- Joined
- Jul 18, 2003
- Messages
- 186
Hey guys and girls,
My girlfriend and I have been researching Border Collies and Australian Shepards for some time now, and have more or less decided to get one. I'm leaning towards a Border Collie for their intelligence, trainability, athleticism, and inherent need to do something (work); and Leah is in favor of Australian Shepards. Likewise, for most of the above reasons, but also because, from what we've read, they aren't as demanding in regards to the work/stimulation aspect. Which is bothersome for me, to some degree, because I feel that's really what would set BCs apart from most other breeds.
To be fair, though, we do live in an apartment, and we're gone from 8 am to 12:30 pm, Monday through Friday. However, we're home for literally the rest of that time, and we're both active. Moreover, I specifically want a border collie because I could get outside with it for extended periods of time (when I lived with my family, we only had a heinously obese beagle, and two pugs, which as i'm sure you can imagine couldn't, or wouldn't, catch a frisbee to save their lives). In addition, there is a copious excess of open land to run around on (hey, It's Kansas, what else can be said?). So, I what I'm trying to say is that I want the high energy level of a BC, but that we live in an apartment and will be gone in the mornings for a short period of time. The amount of time the dog gets outside 'working', I believe, won't be an issue. But it's really only fair for someone who's actually kept them before to say...
so I guess given our conditions, my questions are these..
1.) We're gone from 8-1 Monday through Friday, is five hours "too long" for a BC to be alone or possibly kenneled in a modest sized apartment?
2.) Is an Australian Shepard really that much of a better substitute, for lack of a better word, for a Border Collie?
Also, if anything you read threw up a red flag, or if you have any advice regarding BCs, A. shepards (dogs in general), expertise, or suggestions of any kind, please ask and/or share!
Thanks very much for your time,
-Matt
My girlfriend and I have been researching Border Collies and Australian Shepards for some time now, and have more or less decided to get one. I'm leaning towards a Border Collie for their intelligence, trainability, athleticism, and inherent need to do something (work); and Leah is in favor of Australian Shepards. Likewise, for most of the above reasons, but also because, from what we've read, they aren't as demanding in regards to the work/stimulation aspect. Which is bothersome for me, to some degree, because I feel that's really what would set BCs apart from most other breeds.
To be fair, though, we do live in an apartment, and we're gone from 8 am to 12:30 pm, Monday through Friday. However, we're home for literally the rest of that time, and we're both active. Moreover, I specifically want a border collie because I could get outside with it for extended periods of time (when I lived with my family, we only had a heinously obese beagle, and two pugs, which as i'm sure you can imagine couldn't, or wouldn't, catch a frisbee to save their lives). In addition, there is a copious excess of open land to run around on (hey, It's Kansas, what else can be said?). So, I what I'm trying to say is that I want the high energy level of a BC, but that we live in an apartment and will be gone in the mornings for a short period of time. The amount of time the dog gets outside 'working', I believe, won't be an issue. But it's really only fair for someone who's actually kept them before to say...
so I guess given our conditions, my questions are these..
1.) We're gone from 8-1 Monday through Friday, is five hours "too long" for a BC to be alone or possibly kenneled in a modest sized apartment?
2.) Is an Australian Shepard really that much of a better substitute, for lack of a better word, for a Border Collie?
Also, if anything you read threw up a red flag, or if you have any advice regarding BCs, A. shepards (dogs in general), expertise, or suggestions of any kind, please ask and/or share!
Thanks very much for your time,
-Matt
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