Bedroom Talk

Australian Shepherd or Border Collie?

looking for a frisbee/ agility dog this dog would be a family pet also (would live indoors but be outdoors a lot of the time and sleep in kid's bedroom) this dog would live on a farm with horses/ sheep which is easier to train? would an aussie have enough energy to herd the sheep and run around and play with the kids most of the day? Thanks so much

Public Comments

1. Border Collie, matches everything above and veryy intelligent!
2. I would pick an Aussie over a Border Collie. They are both fantastic performance dogs, but the Aussie is just a little less frantic then a Border Collie. Border Collies need entertainment from their owners 24 hours a day. Aussies can actually have a "pause" switch and can let down for a little bit. ADD: YOU ALREADY OWN AN AUSSIE, so why are you asking this. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=An_OqnzIndS3grrbfFYCXSTsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20091229190420AAGnFsd
3. Border Collie! They are loving and very smart. And they love kids! And they love sheep and farm animals. A Farm would be a perfect place for a Border Collie. And they learn fast! And they have lots of energy. Maybe even to much. But they are wonderfull dogs! I love them.
4. Hi, The goal here is to help you figure out what type of dog best suits you and your personality. Take this quiz to know which breed is best for your lifestyle. Here it is: http://www.mediumurl.com/?r=210146310287168239391063128115 Hope this helps.
5. Border Collie all the way!! I've read that they are great frisbee/agility dogs, very friendly loving pet and great around horses so that's why i would choose a border collie.
6. The Australian Shepherd would have enough energy to herd the sheep and play with the kids. Border Collies are the smartest dogs there are, and are easier to train. Border Collies are also great herding dogs, and are also amazing at frisbee and agility. If you are serious about agility, you should enter the dog into competitions. I would go with a Border Collie, since they're smarter and easier to train. However, make sure that you are willing to walk the dog everyday. Although herding and playing with the kids will help get rid of the excess energy, they still need to be taken on long walks everyday. They also need a lot of attention afterwards. Don't expect the kids to always be willing to play with the dog. You might end up having to do this. If you can commit to spending hours with the dog everyday, then go with the Border Collie.
7. It is a toss up. Either breed, if gotten from a responsible breeder of working dogs, is a very high energy herding dog and will fit your needs. They are both very intelligent although Border Collies are considered a bit smarter. Aussies are a bit smaller and come in more interesting colors. I would see what is available and not worry about which breed.
8. Border Collie Breed Purpose: Herding sheep and cattle. They are much more suitable for older considerate children, there hearding instinct can pose issue with younger kids, as they tend to nip, and chase, and because children run around, the border collie thinks i have to control the situation, and he goes straight to the kids legs. WHY ISN'T A BORDER COLLIE A GOOD PET FOR MY KIDS? Border collies are one of the most attractive breeds of dog out there. Especially when they are fluffy rolly polly puppies, but even when they are handsome, intelligent looking adults, the striking contrast of colours in their coats and their enthusiasm and responsiveness make them natural people magnets. It's no surprise that people are so attracted to the breed. But there is a lot more to a border collie than what meets the eye. Below that gleaming, fluffy exterior is the heart of a hunter, the brains of a criminal mastermind and the reflexes of Jackie Chan. It's actually fairly surprising to me how many people think that border collies are the Ultimate Family Pet, when in reality, nothing could be further from the truth. There are breeds that are even less suited as family dogs, but border collies are definitely on the list. There are some really serious considerations to take into account when you are thinking about adding a border collie to your family no matter who you are, but especially when you have young kids or are planning on starting a family. Border collies do not "herd" children. On the whole, the breed is bright enough to know the difference between sheep and kids. BUT a border collie is also bred to react swiftly and meaningfully to movement and that is deeply ingrained in his character. That means that more than likely, your border collie will leap up and run after your kid and his friends every time they race across the living room or the yard, much like he would go after a tennis ball or a rat. There's a good chance than when he catches up to them, he's going to grab them with his mouth too, not because he's aggressive, but because that kind of response is natural to the dog. And even though little Timmy and his parents know this about Gyp, little Joey's parents, who aren't dog lovers, are likely to be extremely angry when their son gets nipped at and his shirt torn. That means potential law suits, and even death for poor Gyp, who was just doing what he was bred to do. Border collies are actually more challenging to train because of their smarts. They learn bad habits very easily (Once Is A Habit For A Border Collie) which means that as soon as Gyp figures out that little Timmy isn't going to follow through on enforcing a command, he's very likely to simply ignore it altogether. Border collies