Hi!! If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to go with a border collie? I'm pretty strongly considering one but I'm worried I'm not active enough. I really, really love BCs, but I don't wanna get one just to get one yaknow?
I absolutely get it, Anon. Before I answer, I’d like to commend you for doing your research. Talking to people who own the breed that you’re interested in is always the best way to go, but especially with Border Collies. There’s a lot of misinformation and exaggeration out there because of how popular (and neglected) the breed used to be.
If you’d like to check it out, I answered a similar ask nine (9) months ago. My perspective has shifted since then, so I’ll be addressing those changes here and expanding on some of what I said before, if it applies to your questions.
Unlike you, I didn’t thoroughly research the breed before bringing Kima home. Breeders, for some reason, weren’t keen on talking to me at the time, so when Evdakim’s breeder was willing to sell to me I became excited. I decided that my commitment to Kima would place above all else. If I wasn’t active enough, I’d become more active; if he needed more training, I would make time for training. I would change in order for him to thrive.
But not everyone can do that, and arguably, they shouldn’t. Looking back, I’d consider my perspective extreme. At the time, I struggled with depression and a low self esteem and an unhealthy lifestyle. It felt like I had nothing to lose by making this big commitment.
(Profile shot from one of our common area visits. We like to practice recall and “leave it” out there.)
Border Collies need to think — this can mean puzzle feeders and multiple training sessions, or it can mean walks and physical exercise. Ideally, it means a healthy amount of both.
In the beginning, we would often walk around the neighborhood or visit a local common area where Evdakim could run freely on a long leash (HIGHLY recommended, but that’s a topic for another day). Now we visit a park at least twice a week, train every day for at least twenty minutes, and attend at least one class every week. Our lifestyle goes above and beyond what he needs to function — his minimum is at least an hour of activity every day. Depending on your current lifestyle, this might be a huge change.
Not to get “political,” but the amount of change to your lifestyle also depends on the kind of Border Collie you bring home. Evdakim is a show line Border Collie. His energy level is still intimidating for some people, but he certainly isn’t as active as some working or sport line Border Collies that I’ve met.
Most of what I said about Border Collie lines in the previous, slightly similar ask is fairly accurate, but I’d like to make an amendment: because they have only existed since the 70s in America, “lines” as we know them are not clear-cut. There are show lines that produce sport champions. There are sport lines that produce impeccable working dogs. There are working, sport, and show lines that produce dogs with little to no drive. This is why researching your breeder is so important.
(Profile shot from one of our local park visits. He explored a children’s playground.)
I hope this answered your questions! If you would like any help finding breeders or others to talk to, I’d be more than happy to help. Good luck with your decision!
