Aw, hell. Should I?
 

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/83/notamutfm5.jpg
("Good boy Carl! Now fetch the derivative for f(x)...")

Neat BC. House trained and well mannered. No papers. He's been a small farm dog. He's almost 1yr old so I'm just a little concerned about his ability to adapt. Oh, and I still need to fix my gate and order his subscription to Scientific American.

I have the usual childcare concerns about being away, especially with a border collie. My experience is with labs, goldens, and dalmations. It's been awhile but it's time again.

My main job entails business appointments two or three times a day. The rest of the time I'm at my home office. Will he go nuts alone in a ~100x50ft yard for 1-3 hour stretches?

Whaddya think?

he's sweet...

chicks will dig him- take him for a walk and the ladies won't leave you alone :D

a year old dog should be able to be trained.. he might need obedience school but it could be trained..

do you mean 3 hour stretches per appointment, adding up to potentially 9 hours per day? If so, then I'd think long and hard about it. 9 hours is an awfully long time for a mutt. If you just mean you'll be gone 3 hours a day or so, then I don't really see any problem with that. You don't have to be a total prisoner in your own home just because of a dog ;)

Get him a buddy and he'll cope much better with your absences.

How could you say no to those eyes???? Hes a looker!

No, no Mal, I don't have time for two pets. :)

Same for you, Shakran. I thought about two but don't think it's in the cards. My appointments sometimes stretch out. Once in a blue moon I'll have two evil appointments per day. Usually one and a few quickies. Beyond that I reschedule. It's good being the boss. Anyway, the dog trumps; My day adapts or he goes along. Just want to make sure I won't be sending him down psycho pooch road!

If this happens I do plan on a class or two to make sure he's agreeable with me and other pets. Watching him with children and other animals on the farm, I really doubt there'll be a problem. It's the border collie thing that has me a bit intimidated.

Just to float it out there, 2 dogs really don't take up more time than 1 - I had 1 dog at a time for years, and then got two because they showed up on my doorstep and I couldn't turn them away. I don't feel like I spend any more time with them than I did with the single dogs -- - they're almost always together so if you spend time with one, you're with the other too.

The only trouble is that they gang up and outsmart me from time to time ;)

Seriously. And three is a pack.

Having two dogs means they both need less time and attention from you. They run each other around and exercise themselves, so you have to do less of that. If you could leave two dogs in your backyard while you're out during the day, it'd be way more bearable for them than it would be for a single dog.

It's amazing how easily one dog can adapt to a crazy schedule. I had a cocker spaniel when I was in college. Summer job at the beach. 10 hour shifts, and the dog stayed inside when I was gone. He never had an accident, not once. It can be done. Lone dogs are often more reliable and trustworthy than a pack of two or three. I say go for it.

I got another buddy for mine and it has worked out great. BCs are really cool and this one looks like a beauty. A year old is perfect for training as they don't totally mature until they are about 18 months old. Just make sure you can give him at least an hour a day of your undivided attention- for brains and body!

cyrnal, we have almost always been a two dog family because they do entertain each other. My rottie now has a new pal to replace Gus, and it is amazing how much more energized and playful he has become again. I can promise you that bath time is the only time you will know you have two dogs, rather than one. :)

Wow, good on ya cyrnel for even thinking about this and good for you to be wise and do some thinking and research.

I would say read up on border collies and talk to ther border collie owners. Your schedule seems to be fine. It's what you do with your time together that counts. As long as you "work" him well. EX: Devote at least an hour a day to "training" type stuff and other enrichment exercises plus regular physical exercises. If you have the income, maybe also join a doggie play group or hire a dog walker to give your dog what he needs. Look on the web for a border collie group in your area. You might be able to trade shifts in taking the border collies out.

Training really shouldn't be an issue, 1 years old is just fine as long as you're patient and consistent. It's more the owner than the dog anyways (generally speaking).

The only accident my dog had was when I was home and didn't realize the signs she was giving me that she needed to go out (she had diarhea).

jorgelito, too much information. :D

I know how dogs entertain one another, but I suppose I've always been better with one. Two or more bring out the ADD in me even before they team up. Still, I'll think about it. If he shows dependency symptoms it could change my mind.

My reading last night points to the usual boredom problems. If it were a cat I'd build a jungle gym. What kinds of things might work well in a yard beyond the usual rawhide & neighbor's kitty chewtoys? (yes, that's humor) The last thing I want to do is put him on a run and leave.

BTW, thanks for the encouragement guys. Like I said, it's been quite a while since I took care of a dog more than briefly. And they were mostly idiots. :)

Sudoku? Seriously, look into border collie play group in your area.

Did ya get the pup?

Better late than never...

Yep, he's home as of today. He spent the morning running with horses in soaked fields so had that "as a dog" thing going. Nothing like giving a dog you barely know a bath. :D Spent the last 5hrs with him, getting to smell the neighborhood, the jeep, the house. Now he's doing dog things with the big rawhide bones I bought. I'd say a good first day. Now if I can just keep him off my ribbon cables... :thumbsup:

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you have a very happy dog. :)

Hooray for border collies!
I have a very mild mannered border collie, too. In my case Albert doesn't mind waiting at home indoors while I'm at work. He doesn't have an ounce of separation anxiety and gets into no mischief while I'm gone.
Borders are very energetic ... but, unlike other breeds, a well-trained one has a great deal of self control.

Maybe that doesn't help you ... I just want to chime in about my love for the breed.

Congratulations on having such a nice pooch.

My GOD this dog has energy. Makes my experience with labs & goldens & such look pathetic. Runs and jumps and kicks my ass soundly each and every "walk." Luckily the only herding he's done so far is when I try to sit down. Now I have to fake left then rush for the chair or he jumps onto it to keep me moving.

He has something of a chew fetish but nothing that seems unusual for 1yr old dogs I've had before.

Probably the worst thing is his hyper play energy. He hasn't been properly socialized yet. His play bites go from gentle to fairly hard when he's "losing". It's enough to make me say Ouch so we'll have to work on that before he gets unsupervised time with children.

Great dog though!

Obedience classes begin next week. I'm already being schooled.

welcome to high-energy dogs. I had an Irish Setter once who could chase cars and actually catch them, so I know where you're coming from. The good news is that a dog like that WILL get you in shape if you take him for regular walks. He'll have you trained up for a marathon in under a year ;)