lol... actually.. as an acd owner, you also know the responsibility of owning a herder. BC's are vvvvvveeeerrrrry intensely driven dogs. But then again, so are ACDs.

I have an Aussie, as well as an english shepherd. So I'm in the same boat.

I would never recommend a herding dog for a first time owner, but since you already own one, I would think you'd be a great owner of another.

As a former shelter manager, I highly recommend that you make sure they are opposite sex dogs. Even "fixed", opposite sex dogs make great companions. That's why we got our second and she wears our male out. (THANK GAWD.. we finally get a break).

Well, just from my experience, Border Collies are very smart and can be trained to do alot of stuff. They do get bored easily, they like for you to have something for them to do. I have had two, both were great dogs. They are in my opinion the easiest to train, and if I had the space for a dog, a BC would be my first choice. Hope this helps.

My two favorite breeds are Border Collies and Australian Shepherds, but I just don't have the time to meet their physical and mental stimulation needs. I'll just sit over on the sidelines and be jealous :)

I'm a lifelong Border Collie owner, grew up with one, have had my own after leaving home, currently have two. One is going on 12 now and our pup just turned 3 in March. I usually discourage people from getting one. The all think they're wonderful because of their intelligence and quick learning but that comes for a price most people quickly tire of and so ship them off to the shelters. I'll freely admit that 3 years ago I had no intentions of every going through bringing up baby again with another bc pup but got hornswaggled and smitten once again by my friends who have a ranch brought over some pups for me to see (on purpose)knowing that I'd probably have to keep one. LOL. I have holes in the carpet, holes in the walls, chewed baseboards and door frames. Never have I seen a pup so destructive and stubborn as he was. Long story short, now it's 3 years later and he's finally matured, wonderful disposition, fast as lightning, but he needs tons of run time. Luckily we live in the country. I race him beside the car sometimes to tire him out. I have agility stuff set up for him outside, he can chase jackrabbits in the field, catch gophers (a good thing) And he still gets bored plenty of time. My older BC was always a little more sedate, more of a people person but non-stop wanting to play and I mean nonstop. He'll play ball 24/7 even at 12 y.o., while your eating, while your watching tv, doesn't matter. You can't even hide his balls or toys because he'll just go around the house till he finds something else like a pop bottle cap in the garbage, bring it downstairs and plop it on you lap. I'm so used to it it doesn't bother me but it would definitely drive most people out of their minds.

I love BC's. We had one, took him for 3 walks daily. Never ever left him alone in the yard because he could jump the 5 foot fence in a second, so lots of exercise running after the ball, chasing birds, sticks, frisbee's!
Never left him alone, always took him with us everywhere. If left alone, he went crazy. Clawed into the wall and ate the paint and drywall if we left him in the kitchen with the door closed while we were out. He chewed the mat to shreds more then once and even ripped the door off one cabinet!
He shredded a pair of rubber boots in about 5 mintes! (They were the neighbours boots too!) He ate curtains, just ripped them off the rods and tore and shredded them. He got into the fridge and ate a whole plastic bottle of mustard and half a roast before I caught him!
If he got out the door somehow, he was gone! I had to get in the car and chase after him and finally after twenty minutes of following him around and trying to catch him, he would come and jump into the backseat...only because he was thirsty. He was such a handfull and this was after 2 full rounds of puppy class! He was trained well but he conveniently forgot the training at his leisure...

They are handfulls and need constant direction and constant attention. They get bored easily and get frustrated. Anything is a toy, any person is a plaything. He would try to herd the kids, biting their heels and legs even though he knew it was wrong. They walked, he barked and bit. They sat down, he ignored them. He started to bite us more and more and we also had to muzzle him when we were out. He got aggressive and finally we gave him to a farmer who had 2 other BC's.
It broke our hearts to do this, but he was a constant going concern and there was nothing we could do to tire him out and keep him under control. He was almost 2 when we gave him away. We tried hard for two years but he was such a handfull...
Now his brother is such a wonderful dog. More calm then he was. Took to training right off the bat and never herds the kids in his household. Couldn't ask for a better, more mannered dog. We both did the same training with our dogs. Even took them to the same classes. So it was the luck of the draw for them I guess.

I'm not trying to discourage you, I'm just telling you our experience. I previously raised a boxer and a rottweiler and the BC was by far the most hardest. It's something to think about long and hard...

Just finished reading two good books about border collies. The first book is called "The dogs of Bedlam Farm" and the second is "Katz on dogs". By Jon Katz. He details his experiences of border collie ownership (as well as other types of dogs) and talks about the trials and tribulations of properly training them. Really good reading for anyone considering getting one of these kinds of dogs, or ANY kind of dog for that matter.

A friend of mine has 2 and they are nothing like the ones mentioned above...Her's are very layed back, more on the side of being lazy...She works all day and they are left in the house, with no distruction...She also has 3 cats and when she gets home from work, the cats are usually in the bathroom with the female border laying at the door...It seems she thinks her job is to herd the cats and they go along with it....She just loves her borders....

