WHAT COLLIE?

[kevin-Day 9]

First a worker, then a head dog not a pusher or heeler. See if you can find one working cattle and comes from a line of stock dogs that have bite. This is what we use over here.

Now that looks a good type

[foresterj 1,096]

also depends a lot on YOUR temperament mate

[wuyang 513]

Wouldn't have given my best collie a second glance, but my god she was the most natural hunter I've worked.

[Country Joe 1,411]

Where I live, there is plenty of long legged hill Border collies,

That would work the hill all day.

Offer the Farmer a bottle of whiskey for stud fee, most will jump at the chance.

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

That's the way to do it...

[deck 35]

a good working leggy border collie

[coverdogs 888]

good question big e. witch type of collie is right because now of days they are so many,border collies berdie collies rough collies show collies, even dancing collies what the f--k next. i think every lurcher needs a little bit of collie in it somewhere. but you need a hard worker a sheep dog will not do, sheep men and trail men dont want a dog that will nip a sheep that stands its ground you loose points for that, you need a good cattle dog one that can stand his ground go in and nip a cow and keep the presure on when they need to. my best friends father had a heard of milking cattle they had a collie dog that would go and get the cattle himself in the afternoon open the gates himself bring in the cattle and let them know he was there if they dident play ball, i seen this dog one sunday afternoon going to bring in the cattle in a rushey field and a fox got up obout 200 yards in front of him he chased it for about 1/2 a mile killed it and came back and brough in the cattle without even been told, he was a rough collie type short hired but could have played the part of lassie if need be.

[border lad 1,047]

An old friend of mine, had a herd of about 100 milking cows, and he swears, that the ole collie dog, he had could go and fetch, the cows in for milking, just after 3-pm once he had his cup of tea,(( that was the time they usually stopped, for there tea break, he would sit patiently, waiting for the scrap crusts, or a bit of biscuit, he would wait till he throw the dreggings of the tea cup out,

and he would just say, go and fetch them Bob, and that dog was off like a rocket, he said to this day he never failed to bring the cows up for milking,,(((( never underestimate, the ability of a proper working collie, put them to a proper greyhound, and you should get a very good, rabbiting dog and even a bit more, like most breeds, there is wastage in the litters, but a good one is a top dog,(((( for rabbits,and definately, can fill the freezer, ((for foxes I do not know, never bothered with them, there other breeds for them,

[artful212 394]

theres a fela from belfast area that has a very good collie

he does his fair share of work on the field with hounds and a bit more

and theres pup out of him at the min

[Neal 1,860]

Not all kelpies are a pain when not working.

 

Mine are largely relaxed and switch off when they're indoors. However, I've heard of some which were so work orientated that they'd leave their pups without a backward glance if they thought there was a slim chance of working the sheep. To be honest, I'm not sure how much this is nature or nurture as, although one of mine is a tad more full on than the other two, she was also spayed earlier than I'd have liked so may simply have remained slightly more puppyish.

 

Temperament is at least as important as working ability in my humble opinion. I'd pick a 95% worker that I gelled with over a 100% worker that I didn't any day of the week.

Edited January 8, 2013 by Neal

[wuyang 513]

Not all kelpies are a pain when not working.

 

Mine are largely relaxed and switch off when they're indoors. However, I've heard of some which were so work orientated that they'd leave their pups without a backward glance if they thought there was a slim chance of working the sheep. To be honest, I'm not sure how much this is nature or nurture as, although one of mine is a tad more full on than the other two, she was also spayed earlier than I'd have liked so may simply have remained slightly more puppyish.

 

Temperament is at least as important as working ability in my humble opinion. I'd pick a 95% worker that I gelled with over a 100% worker that I didn't any day of the week.

 

Totally agree about temperament.

[baw 4,360]

I've never bred a first cross so don't know the answer. I always prefer to see working parents (lurchers) doing what I want the pup to do, I.e catching quarry. Unless you know of the collie personally how do you know all its traits? Too much time and effort wasted trying to get the so called perfect collie. If it works for a living, earns its keep, what more do you want? Personally I only want 1/4 collie in the pup anyhow, much prefer time spent getting a deep chested, long distance fast greyhound than worry about the collie, but that's just me