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Yeah, mine definitely doesn't need that either. And he's a 10 month old intact male chocked full of hormones. If I want to be out for hours he'll be right there with me, but I'm a student living in a teeny apartment (basement unit) and he totally is happy with it. Some days he doesn't get more than 10 or 20 minutes of physical exercise. He always does lots of trick training and brain stuff so he's never really inactive, but he can easily handle days of nothing. I could probably do 4 or 5 before he really started to itch. The only way he ever shows a reaction to the down time is that he's a little more excited (read: pulls more) the next time we get out. They totally don't need that much time. Any that appear to need it have their owners very well trained. :)

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Some days 2 hours are a possibility but not most days, and in bad weather none of mine have wanted to go out, Rievaulx won't even go out and pee. We do interact with our dogs all the time, even if it is just a casual conversation while passing and a quick scratch. As as already been said the amount of exercise is based on the dogs expectations.

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I get her out for two hours of exercise a day. I'm telling you..you may not get it yet but on rainy days or days that you can't get them out they will literally drive you up the wall until you take them out.

 

If you work a normal work day out of the house and are in an apartment I don't think it is a good idea.

First of all I lived with Lyka in an apartment for the first year of her life. I worked 7:30-4:00 everyday and she only got to run outside for maybe 30 minutes a day when I worked. I did run her on weekends for fun, but even then not for 2 hours a day.She did not drive me crazy, as she had plenty to do in the house with puzzle toys, chews, and kongs at night. I also worked on her training which is just as important as running around if not more exhausting at times.

 

You can make it work if you put in the effort and know how to wear a dog out without running it like crazy.

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I agree with the above postings. Two hours of exercise a day is nice but not necessary. And you most certainly can make a good home for a border collie even if you work full time and live in a small apartment. It is not ideal, but how many of us have ideal lives? You can make it work. I did. The key for me was that when I was not working the number one priority in my life was to spend time doing things with my dog. That is what I wanted most to do.

 

I honestly think the most important thing is just really to want to spend time doing things with your dog. If you are going to ignore the dog, then don't get one. If you really want to share your life with a dog and teach the dog things and take the dog with you to fun places then where you live or even how much you work is irrelevant.

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I honestly think the most important thing is just really to want to spend time doing things with your dog. If you are going to ignore the dog, then don't get one. If you really want to share your life with a dog and teach the dog things and take the dog with you to fun places then where you live or even how much you work is irrelevant.

 

 

^^This. I have 7 (aged 16 weeks to nearly 15 years). I have had as many as 9. I also have four cats (as many as 6). I work full time. I freelance part time. I raise sheep (i.e., farm part time). There is pretty much never 2 hours in a day for sustained planned exercise. I take them on nice long walks when I can; I train them on stock (if they had aptitude, which all except one rescue did) and have them help me with farm chores; I teach them tricks. I do let them play with one another, obviously, but I DON'T want them to be more interested in playing with one another than in doing things with me. I have never deliberately kept to a specific schedule of X amount of Y sort of exercise every day. If you do that, you get dogs who expect just that (as described earlier in this thread). I have no interest in having dogs that pester the snot out of me if I can't give them the exercise I've trained them to want/need.

 

Your dog (whether you start with a pup or a young adolescent) will mostly become what you make it (within its genetic limitations). Teach it to entertain itself and to go lay quietly if you're busy doing something. I can sit in front of my computer for hours editing and not be bothered by my dogs, but if I push my chair back, they are ready to go do something if that's what I plan to do (vs., say, going to the bathroom).

 

I have always made sure that my cats have an area that is a dog-free zone. All the cats I've had when I've had dogs have responded differently to them. Some actively seek play with the puppies(!)--puppies all seem to outgrow the desire to play with the cats at some point; some sleep together with specific dogs; some don't mind the dogs but don't actively seek interaction. I have had adult rescues and all sorts of puppies. I've never not been able to teach a dog to leave the cat(s) alone. But I do like the cats to have their own space--it keeps dogs out of the litter box and cat food if nothing else.