Please donÂt get a border collie unless you plan to compete in agility, herding trials, or obedience and do not have a job away from the home. These dogs are not happy alone. I call mine the 6-million dollar dogÂbecause thatÂs how much she has destroyed. She has clawed up antique entry doors, beautiful old woodwork, two car doors, a garage door and on and on. Many BCÂs donÂt see obstacles as barriers; they see them as problems to be eliminated (clawed, chewed thru). They donÂt like being left alone and their frustration and boredom becomes incredibly expensive. And these dogs should not be crated for any length of time!!!

Many tend to be terrified by thunderstorms. Mine recently jumped thru a window in hysterical fear. Luckily I came home early and rushed her to the vet or she probably would have bled to death. Now I live in fear of the next storm and the next window she jumps thru.

If you can be with the dog all the time, they make a devoted companion. Please donÂt get one if you work. ItÂs not fair to the dog.

I have a female Border Collie (6 yrs) and a male ( 10 yrs)Australian Shepherds. They are both the greatest dogs! They love to work ~ cattle, rabbits, cats and kids :) They are the best dogs to have around other's, NEVER agressive unless something threatens their loved ones and then only to growl. Both of mine LOVE kittens! All of the barn cats have learned they must share their baby's as they insist on helping to baby sit. They play with them, try to feed them and bathe them on a regular basis.

I agree with bean_counter, my BC is TERRIFIED of storms and also guns. But then alot of people are too. Just one the things you have to deal with.

I have been blessed with 3 other BC's in my life and only one was ever destructive. I got him from a pound in Colorado and he could not be with out me, EVER!! He chewed through the garage wall and was waiting for me when I got off work! He went with me EVERYWHERE and very patiently waited. Except if I went to a drive through... he had to have a snack or he pouted (GRIN)

I am a magnet for old dogs... I am now the proud Mama to an 11+ yr old poodle named Willy. My dogs think he is the greatest (he is so little, I believe they thought he was a dust bunny) but he is having a problem sharing his new people :)

Good luck!
Marie

Marie, most people get a puzzled look on their faces when you say "my border collie chewed thru the wall". Mine has chewed thru two barn walls. She takes a 4x6 welded wire fence in her teeth and throws her weight into it until the welds break, then enlarges the hole and slips thru. They are very loving, loyal dogs but you can't confine them and you shouldn't leave them alone. Border collies are very trendy now because they do well in agility and obedience. They just don't do well in homes where the owner is away at work all day.

We found our BC running the streets as a pup. We had other dogs, and she fit it perfectly and learned quickly. She is 14 now, has had a hip replacement, has bad arthritis everywhere, and liver problems, so she has slowed down a lot. She was left indoors while we worked but was never destructive or chewed up anything (had lots of toys). She DID herd all the cats and the dogs, too, if they'd let her. And she loves to bark! She has given us so much joy I'd definitely get another BC, except my husband says he can't love and lose anything like her again.

My friend's sister has one -- my experience was that whenever we go over and she and the dog are there -- we get growled at and I am not terribly comfortable having my small children around that dog.

Maybe it's just that one but I don't like the growling thing -- it scares me and my kids.

We have had 2 border collies. You need to be able to spend the time to train them from day 1. Our first one loved to chase anything that moved and sadly was killed by a grain truck. We could not break her of this terrible habit. Our second one we trained from day 1 to stay out of the road unless she was with someone and she has been the best dog we have ever owned. We do have cattle which keeps her busy. She also follows my husband around everywhere unless he is out farming, and then she becomes mama's dog and follows me around everywhere. They are a very smart breed. I would not recommend getting one if you do not have the time to spend training. My brother-in-law had one which he sadly had to give away because she kept digging holes and escaping. They did not spend much time with her. We truly love our border collie and would never get anything else again.

I have 2 Border Collie mixes. That is ideal for a lot of people who love the beauty, intelligence, wit and easy trainability of the Border Collie without quite the intensity and high energy. My husband and I both work away from home all day and "the girls" are either inside all day or out in the 2/3 acre yard that contains them EASILY with an underground invisible fence. Once they got through the puppyhood chewing phase, they have never been the least bit destructive and are much more laid back than a purebred Border Collie. One is the the classic black/white and looks exactly like a purebred BC but has a tiny bit of a hound howl to her bark which is a riot. The other is a beautiful tri-color.. Face and body that is classic Border Collie..mostly black with the classic white but some added butterscotch brown highlights on legs, chest and face. Probably has some sort of shepherd in her. Both are incredibly intelligent (almost scary!) and incredibly easy to train. Both are frisbee nuts. My husband is German so both dogs know all their commands in 2 languages! (they know more German than I do!) They have zero separation anxiety and wait patiently for us inside the front picture window until we come home. We take them with us often to the Home Depot or wherever else we go.. camping, vacations, etc and they sleep on the bed. They are like sisters getting along VERY well with only occasional mild jealousies and zero aggression. If you have an Aussie though, I wouldn't think a purebred Border Collie would be a problem for you. Just letting you know that a little bit of some other breed blended in there sometimes softens the intensity of the breed if you can't or don't want to keep that kind of energy fulfilled! I have had purebred Border Collies as well and found them delightful but they are a bit higher-maintenance.

