What is it about border collies?

[PolarSkye]

. . . that people don't like?

As I said in the like/dislike dog thread, I recognize that they are very much "marmite" dogs - people tend to have strong opinions either way.

Having two collie crosses, I can see some drawbacks - one of ours is utterly neurotic, they can be quite territorial, they need keeping "busy" - particularly in the brain department, their in-built herding instinct can make them unsociable out and about if not managed/handled properly from very young.

But I can also see huge benefits - they are unbelievably loyal (Fred in particular is my shadow and follows me all over the house - he even lies outside the bathroom door when I'm having a bath, whip smart, (mostly) eager to please and learn, fast and agile, a great alarm system.

So what is it about collies?

P

P.S. I promise to try and not be defensive about the replies - I really am just curious

 

[Cop-Pop]

I like them - I'd never own one tho. I'm always wary of meeting colies and collie types on walks as quite a lot of them round here seem to be aggressive towards other dogs.

 

[PolarSkye]

I like them - I'd never own one tho. I'm always wary of meeting colies and collie types on walks as quite a lot of them round here seem to be aggressive towards other dogs.

Yup - Fred can be iffy with other dogs - particularly if he is on the lead - it's why I'm quite careful where I walk him and I always keep on eye on who's around dog-wise.

I think other dogs don't take too kindly to collie's stalking behaviour either and that can cause problems - I'm quite strict with Fred about not doing that - the second he starts stalking I make him heel and then sit, keeping his attention on me rather than the object of his stalking.

That said, a good friend has a staffie/vischla (sp?) cross who is HORRIBLE with other dogs when on the lead - so it may not just be a collie thing.

P

 

[Cop-Pop]

Being aggressive with other dogs def isnt just a collie thing - it just seems round here theres an awful lot of them! I guess being out in teh country people buy them as they think theyre a 'country' dog Personally I like my dogs stoopid

 

[NeverSayNever]

i currently have 5 I can see why they are not for everybody though. You get the odd one that is particularly chilled and easy going for the breed, we have one have one of those, he's a house dog, he's impeccable in every way really! He also spends most of his time sleeping in the sun! He's a pleasure to take places and has one of the most reliable temperaments Ive ever seen in a dog.

The others? Hmmm Well I love them However they are all quirky in their own ways. They are in a routine and live in kennels, only my older bitch would possibly suit being in the house but even then, she is 10 in Feb and would still create havoc if left for any length of time. I have to admit, they are a lot of work to get the stage mine are at now. I find them easy now as they are in a routine and trained - but I have a young dog of 7 months who Im putting hours and hours into, she is the most quirky and highly strung we have ever had, eek, she is the archetypical border collie that Is imagine most people would hate;she is going to be an awesome worker though

 

[NOISYGIRL]

Yup - Fred can be iffy with other dogs - particularly if he is on the lead - it's why I'm quite careful where I walk him and I always keep on eye on who's around dog-wise.

I think other dogs don't take too kindly to collie's stalking behaviour either and that can cause problems - I'm quite strict with Fred about not doing that - the second he starts stalking I make him heel and then sit, keeping his attention on me rather than the object of his stalking.

That said, a good friend has a staffie/vischla (sp?) cross who is HORRIBLE with other dogs when on the lead - so it may not just be a collie thing.

P

My ESS stalks when walking towards other dogs on or off lead, maybe she's part collie lol

 

[BigRed]

They are meant for working, and the vast majority of people who own them, have onlt ever seen them on TV and think they are really clever and really easy to train. So they buy one and plonk them in their back gardens and don't train them and don't walk them, so they end up with a sly, sneaky, neurotic, tyre biting nut case.

It is very rare that I meet one that I like. It's not the fault of the breed, more of the circumstances that most of them find themselves in.

 

[Bettyboo222]

LOVE THEM LOVE THEM

Work have 4 working dogs who I adore hearding with and one Bitch that they breed from, in fact I was at a farm at the weekend looking at some pups that have been bred for herding, unfortunatly I haven't got the time

 

[Naryafluffy]

I think it's that so many people get collies probably not realising how much work they are and then you have collies that are literally bouncing off the walls.
People on here who have collies all seem to know that they require a lot of mental stimulation and even then not guaranteed to not be a bit neurotic.
Think too many people try and keep them as house dogs when they're really not a dog that would be happy lounging about a house.

My friend has a collie and he is one of the few that are really chilled out, however we're still working on the dog being a bit reactive to horses, keep bringing him round mine who doesn't really care about dogs to try and de-sensitise him to them.
I like collies but wouldn't have the time for one.
Aggression on the lead or is it frustration?
I have a English Pointer x Japanese Chin and she really is an aggressive little toad, however her father was like that and I'm sure it's an inherited temperament (the mating was an accident, not planned as you really wouldn't want the dog to father anything, but god forbid they get it neutered)

 

[sam-b]

Absolutely love my 5 month oldborder collie, though still struggling with house training, any ideas?