make tremendous working partners to adults that they respect; this is very often not how they feel about small humans at all. If Border Collies are so smart, then why aren't they easy to train? If you are not a precise sort of trainer (most people aren't), then trying to train an intelligent Border Collie can be a frustrating task. Yes, they can pick up commands on two or three tries but they are also very perceptive and are constantly thinking. If, in teaching your dog to sit, you raise your right hand and say "Sit", the dog may pick that up the first time through. However, if the next time you repeat the command, you raise your arm at a different angle and use a slightly lower tone of voice or a different pace, a Border Collie will often pick up the subtle distinction and think that you are using an entirely new command. Border Collies have a difficult time learning to generalize, basically because it takes a dog that is less "critical" to be able to follow a sloppy command. Training a Border Collie can be like trying to teach a nerdy child that likes to overanalyze everything - it can be frustrating and an exhaustive exercise in patience. What are the other problems with owning a smart dog? Intelligence in dogs is a double-edged sword. Yes, Border Collies can learn lots of tricks and can have quite a large vocabulary but they also can learn lots of bad things too. Having a smart dog means waging a continual intellectual war with your dog, trying to outsmart them as they figure out each progressive intellectual step you take. Trying to confine a Border Collie can be an exercise in futility. Just when you put in a gate, they figure out how to get over (under) it. When you put in a door, they figure out how to push it open. You put in a latch and they figure out how to turn doorknobs. Some owners even swear that their Border Collies can pick combination locks - though their paws make it hard to turn the dial. If you do not enjoy engaging in intellectual warfare, especially with a non-human, a less "perceptive" and somewhat "denser" breed may be in order. Now at least 4km-aka 2hours twice a day walk/jogs add to that 3-4hours of mental stimulation and a border collie will be still happily running around. There absolutely TIRELESS. Australian Shepherd Breed Purpose: Herding Now at least 4km-aka 2hours twice a day walk/jogs add to that 3-4hours of mental stimulation and a Aussie shepherd will still be happily running around. However they are slightly more inclined to settle down for periods throughout the day, although they can be pretty hard to tire out If i had young children i go with the Australian Shepherd. Hearding dogs are incrediable energetic, and have much more go then you'll ever imagine. Also they may be highly intelligent, but sometime there intelligents can make them stubburn in the hands of inexperienced owners. But you must remember BOTH the australian shepherd and border collie are NOT family pets, they are SERIOUS WORKING DOGS, WITH SERIOUS ENERGY REQUIREMENTS, Other alternative breed, that are great with children, and good agility dogs. Scotch Collies-more commonly refered to is Collie-Smooth coat and Rough coat, and Shetland Sheepdog. There both pretty placid around kids, but have surprising fast and agile in agility, and frisby, and were original bred to heard, and are still fantastic hearder today, They are MUCH more suited to family pets then an aussie or border collie
9. that's a tough one. these two breeds are very similar. they both are great at agility and frisbee's, and both are good breeds over all. i personally would choose the aussie, because i think they are more unique than the border collie.
10. Both breeds make excellent competition dogs and each has their pros and cons. I breed, show and trial Australian Shepherds, so I have a bias towards my own breed but will also be the first to tell you that they aren't the breed for everyone. I have bred several MACH, ATCH, NATCH titled dogs in agility, stock titled dogs and conformation champions as well as many family companions and they are a breed that can fit into a wide variety of lifestyles and excel at many types of competition. They are easily trained, but do require a lot of personal attention. The breed can exhibit reserve with strangers all the way to shyness and sometimes that translates to fear aggression. An Aussie that doesn't receive adequate attention, socialization and exposure to a variety of situations can grow up to become unsociable, fearful or aggressive. They can develop unpleasant behaviors such as digging, chewing and barking as a result of boredom. Be prepared to engage your dog actively in a training program that goes beyond just sit and stay. If you don't strongly prefer to have your dog's companionship as much as possible as part of your family household, allowing him to share in many of your activities by day, then the Aussie might not be the breed for you. Likewise if your job or other obligations prevent you from spending quality time with your dog, then again, this might not be an appropriate breed for you. The Aussie (and Border Collies) can't be left unattended with livestock without being taught not to harass them. It is their instinct to work and without training, they have no way of understanding when and where it is appropriate to work. If you get one of these breeds, again, please remember that they don't come hardwired with the knowledge of how to behave around sheep and horses.
11. Border Collie is most intelligent dog breed. But these both are my favorite breeds and would be excellent for what your looking for....hard to choose.
12. Aussie