Is a Collie x Lab for me?

[proctor]

I'm looking for a puppy at the mo for a resonable price, and a friend of a friend has a litter of Collie x Labs currently 4 weeks old and has said that she would let me have one. I've owned dogs before but all from the ages of 2 upwards. This will be the first puppy. I have a 5 year old daughter who has a great respect for animals, a cat, and chickens. During the day it will be up the yard with me, and there are horses (obviously!) and other dogs, all of whom get on well with eachother. Anyone know what kind of temperament these 2 dogs put together would have?!!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Well all dogs are different but you've got a combination of potential brains, trainability, workability, high energy, loyalty, steadiness, stubborn-ness, a healthy appetite, destruction/anxiety when left alone, chewing.
You might get one that leans to the collie side or one that leads to the lab side or a mix of both.

Having said that I've known a few of that cross and they have all been pleasant dogs and it sounds like you could offer a nice home.

Don't bring a pup home until around eight weeks, any earlier is too young IMO.
And I wouldn't be paying too much for a crossbreed either, if you were a friend I would be looking for it for as little as possible.

 

[NeverSayNever]

awwww, puppppieeesss

ditto everything CC said, and leave it as late as poss to bring yours home, even to 10 weeks if you can.

One thing I would say is to register with a good training class asap. Contact your local vets as they may have contacts for some, or look on the KC website. Vets may well run puppy parties as well, which are fab. Remember also when you get your pup to exercise little and often - overwalking pups is a common mistake and its v important with bigger boned breeds like labs to take great care. a lot of people also dont realise that the same often goes for collies, my friend currently has a litter which at 12 weeks weigh the same as my 8 year old bitch and are going to be mahoosive!!!!

 

[proctor]

Thanks for the info, very helpful. I wanted to leave it until the pup was 10 - 12 weeks old before I have it. Seen pups before who have left Mum too early and they ended up a bit on the funny side, and not haha funny either!!!

 

[splashgirl45]

i have a collie/lab, mum pure border collie dad border collie/lab so she is mainly collie. she is a brilliant dog BUT needs plenty of excercise and would play all day if i encouraged it. as long as you are prepared to put in the work i think these are good crosses, but the secret is lots of excercise combined with the appropriate training....have fun if you get one...

 

[dingle12]

I have one and he is the most loyal well behaved dog ive known however he ruined my house as a 2 year old just started chewing for no reason i had never had a creat before him and i should of started with one as a pup he soon got over the chewing and as i said he is a fantastic dog. He has taken more to the collie and when we first go for a walk he can be a pain on the lead as walking is so much fun that is one thing ive never been able to sort out with him and ive just gave up on it so i put up with him.

Having wrote all that he sound an awful dog to put up with but he is not i would have hundrads more of him.

 

[dominobrown]

My collie X lab was our first dog. She is very intelligent and easy to train, depsite her owners! She is great with kids, cats, horses and other dogs, never bitten or anything nasty.