 

[Dutch1horse]

I think people are intimidated at dogs that are smarter than them

 

[Dobiegirl]

Lovely dogs but not really suitable for the average numpty as too much dog.

They need lots of exercise physical as well as mental and the average owner isnt prepared/capable to give them this.

Most working/farm dogs never leave the farm so has no socialisation hence not good with strangers or other dogs.

These dogs are bred for the job herding sheep and give them a job such as flyball/agility and obedience and they excel after all they are the most intelligent of all dogs.

 

[Taffyhorse]

I love mine - he's 4 but they are definitely a bit 'speshul'!!

Mines amazingly obedient 99% percent of the time and fairly well trained - however we have just started going to basic dog training to socialise him more as he gets very 'fixated' on strange dogs and you just can't get his attention - you could wave a freshly grilled sausage under his nose and he still wouldn't blink or even look at it! On the lead he can be a pain with other dogs - and the dog trainer at our class has advised some 1:1 sessions to help with this - particularly after he disrupted the entire class by staring out several of the other dogs!

BUT he is amazingly loving, very affectionate, easy to train if you can get past his quirks and as long as he has plenty of exercise and stimulation, he's fine. If he doesn't then he's a nightmare!

It makes me really cross when people take on dogs but do no research about the breed and their requirements - this goes for all dogs not just collies, they buy them cos they look 'pretty' or whatever and then end up giving it away a few months later or the dog ends up with a fairly miserable life - not outright cruelty as such but no walking, no training, no interaction etc etc etc, anyway that's probably a whole new thread!!!

 

[lexiedhb]

I would not choose to have one, and atm they annoy me as they are usually chasing after a ball- which annoys my dog- I know this is not the collies fault- I also do not like my dog and I being "rounded up" on walks LOL

 

[Sprout]

I have one now, and have had two in the past, all lovely, but all very different.

They do need a lot of mental stimulation, as well as plenty of exercise, to keep them sane, and some of the behavioural issues can come down to breeding lines too.

One of my previous Collies was frightened of men and traffic, needed to round up everything she saw from people, to animals to flying housemartins, and she was never settled in the house no matter how much exercise she had, always wanting to be outside, running ....

The Collie I have now is the most wonderful dog I have ever had, she is socialable with people, but terrified of other dogs thanks to the terriers opposite who attack her at every opportunity. She is calm in the house, a pleasure to take out anywhere ..... I could go on and on, she really is wonderful.

So often, behaviour is a reflection of training and life style, but character traits such as rounding up in Collies, quartering the ground with Spaniels and guarding with others is what they were bred to do.

 

[blackcob]

As others have said, I've met too many that don't have a job to do and end up being neurotic, snappy and reactive.

I admire them hugely, a well trained collie is a thing of wonder, I am regularly left flabbergasted by the ability of my trainer's two. However, I once asked her if they were like that all the time, did they chill out in the house? Nope, not one bit, if asked to go to their bed they'd lie there quivering, waiting for the next command. It would drive me bonkers.

I prefer my dogs pointy eared, pointy snouted and a bit fick.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Too high energy, too sensitive and too neurotic for me and been on the wrong end of too many farm dogs, but I do admire people who work them and can get the best out of them.
Had a few lectures from collie people on my choice of 'jewellery' but that's a people thing, not a dog thing

 

[Alec Swan]

I think people are intimidated at dogs that are smarter than them

That isn't always the case, but I'd agree, that all so often right, you'd be right. Those who use them for their intended purpose, and I'm one of them, will tell you that the trick is to recognise the direction in which the dog is trying to travel.

First there is a need to understand the dog, and then actually recognise what he's trying to achieve. It isn't easy, and I sometimes get it wrong, but a natural instinct needs steering, rather than being disciplined.

Alec.

 

[prosefullstop]

My aunt and uncle have a Collie, now eleven, which they rescued when the dog was two. He's fantastic with people--though he can be nippy--and he's iffy with other dogs. At his age he's still energetic, needs loads of exercise and training, but isn't that much more work than my eight-year-old Boston terrier (currently thrashing her bird toy around and hitting me with it ).

 

[lula]

. . .

But I can also see huge benefits - they are unbelievably loyal (Fred in particular is my shadow and follows me all over the house - he even lies outside the bathroom door when I'm having a bath, whip smart, (mostly) eager to please and learn, fast and agile, a great alarm system.

So what is it about collies?

my sable and white border collie is ^^ this^^ exactly.
i have heard collies can be a bit funny around other dogs. mine can be but not sure if this b/c of is a previous bad experience or a breed trait.

she's utterly ball/retrieving obsessed too which ive heard is a collie trait.

 

[Fazzie]

I LOVE Border Collies, I have a blue merle and he is the most loyal and protective dog I have ever had, I will only have collies from now on, he is my first collie.
He really means everything to me . I was even late for own my wedding when he was ill !(he has an auto immune condition)
He is my shadow and comes everywhere with me, he is fab with other dogs/the horses but he does tend to 'herd' the cats :/
Honestly I have been through some tough times and I dont know what I would do without him. I will never be abe to find another dog to even come close to him (not that I would ever want to) He's in my siggie

 

[PucciNPoni]

Too high energy, too sensitive and too neurotic for me and been on the wrong end of too many farm dogs,

This!