 

Re: Farm equipment. I see nothing wrong with a dog riding in an enclosed cab. But if you are getting in and out and there's a possibility the dog would get in and out with you and that you might ever be distracted and forget to get the dog back in, then I'd err on the side of caution and not take the dog on the equipment. I know dogs who have been run over and killed by farm equipment, always an accident, and always heartbreaking to the owner. The littermate of one of my older dogs was killed that way on a dairy farm. Her owner said that she had always stayed out of the way of the tractor, but then one day she didn't. Clearly that's not an issue if the dog is in the cab, but if you're doing that, then I think I would make it a policy for the dog to be required to stay in the cab, even if you get out (unless there's no a/c and the dog would roast in there). But honestly, you don't need to spend every minute with your dog, and it may be that the time you're on the tractor is the time when your dog has its own personal down time, safely away from farm equipment.

 

Re: Living quarters: My dogs have lived with me in house small and large and on properties small and large. I have always made sure to have a fenced yard for them. We even lived in a 23 foot camper (me and 8 dogs) for several months a year ago when I took a job in a different state and couldn't find a place to live quickly enough. It was tight, but we managed!

 

You sound like a good potential owner to me. As someone else noted, Texas is full of good working dog breeders. Someone on this forum recently got a pub from Hub Holmes. Do visit the link provided and see what you can find out. Don't discount rescue either. My first working/trialing dogs also happened to be rescues who came to me at 18 months and 5 years.

 

Keep us posted!

 

J.

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(Fatty post warning. I'm a habitual rambler and I didn't trim down or proof read too thoroughly before posting. Apologies for headaches and eye-aches.)

 

I'm hopping back in here to say that please, please, don't get caught up in the idea if you raise the puppy it will be mentally stable. For YOUR mental health, don't do that. Please, just don't set yourself up for that. If you want a puppy get one, but do so with the awareness that you can do everything right and still end up with issues. Believing they're blank slates and if there are issues it's because you did something radically wrong is a great way to set yourself up for massive guilt and a deep sense of failure. I mean you'll feel that no matter what, but it's so much worse when you start believing that if you do everything right things will be perfect.

 

I cannot stress enough that while exercise and location are both important factors, I think it takes a strong person to own a border collie. It's a partnership unlike any other, but both parties have to try hard for the best results. You have to find a rhythm with your dog.

 

I want to add that you should really know who you are and why you want a border collie before you get one. I knew exactly what I wanted in Maple (my girl). Besides the obvious shallow reasons for wanting a BC, there are few selfish reasons for wanting a dog. I wanted a dog who would be my best friend, simply put. Someone who would get me off my bum each day. A challenge. You will never be bored with a border (which seems like a good thing a lot of times but sometimes you'll wish you still had the capability to be bored).

 

I'm going to just put out there that I'm a teenage girl with an unfenced, suburban lot. I go to a prestigious prep school that makes a point to hand out generous amounts of homework along with mandatory athletics until 5 pm. In the winter months, it's dark by 5:00, and I still have a bouncy 8 month old border collie to entertain. It's not about the amount of exercise, be it physical or mental. It's about the quality. I find the thing that satisfies Maple the most is when I'm thoroughly engaged. I'd say on average we spend about 45 minutes doing physical activities per day. If I'm absolutely swamped with schoolwork, or if the weather is bad, or in the rare instance I'm ill, she might not get any at all. She gets a bit antsy on these days, sometimes a bit bothersome, but overall does what I would consider very well for an 8 month old pup.

 

The post I quoted above I felt needed special attention. I agree completely. No dog is a blank slate. My dog went from utterly terrified of cars to a rabid chaser. She's gotten so much better around small children, but she still seems to want to bite their faces off from time to time. She'll chase anything that moves quickly, just so long as it's not making a scary noise while doing it. She hates old people, but I cannot express the rush of pride and accomplishment when she lets complete strangers give her a quick scratch on the head without barking or cowering or lunging. It brings a smile to my face just writing about it. With border collies-- any dog really, these accomplishments are the moments you'll cherish the most. The breakthroughs. But they take a ton of work.

 

This is a border collie. Work. On both ends. For as long as that dog is alive. Are you prepared for this? For the challenges? And what about personality? There's no real way to pick the most compatible personality out of a litter of 8 week old pups. With the exception of what you know about the parents and the upbringing, it's mostly luck of the draw. Even the most well-tempered parents can occasionally give way to little monsters. You have to learn to love your dog for what s/he is, which is one of the hardest parts of bringing home a puppy. S/he's not going to be perfect.

