Tell me about them. We adopted one from the shelter this morning. We have a Basset Hound also. Basset is 9 years old and border collie is 7 months. The border collie is trying to be top dog. The basset was there first so a pup won't be top dog.

Very relaxed dog

The border collies I have known need a job. If they don't have a job they become very mischievous. Being herding dogs they like to make things move to where they want them. But I have only ever been around 2 of them that a friend owned.

Same here

Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess

Same experience with ours. Very, very smart. Easily the smartest dog I have been around. But they do need plenty of physical and mental exercise. Our female was trained to herd. When we let her out she would herd whatever was within a few hundred yards....chickens, sheep, other dogs. Towards the end of her life, she would only wait at the door for someone to let her outside to herd something. Oh, and they shed like a mutha....

Retired rancher here. Bred and raised them for years. Someone wrote an article about the breed and how smart they are. I had tons of city folk wanting to buy them. I would never sell a dog to someone that did not have acreage, because the dog would not be happy and neither would the owner. They are highly intelligent and natural herders. They are a touch obsessive which makes them such good herders. My 12 year old still tries to herd the cat and we all know that can't be done. I would not worry about the dog nipping anyone. The incisors of my dogs were never pointed but flat. They nipped cows all day long and never broke the skin. If you can handle the energy and have some room, they are absolutely wonderful dogs. Jimmie Walker up near Hillsboro sold me my last one 12 years ago. He had some great dogs. Just mention that if anyone gets interested. By the by, the collie will end up being the top dog and the basset will not be able to keep up with him. My daughters German Shepherd always went home exhausted after a visit with our border collies.

Have two now, and it's the only breed I've ever owned. Smart as hell, sweet, and highly energetic. Natural herder... needs to run to funnel the energy. Definitely an outside dog. Would do fine in a large backyard, but not a small, cramped space.

My current dogs are sisters from Bellville, TX, 10 years old. When they eventually pass, I'll get another one or two. Great dogs.

Have had 6 border collies. They are awesome dogs. The one I have now thinks that playing fetch is his job. If you hide his toy/ball/frisbee, he will bring you a leaf or a twig for you to "throw" for him. Obsessive is an understatement.

Aquin said:

---

Retired rancher here. Bred and raised them for years. Someone wrote an article about the breed and how smart they are. I had tons of city folk wanting to buy them. I would never sell a dog to someone that did not have acreage, because the dog would not be happy and neither would the owner. They are highly intelligent and natural herders. They are a touch obsessive which makes them such good herders. My 12 year old still tries to herd the cat and we all know that can't be done. I would not worry about the dog nipping anyone. The incisors of my dogs were never pointed but flat. They nipped cows all day long and never broke the skin. If you can handle the energy and have some room, they are absolutely wonderful dogs. Jimmie Walker up near Hillsboro sold me my last one 12 years ago. He had some great dogs. Just mention that if anyone gets interested. By the by, the collie will end up being the top dog and the basset will not be able to keep up with him. My daughters German Shepherd always went home exhausted after a visit with our border collies.

---

Bought four from Jimmy Walker as track dogs for show lambs. Jimmy is as fine a man as you will ever meet. And he is a world champion at training dogs to herd and to track. Loved his collies. Have one left. She is old and I just love on her now. No work.

Collies are wonderful dogs

You do not own enough tennis balls.

Thanks guys for the insight.

We run as a pack in the house. Me, wife, son, Basset, and now collie.

She is around 7 months old. Both dogs are in our bedroom fast asleep. So far today the collie tries to herd the Basset. The basset just looks at her and walks by. The basset growled back at her and the collie just sat there.

Fun to watch the two interact. Yes walks, throwing balls etc are in the future. So are trips to the kennel. It is an outdoor kennel that they can run all over the place.

Left my truck keys laying around,border collie found them
People at Sonic called cause she couldn't remember my pin after placing her order

Agree you have to keep your collie busy which for me helped me stay in shape working her.

Anyone have problems with them in excessive heat?

They are water loving dogs,love the pool, seem to be smart enough to take a break in the shade
Use common sense about exercise and temp

I have had two. My current old man is 16, bind in one eye, and is STILL trying to anticipate what I want him to do. They are very smart and intuitive. He has done just fine in the backyard and is perfectly calm when inside.

Quote:

---

Tell me about them. We adopted one from the shelter this morning.

---

Uhhhhh....that's seems a little backwards. Maybe you should have asked first.



Regardless, as others have said, great dogs in many ways. Some have a laid-back personality, others are obsessive and will NOT stop for anything.

Daughter has one that would chase tennis balls until his paws were worn off, if you let him. Her second one is content to lay around looking pretty, and only chases the tennis ball to take it away from and annoy BC #1.

She suspects that #1 may have been bred to do agility competitions, and may have been given to the shelter because he was over-bred and too obsessive. He's "Max", for 'max afterburner", and it fits. The "pretty" one is Rudder, partially for James Earl Rudder, but also for his rudder, or rather his lack of one, his tail, which was bobbed off to a three inch nub at some point. Might have been a congenital defect.

Bottom line, they all have different personalities, but they will be happiest when given a job of some sort, and lots and lots of exercise.

Thanks for doing a rescue, BTW. Both of her were, and she's fostered several others.

Max on the left, Rudder on the right