Watching the sheepdog trials on the tv with Poppy... She is very unimpressed with all the whistling and shouting, and says she is very glad she is not a border collie. Oof, she's just climbed on my lap! Gosh those collies are amazing... And you thought gun dog training was difficult!!!
Coco was mesmerized by it. Totally. They are amazing dogs, but I was questioning OH as to how they are trained. They appear devoted to their owners.
I don't know all That intense frenzy is a bit scary. They seem like they only have one gear. It must be exhausting being a collie.
I find it quite uncomfortable to watch. Mainly the footage from older times. The dogs don't always looks happy to me. Still very clever dogs, though.
Obsessive collies are a bit scary but it's amazing watching them work. Talk about treading a fine line between natural instincts and control!
Unfortunately I been in the receiving of the uncontrolled collie they are not nice dogs sometimes and some do seem a little mad. Maybe it's the boardom and frustration that makes them so unpredictable
The only dog that has bitten me badly was a BC, back in the days I had a paper round. I still love them, though. I used to think that it was my ideal dog, but the thought of owning one just exhausts me now The herding definitely comes naturally to them; one of our neighbours in Andorra has a BC the same age as W&S. She's a sweet little thing, but they just don't know how to play together. She tries to herd them, which mine don't understand, and they try to play chase, which she doesn't understand. It's quite sad to watch in a way.
My mum has always had border collies. They are not my favourite dogs, just too hard-wired for me. You need to be careful, if you want one as a family pet, to buy one from lines that have been bred as pets, not as workers, because if they come from working lines they really easily become frustrated, and that can change into obsessive behaviour. Of the four borders she has had, three have been pretty much obsessive, either about balls or herding, and one had to be put down because she herded everyone and everything, and bit the ankles of too many people... Only one of the four was truly happy as a family pet.
I find them very attractive dogs, but way too high maintenance for me. There are lots and lots of BCs here - the Isle of Man is really a big farming community and there are BC litters for sale every week! Most if not all are working stock, but only a few adverts specify the pup must go to be a working dog.
I'm not saying they CAN'T make good family pets; they can - but they need to do some kind of work to keep them stimulated, be that agility or flyball, or similar. One of my dummy-training friends has a border collie. She (the dog) loves dummy work, but can never enter any competitions as she is completely gun shy (borders are often very reactive to sound). I train with her at least once a month, she's a very clever dog, but it's a bit of a challenge for her owner as she is now almost completely deaf.
Moo loves collies she squeeks like a girly fan when she sees one. She sings to them and wants to be near them it all very embarrassing. Her fav is Jake she would just run to him she even sent him a Valentine's card one year she's so in lurch. He's sadly died now she always loves the older man.
