The Needs of a Border Collie

I am on a Facebook page for Border Collies and there are frequent questions from new owners about how to handle this amazing breed. After two years with our dog Bandit, I thought it might help to share a few of the things I have learned and some things that have worked for me.

Bandit came into our house when he was four months old. It is important to note that my husband and I had agreed we would never have another puppy after the last one ate all the wood trim around the windows and our stair railings….I’m sure you see the picture. My husband went on some very long walks to cool his temper. Somehow though here we were with a puppy that was smarter than both of us and definitely had more energy than half the neighborhood. The truth is we both lost our hearts to Bandit immediately.

I am a bigger animal lover, so it surprised me that I was the one who questioned during the first week whether we should keep the dog or not. I had just retired and I had visions of lots of rest and relaxation. I also wasn’t sure we knew enough about dogs, especially this breed to be the best fit for him. I did not think I was good enough for him. My husband told me if I took care of him during the day, he would take nights and weekends. I had several moments in the first few weeks when I questioned our decision, but our neighbor, friend, and person responsible for bringing us Bandit helped…