 

Before getting a puppy, you'll probably read books that'll prepare the sorry mutt to become the perfect dog. I think they make these guides so perfect so that people don't miss the mark by too much. You know, being human and all.

 

What I'm trying to say is, your dog won't be the perfect textbook example the guides say they will if you do "this" and "that". Don't expect that. Between school and my reactive little bugger, I'll shamelessly admit that I've cried and near-given up hope a number of times. But it's next to impossible to stay that way when Maple pushes her nose into my cheek and asks for cuddles. I'm going to keep trying as long as she does, and border collies are known for their endless stamina. It's only an uphill battle until you reach the top of the hill (even though there are many, many hills in border collie ownership).

 

This is my experience/warning with my dog. Others may feel differently, since every dog is different as is every dog-human partnership. It's really up to you to decide if you can accept such a huge commitment/source of stress/source. Come back to the boards when in doubt.

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Cptjack,

Never said one word about awfulness..that is your word ;) what I meant is exactly what you said they can "get annoying" I also didn't say my girl is destructive....but it can happen..many border collies get put in shelters because people didn't truly realize how they need to be stimulated and they talk about them getting destructive. My girl has never been destructive..I was just trying to say they can get pushy and a one track mind if not stimulated and exercised consistently. Just trying to help her understand is all. Every Border Collie is not the same in what they need but they generally are higher energy dogs. I'm also not trying to discourage. You sound like you have done a lot of research into the breed and know what they need. They are fabulous dogs. IMO there is no better breed.

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You're right and I must have misunderstood.


The 'or they'll drive you up the wall if you don't' re: 2 hours or so of exercise, and then talk about destructiveness if not given proper amounts of exercise afterward must have just let me to the wrong conclusion.

 

Maybe we have different ideas about what being driven up the wall means?


But nah, even at 'if not given consistent exercise' I'd still disagree. My dog's left the house today twice - to pee - because it's cold, and because of those same reasons the only time she's been out for more than 20 minutes a day in the last week is the once we went to a class. Now, there's some mental stimulation in there, but maybe MAYBE half an hour a days worth and to tell the truth that's a generous estimate and ultimately that's probably the most she's gotten any of those days.

 

And she's been no more pesty than really wanting to hog the electric blanket and snuggle.

 

She knows what's expected and what she CAN expect, and is pretty happy to go along with it.

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Tiffany,

I don't think Capt. Jack is being nasty--just disagreeing with your assertion that they will drive you crazy (up the wall) if not given X amount of exercise a day. As I stated in my post I have seven and they have never gotten a specific amount of exercise each day and yet they are not destructive and do not drive me up the wall. The fact is that you have created a dog who expects/needs 2 hours of exercise a day or it will drive you up the wall (whatever your definition of that is). Most of the other folks who have posted here have stated that they do not have this issue and that the OP shouldn't worry about it as long as he spends quality time with his dog.

 

I have a friend who takes her dogs to the park every day for 45 minutes of exercise. On days when she can't do that (not too often) I get texts from her about how her dogs are annoying her because she didn't get them to the park. She has taught her dogs to expect to go to the park every day and she reaps the reward of that expectation (which she created) on the days she can't take them.

 

Yes, some dogs are more demanding/active than others, but all-in-all, these dogs are what we make them. If you have a dog who requires 2 hours of exercise a day, it's because you raised her to be that way. No nastiness intended here, but for the OP and others reading, you and my friend are classic examples of the oft repeated mantra here, which is that if you buy into the myth that they require hours of exercise a day and then provide hours of exercise a day for your (the general you) dog, you will indeed end up with a dog who requires hours of exercise each day.

 

J.

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Most of the time we have the dogs that we have created - meaning that most behaviors that our dogs exhibit have been trained into existence by our own behavior, whether intentionally or not. While there are always exceptions to this, I think it is generally true.

