy. Glen was with us for 19 years, and he was my constant companion.

So, when I was able to have my own dog, I had no trouble choosing a breed! Thorgeir, my current boy, is, like Kali and Snorri before him, the product of farmyard shenanigans, and is registered only with the vet!

His job is to be my friend and companion, and he does it very well. Because of my disability, I can't get out with him as I want, to find out what he can do :-(

Snorri

Because I honestly thought that they should be working dogs, not pets.

As for whether they've lived up to my expectations...yes and no.
No in that I've found they cam make very good pets providing you're prepared to put some time in.
Yes in that they are as intelligent, loyal and amazing as I ever thought they were

Unfortunately Jeanette I think there are far too many farmers who just advertise their litters on a wall outside the farm or suchlike and then sell to whoever comes with the money :-( He looks a fab dog too, so am pleased to hear he eventually ended up in a home who appreciates him and can look after him properly.

Oh, of course you had sheps, how could I forget

Do you have any photos of Freddie? He sounded a wonderful character and I am so happy to hear that he had a safe and loving home with you. Unfortunately it seems that collies in Ireland are treated very much as "livestock" or a "tool" - worthless if they don't work :-( More so than in the UK I think.

Do you have a pic of your two? I would love to see a pic of the dogs with the feral cats How fab! I would love a couple of outdoor cats around the place to keep the rats/mice down, but not sure our dogs wouldn't eat them (or more likely the gamekeepers would shoot them )

I do like blue merles but probably wouldn't choose to have one over a nice black/white or tri. Hubby isn't keen on them at all for some reason.

Well I do know Quincy ;-)

No worries about the ISDS pedigree - they can be a bit hard to decipher. There is a chap who can send you a 5 generation ISDS pedigree if you send him the sire/dam name and ISDS number and that tells you a bit more about how your dog is bred/who bred who and whether they have been sheepdog champs etc. Very interesting if you are interested in pedigrees.

Just waiting for the photos to load ... I don't have broadband :-( Wow - reading the write-up it seems that Kyp is a real little agility superstar No wonder you are so proud of him.

I haven't heard of Wilf Reed, but will ask OH. Collie puppies are exceptionally cute aren't they? Hope you manage to get your second collie when you get a bigger house.

Wow - Kyp is gorgeous and looks soooo much like Ghost. Lovely dog.

Funny what you said about your other half and blue merles,Ashleigh who I bought Rook from would only ever work blue merles and rooks mum was a cracking dependable worker.... funny ol'world

My mum was horrified when I first got a collie, as she was brought up on a farm and was convinced that border collies should only be on farms as workers. She was slightly mollified (sp?) when I started doing herding classes with him ... but not when my pup started eating my house