So, you may be wondering, How do I keep a non-working Border Collie happy? There are many exciting ways to keep your Border Collie active, even though he may not be used for herding. If you are active yourself, agility work with your dog can be great fun for both of you. Border Collies excel at this canine sport, in which dogs are timed as they navigate an obstacle course. Flyball is another fun activity in which many Border Collies participate with success. Teams of dogs compete in this relay-race sport, and you can imagine that Border Collie teams are tough to beat. Of course, there is also obedience training and competition. However you decide to exercise your Border, he will need a couple of hours of activity each day. To be a suitable owner, you will have to find this time.
Whether you are a do-it-yourself enthusiast or hire someone to do it, you will have to make your yard safe and secure for your new canine arrival. This includes sturdy high fencing, well embedded into the ground. You will need to check, and possibly repair, the fence with certain regularity. Border Collies are extremely clever at figuring out how to escape. They can often get over or under a gate and can easily learn to nudge latches and push gates open, so staying one step ahead of your clever canine should keep you handymen busy! You likewise must free your yard of any potential doggie dangers like tools, fertilizers and poisonous plants.
In having chosen a Border Collie, you will hopefully be the sort of person who enjoys caring for a dogs coat. The breeds coat is not excessively long, but it is rather abundant and will need regular grooming. You must be prepared to devote some time to this aspect of your Border Collies care. If yours is a show dog, you will need to bathe the coat more frequently than if your Border is kept just as a pet. Regardless, Border Collies enjoy romping outdoors, so you must be prepared to do a bit of hairdressing so that the coat does not become matted, dirty and full of debris. If housework is one of your pleasures in life, you will probably enjoy your Border Collies shedding season, for you will have a lot more vacuuming to do!
So now that you've acquainted yourself with the ups and downs of Border Collie ownership, you must honestly assess if this breed is right for you, and vice versa. As devotees of the breed will attest, the Border Collie is a most rewarding companion for those who can give him what he needs.
Next step: Border Collie Overview
Reprinted from Breeders Best: Border Collie © 2004. Permission granted by Kennel Club Books, an imprint of BowTie Press.
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