No offense, but on the whole most of the ones I've seen are just a bit too sharp for my liking. Terriers can be sharp, but will usually be told. I find collies if they get their back up about something, they refuse to give in. I've sent a few home ungroomed because you couldn't get near them, and they can be very menacing with their teeth. Prefer to avoid that if possible.

Next door neighbor has farm dogs - and aside from the fact that they've never seen a brush or bath in all their lives which offends the groomer in me I get seriously irritated by the fact that these two INSIST on crapping directly outside my door!

 

[Fazzie]

I think people are intimidated at dogs that are smarter than them

Agreed

 

[NeverSayNever]

This!

No offense, but on the whole most of the ones I've seen are just a bit too sharp for my liking. Terriers can be sharp, but will usually be told. I find collies if they get their back up about something, they refuse to give in. I've sent a few home ungroomed because you couldn't get near them, and they can be very menacing with their teeth. Prefer to avoid that if possible.

ooh see i like 'sharp' but to me it doesnt mean they cant take a telling, mine darn well do as they are told, there isnt anything I cant do with them. To me it means reacting a lightening speed, being highly driven and not too soft - quite a hard dog, Im still the boss though Although I can imagine my older bitch in certain types of homes would never have been groomed or had her nails cut in her life, lol, she puts up and shuts up with me around though

 

[NikkiF]

Absolutely love watching well trained collies doing their 'job', be it herding, agility, flyball or dancing Wouldn't get one myself as don't think would be good enough to train correctly.

Having said that, several near neighbours have collies and we sometimes walk the dogs together - mine (staffy/lab) is constantly following rabbit trails and sometimes disappears off into the undergrowth for minutes at a time, giving me heart failure, while the collies are constantly watching their owners and staying reasonably close!

 

[cbmcts]

I love to see a BC working, they are unique with their level of concentration and speed of reaction IMO.

As the average house dog - no, not my cup of tea I'm afraid. I love my terriers but any more focused than that is too much for me

But the failings are all mine - I just don't have the patience required to deal with such a sensitive, full on breed.

 

[cyberhorse]

I love them. I currently have one curled up in her bed in the kitchen with my cat. She is loyal, highly intelligent, very observant of the rules of the house (and a major grass) and has a huge vocabulary. She likes to play but does not need a huge amount of exercise, she prefers mental challenges. I can give her a sentence with 3-4 commands in it and she will carry it out in the order the words were given. She knows her toys and items by name. She walks to heel unless sent away, recalls immediately 100%, and understands directional pointing when on a walk. Rounds my ducks up at night and my cats when they hide under the furniture at worming time.

She does not bark unless she feels she needs to draw my attention to something important - she will bark once if someone knocks on the door and I have not reacted by the time they knock the second time or if a cat is stealing or is somewhere it should not be (especially the kitchen worktops!). Otherwise she only ever barks on command. She will sing to the phone but only if I am in the garden so I can hear it, never when I am in the house.

She has never shown any aggression to any animal or person and trust me my Faverolles (chickens) have been known to really ask for it. She breaks up cat fights by physically blocking them getting at each other and ends up getting bashed by 2 rather annoyed cats. I really have not known a more caring and patient dog. And she also wipes her feet on the doormat so what more could you want?!

I honestly believe that collies are fantastic dogs if properly trained and mental occupied. if you treat them like a 3-4 yr old child and set a high standard and give them "jobs" they respond fantastically. Sadly my dog was a Christmas puppy who we found at a rescue in November as she was "untrainable" TBH we found her really easy. I really would be lost without her as she is my constant companion and my greatest role model/tutor with my other animals including foster and rescue cases who need behavioral help.

 

[Sherbert]

Wow cyberhorse, your collie sounds fantastic. We have a 3 year old and he's certainly not neurotic, stressed or aggressive. I also find that he doesn't need that much phsyical excercise but mentally he is always switched on and ready to play if you are. We've just started agility training and the speed he's picked it up is phenomenal.

The only downside is he is rather aloof (except when playing) and not one to be fussed or cuddled.

 

[PolarSkye]

Aggression on the lead or is it frustration?

You know you're probably right - it IS more frustration - or in Fred's case insecurity (he was beaten up by another dog we had - within an inch of his life).

P

 

[PolarSkye]

he gets very 'fixated' on strange dogs and you just can't get his attention - you could wave a freshly grilled sausage under his nose and he still wouldn't blink or even look at it! On the lead he can be a pain with other dogs - and the dog trainer at our class has advised some 1:1 sessions to help with this - particularly after he disrupted the entire class by staring out several of the other dogs!

Oh this is Fred - he definitely gives other dogs the "collie eye" . . . Daisy wouldn't know how but I suspect that's the Springer in her - she really has the best of both breeds. Fred is part Jack Russell so can be a jumped-up little so-and-so, which combined with his neurotic collie side needs watching and careful management.

P