Has anyone taken a failed sheep dog as a pet?

Mine cracked me up tonight, we encourage her to get in the water trough after she has done some sheep work as she gets hot quickly. So tonight we were putting lambs in a small paddock with just some water buckets. Yup she squeezed herself in and sat in one like a bath!
Mine is very content to entertain herself in a good way: she loves watching tv, I have to limit it as I don't want her eyes to be ruined but she loves You've been framed and the be more dog advert!
 
I wouldn't have a collie as a pet - they are too much work to keep them happy. We had a long string of them when I was a kid and they all had issues and they and jack russells are the only breed I've been regularly bitten by. My current one is a working dog and a delight in the home, but god does he need some exercise and stimulation, and I second what was said about them being quick to make a decision, they are amazingly quick all round, oftentimes I've opened a gate and look around for the dog to go through and he's been through so quick I didn't even see it! Like a little black ghost...
 
I am not worried about collie's as pets in general, I already have 2 (who are wonderful with my baby girl I might add, and one is from working stock, just never worked) my concern was, could a collie that has started life as a working dog, settle into a none working life.

They have plenty of stimulation, walks etc, I am well aware of what collies require and I can offer that. What I didnt want to do was bring a dog home and him be stressed because he didnt have a job (though would be going to agility and flyball)
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
Debs and pets our flock is mainly Shetlands with a few Herdwicks and Herdwick Ryeland crosses so similar make-up. Even today the first time I worked out how to get dog to get the sheep into the pen, where to stand etc, it was amazing to have the Herdwicks where I wanted them, normally I have to try and entice them with food or wait until patient OH can help me. Even tho the dog we've taken on isnt very trained, she knows enough to make a difference!

I do worry about what dry rot says about not being enough work tho, I might speak to my shearer etc about whether he may be able to use her for anything.
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Yup this sounds so familiar !!!


We already have 4 ESS which I did all the gundog training on successfully so I am not too worried on the training front or stimulation either for the times when the dog wouldn't be working sheep/cattle etc. the only thing we have to worry about is our eldest dog as he doesn't always take to other dogs or b1tches for that matter ...... So we would have to be rather selective where he is concerned :-(
 
debsandpets said:
Yup this sounds so familiar !!!


We already have 4 ESS which I did all the gundog training on successfully so I am not too worried on the training front or stimulation either for the times when the dog wouldn't be working sheep/cattle etc. the only thing we have to worry about is our eldest dog as he doesn't always take to other dogs or b1tches for that matter ...... So we would have to be rather selective where he is concerned :-(
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I'm feeling a bit more confident as have discovered that driven dog is actually very very fond of ball games too, so think she will be fine now. Younger one hasn't had any formal sheep training tho shes catching on, but she's less focused I think.
 
Glad to hear yours are doing as needed and also getting some fun too :-)
So many people don't allow their dogs to enjoy their working life which I find all too sad :-(
 
debsandpets said:
Glad to hear yours are doing as needed and also getting some fun too :-)
So many people don't allow their dogs to enjoy their working life which I find all too sad :-(
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I agree, the reason we were given these dogs when the owner had to give up her flock (even tho dog is good with cattle and sheep and the neighbour farmer wanted to take them for his cattle herding) was that owner didn't want them chained up 23 hours a day, but to have more of a life.
 
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