Since you already hve an Aussie cow dog a Border Collie would be a good companion for it. I think you and your dog will like the newone.

I've been reading this & it has explained a lot to me. About 13 years ago I got a Chow/Border Collie mix from the humane society here. He looked exactly like a chow, & all the chows I had been around seemed rather calm. Not this pup, he was always exceptionally active & destructive, at a time when I had 2 young children & not enough time to devote to him. Yes, he ate through a wall, and the most stubborn dog I have EVER been around. We got a second, young active dog & that helped tremendously. Even now though he is quite active for his age.

I've had a Border Collie/Chow for four years. Got him from the pound at two years of age. Great dog, very friendly on the whole. Does not like bikes and rollerblades, male runners and people who shy away from dogs. Never met a dog he did not like. Not a big chewer, but a licker.

Does not mind being home by himself for 8-12 hours per day. Waits to do #2 until we go for a walk. Woke me up one time in four years, even though I worked different shifts. When I got up the next morning, the mail box was knocked over. All the other neighborhood dogs bark more than he does.

I HAVE A 8 MONTH OLD BC, HIS NAME IS JIMMY, AND HE'S THE LOVLIEST DOG. HE GIVES THE BEST WELCOME HOME I'V EVER HAD, SITS ON MY LAP AND HUGS ME FOR A WHILE BEFORE SPEEDING OFF, CALLING ME TO RUN AROUND THE GARDEN SO THAT HE CAN CATCH ME, HAD HIM SINCE HE WAS TINY BECAUSE THE MOTHER THREW HIM OUT AS HE COULD'NT WALK, HIS SPINE SEEMS BENT NEAR THE TAIL. HE HAS SINCE TAUGHT HIMSELF TO WALK AND RUN FASTER THAN MY OTHER 3 DOGS - EVEN THOUGH HE SOMETIMES CRABS A BIT. REAL GUTSY LITTLE THING, BEAUTIFUL NATURE, LOVES THE GARDEN AND IS ALWAYS BRINGING HIS FLOWERS AND STICKS IN TO SHOW US. SPENDS DAYTIME WITH MY MOM AT HOME AND NOW SLEEPS ON HER BED. HE FOLLOWS US EVERYWHERE AND IS ALWAYS READY FOR A SNACK - DEMANDS A SNACK RATHER!! BIT OF A SPOILED BRAT - I THINK HE HAS BEEN GIVING US THE BC EYE TO GET HIS WAY - HERDS HIS BEST FRIEND SNOOPY WHO USED TO BE THE BOSS. SNOOPY NOW HAS BECOME JIMMY'S TOY OF CHOICE AND EXHAUSTS THE POOR THING. OUR CAT JACK USED TO BE HIS BEST PAL BUT HAS SINCE DIED, JIMMY HUNTED FOR HIM FOR DAYS. WHO CAN SAY NO TO HIS SWEET EYES, HIS ARE MORE BLACK THAN BROWN BUT THE EXPRESSIONS..... I'V NEVER HAD A DOG WHO CAN SULK AND POUT AFTER A BATH LIKE JIMMY, HE TOTALLY IGNORES ME UNTIL I JUST ABOUT BEG FOR MERCY, AND HEAVENS - BRING FLEA SPRAY OR POWDER HIM AND YOU GET THE "WHAT THE ...." LOOK FOR HOURS. I LOVE HIM TO BITS.

My BC is now 19 weeks old, teething and chews on anything. This is my first dog and I really knew that the breed was very intense. I spend between 3 and 6 hours each day in a combination of running, fetch, swimming and obedience training with her. I am getting in much better shape. The dog is well socialized, kids, people and other dogs, but gets real excited when seeing other dogs and wants to play. I live in a retirement area and most of the people and dogs are old so this is not often appreciated - old dogs just do not "get" puppies. I am very grateful for all of the online videos, BC sites and wonderful people who share BC info with me. I have learned a ton in the last 12 weeks since rescuing Malle. She is sleeping at my feet after a 2 mile run and visiting a local farm. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED?? DO NOT GET THIS DOG if you are not able to commit a LARGE amount of time and energy to training and exercise. Malle is having a dream and sometimes whimpers in her sleep which she does on her back with all four feet in the air. She is the most gorgeous dog - short hair, blue eyes and classic BC markings. Every time we meet anyone they always bury her with compliments. She knows I'm the boss but has her princess moments when she gets to work me - as in getting her back end in the car, she waits, looks up at me and gets me to lift her in. If I throw in a treat she can jump in from four feet away. Smart dog.