 

I remember one time when my best friend and I were going somewhere with Jester, and I said in an annoyed tone of voice to him, "Jes, why do I always have to ask you twice before you get into the car?" My friend said "Gee, I wonder who taught him that?" And she was right, of course. :)

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Yes, some dogs are more demanding/active than others, but all-in-all, these dogs are what we make them. If you have a dog who requires 2 hours of exercise a day, it's because you raised her to be that way. No nastiness intended here, but for the OP and others reading, you and my friend are classic examples of the oft repeated mantra here, which is that if you buy into the myth that they require hours of exercise a day and then provide hours of exercise a day for your (the general you) dog, you will indeed end up with a dog who requires hours of exercise each day.

 

J.

 

Yes, this.

 

I'm sorry, I absolutely was not trying to be nasty nor did I intend to be and I sincerely apologize if I came across that way. It was late, I was mobile and I was using fewer words than I might have to soften my online 'tone' otherwise.

 

I meant no nastiness at all, nor any insult. It's just simply that while dogs do vary it is very, very easy to buy into the idea that BC need this kind of exercise and then create a dog that is harder to live with than it needs to be and a situation that leaves neither owner nor dog happy in the long run - if you CAN maintain that lifestyle it is fine, but often life interrupts and you can't and problems occur.

 

I just don't want that to happen to OP or anyone reading here, later.

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(Fatty post warning. I'm a habitual rambler and I didn't trim down or proof read too thoroughly before posting. Apologies for headaches and eye-aches.)

 

 

I cannot stress enough that while exercise and location are both important factors, I think it takes a strong person to own a border collie. It's a partnership unlike any other, but both parties have to try hard for the best results. You have to find a rhythm with your dog.

 

I want to add that you should really know who you are and why you want a border collie before you get one. I knew exactly what I wanted in Maple (my girl). Besides the obvious shallow reasons for wanting a BC, there are few selfish reasons for wanting a dog. I wanted a dog who would be my best friend, simply put. Someone who would get me off my bum each day. A challenge. You will never be bored with a border (which seems like a good thing a lot of times but sometimes you'll wish you still had the capability to be bored).

 

I'm going to just put out there that I'm a teenage girl with an unfenced, suburban lot. I go to a prestigious prep school that makes a point to hand out generous amounts of homework along with mandatory athletics until 5 pm. In the winter months, it's dark by 5:00, and I still have a bouncy 8 month old border collie to entertain. It's not about the amount of exercise, be it physical or mental. It's about the quality. I find the thing that satisfies Maple the most is when I'm thoroughly engaged. I'd say on average we spend about 45 minutes doing physical activities per day. If I'm absolutely swamped with schoolwork, or if the weather is bad, or in the rare instance I'm ill, she might not get any at all. She gets a bit antsy on these days, sometimes a bit bothersome, but overall does what I would consider very well for an 8 month old pup.

 

The post I quoted above I felt needed special attention. I agree completely. No dog is a blank slate. My dog went from utterly terrified of cars to a rabid chaser. She's gotten so much better around small children, but she still seems to want to bite their faces off from time to time. She'll chase anything that moves quickly, just so long as it's not making a scary noise while doing it. She hates old people, but I cannot express the rush of pride and accomplishment when she lets complete strangers give her a quick scratch on the head without barking or cowering or lunging. It brings a smile to my face just writing about it. With border collies-- any dog really, these accomplishments are the moments you'll cherish the most. The breakthroughs. But they take a ton of work.

 

This is a border collie. Work. On both ends. For as long as that dog is alive. Are you prepared for this? For the challenges? And what about personality? There's no real way to pick the most compatible personality out of a litter of 8 week old pups. With the exception of what you know about the parents and the upbringing, it's mostly luck of the draw. Even the most well-tempered parents can occasionally give way to little monsters. You have to learn to love your dog for what s/he is, which is one of the hardest parts of bringing home a puppy. S/he's not going to be perfect.

 

Before getting a puppy, you'll probably read books that'll prepare the sorry mutt to become the perfect dog. I think they make these guides so perfect so that people don't miss the mark by too much. You know, being human and all.

 

What I'm trying to say is, your dog won't be the perfect textbook example the guides say they will if you do "this" and "that". Don't expect that. Between school and my reactive little bugger, I'll shamelessly admit that I've cried and near-given up hope a number of times. But it's next to impossible to stay that way when Maple pushes her nose into my cheek and asks for cuddles. I'm going to keep trying as long as she does, and border collies are known for their endless stamina. It's only an uphill battle until you reach the top of the hill (even though there are many, many hills in border collie ownership).

 

This is my experience/warning with my dog. Others may feel differently, since every dog is different as is every dog-human partnership. It's really up to you to decide if you can accept such a huge commitment/source of stress/source. Come back to the boards when in doubt.

 

Teenager...? Obviously you are doing well in English composition class.

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I live in an apartment and it works as long as...(and this is so important) I get her out for two hours of exercise a day. I'm telling you..you may not get it yet but on rainy days or days that you can't get them out they will literally drive you up the wall until you take them out. They are focused and won't give up ;)

If you work a normal work day out of the house and are in an apartment I don't think it is a good idea..I'm home 24/7. They don't like to be alone very much. They will become your shadow..which I love!

If you give proper exercise then they shouldn't be destructive. A lot of them tend to be scared of loud noises..stimulating their brain is important too. They don't like to just lay around and not do anything and that is when they become destructive.

They are a great breed but definitely a lot of work...but worth every bit of it.

 

Sorry Tiffany but I don't agree with most of that as a generalised picture of the breed.

 

Others have covered the exercise thing. I haven't decided whether I will be able to take mine out today and they haven't been out for the last couple of days because of bad weather. Seven month old is asleep at my feet, 9 year old is very quiet wherever he is.

 

Plenty of people leave a houseful of dogs or a singleton and go out to work and the dogs adapt fine. I happen to work from home but most of my collie owning friends have regular jobs.

 

It's often said that they are often sound sensitive but tbh I don't find them any worse than lots of other dogs. Maybe they might be more inclined that way if they lead a sheltered life? Our 9 year old used to be fine but has learned to be worried by bangs from my hound mix. Ironic ally the hound is nowhere near as bad as he used to be.

 

I only have two collies of my own but know hundreds. If I were to generalise I would say the most common type is the one that is raring to go if there is something interesting in the offing but just as ready to go off and chill if there isn't. The only people I know with demanding dogs are those who make their life's work to be their dog's entertainments manager.

 

Remember that this is supposed to be a working breed. "Working" doesn't mean working all the time;it means working when needed, keeping out of the way when not.

 

Of course anyone can end up with a dog that is the exception but that's just life.

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Wow, lots of good advice in this thread. Just wanted to echo some of the comments. I live in a studio apartment with my 8 month old BC (got him at 3 months), so living space is not an issue. He is crated 8-9hrs a day on weekdays and does great (no complaints from neighbors, he doesn't even bark when another tenants dog start barking apparently). I go home for a long lunch so he doesn't have to be crated for more then 4-5hrs at one time. I completely agree with the comments about the exercise needs are overstated by a lot of people. I used to exercise my pup a lot to tire him out, but this honestly was not helping with the training. He wasn't learning anything from it. Now he only gets about 20-30min of vigorous exercise a day (like fetch, broken up into 3 session). Then about another hour or two of walking (depending on how nice it is). Then agility and hiking on the weekends. We focus more on training and games that make him think/focus on me now rather then exercise, and I also reward him a lot for relaxing in the apartment (some breeders say their dogs come with an 'off switch'. I personally don't believe this statement. I believe the so called 'off switch' is trained response and that this is a very important thing to train your BC to do).

 

But all that being sad, my first BC is an incredible amount of work. I grew up with lots of dogs a few puppies and lots of rescues. My BC is nothing like a lab, boxer, or golden pup that I remember growing up with. You may think that you want to spend all your time with a dog, but that probably isn't the case (that is what I thought I wanted). Sometimes you are going to just want the dog to leave you alone. When my BC was younger he was exhausting. We would do something, (play, walk, train, whatever) but it was never enough. My BC would always just look at me like "what's next?" (definitely felt like I was becoming my dogs entertainment manager like mum24dog said).

 

The only people I know with demanding dogs are those who make their life's work to be their dog's entertainments manager.

 

This was incredibly frustrating. He is now 8 months old and getting a lot better at just relaxing/chewing between play session, but still not perfect. Having a well trained BC (or really any dog) is a lot of work. They aren't going to do what you want them to do 'out of the box'. Some things they won't do right at all and it may seem like they will never catch on (possibly your tractor issue or cat issue). But if you really want to spend the time with the dog and you will dedicate yourself to training it, then it will be worth it.

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