Border Collie (mix) Question

Lisa, what makes you think your (quite lovely prick eared smooth coated) dog is a mix?

My purebred BC (29 lbs):



June on sheep:



My BC Mix (25 lbs) - we think mixed with something houndish:

Well, really I don't know WHAT she is, for sure - it just seems she has a few subtle things about her that make me think she's a mix.  I adopted her from the shelter where I volunteer.
 
Your two dogs are beautiful, BTW.

ORIGINAL: probe1957

We think Odie is part BC.  He weighs 65 pounds.

Are you aware of the exercise requirements of Border Collies?

Bear is part border collie, but he's happy with a run around the backyard and one walk a day.  When he is inside, he is really well behaved and relaxed.  He loves his toys, but he's not destructive.  I guess he is so relaxed because he's mixed with the Chow Chow?

Well, really I don't know WHAT she is, for sure - it just seems she has a few subtle things about her that make me think she's a mix.

[] I was just curious. A lot of people don't know that BC's come in smooth coat (actually the smooth coat is dominant)! She looks very BC to me, if not purebred then mighty darned close. [] Regardless, she's positively beeyootiful.

Bear is part border collie, but he's happy with a run around the backyard and one walk a day. When he is inside, he is really well behaved and relaxed. He loves his toys, but he's not destructive. I guess he is so relaxed because he's mixed with the Chow Chow?

It just really depends on the dog. My June is the most sensible dog I have. In the house if there is nothing exciting going on, she's just chilling out. But the second I indicate its time to do something, she's on her toes. Bree, otoh, doesn't settle as well (although she's getting better).

ORIGINAL: dogslyfe

Bear is part border collie, but he's happy with a run around the backyard and one walk a day. When he is inside, he is really well behaved and relaxed. He loves his toys, but he's not destructive. I guess he is so relaxed because he's mixed with the Chow Chow?

It just really depends on the dog. My June is the most sensible dog I have. In the house if there is nothing exciting going on, she's just chilling out. But the second I indicate its time to do something, she's on her toes. Bree, otoh, doesn't settle as well (although she's getting better).

Same with Bear, he's very calm until I suggest we do something, like go for a walk or go outside, and he just starts bouncing all over the place! 

dogslyfe and Angel Dog:
 
Here are pics of Zoey, my Border Collie/Beagle mix:
 
 

Thanks Luvarescue! Your dogs are cute. Love the smile on the BC hehe.
How many lbs is your dog(bc)? That probably the size of a dog that I wanted to adopt.

I'm thinkin' when I last had Zoey to the vet in March she was 32 pounds...

Oh ok, Zoe a medium size dog then right? Zoe somewhat the 3/4 the size of a large adult labrador?
Hmm I'm thinking about this hehe..
Thanks!

dogslyfe- I was noticing that border collies have large range of looks.  My Zoey does look a little like your Bree, except for the coat.  I think Zoey is a smooth coated BC/beagle cross.   I know for sure Zoey has got some beagle in her- she has that unmistakeable beagle bray (and the floppy hound ears).  She also has that BC stare- I wonder how she would be with sheep...  Do you work Bree with sheep?

Yeah- I would call her medium sized.  She stands just slightly higher than my knee (I'm 5'7" tall).

Border collies enfuse some volatile genetics into mixes - they can inject breeds that have little focus or an unwillingness to work with people, with a great deal of energy and need for structured activity.  Terriers, spitz types, and sighthounds come to mind here.  Sometimes you WILL get the reverse, where the BC biddability makes the particular dog a little easier to work with, but that's only my experience in maybe 25% of cases.  BCs water down really easily, so in the vast majority of cases you'll see dogs that are like [fill in the breed] on expresso.

They mix well with Beagles but not a lot of other scenthounds with regard to ending up with a dog that has normal levels of working drive.  They mix extremely well with retrievers to produce a practically ideal companion - ready for a walk anytime, but with as much of an "off" switch as you'd find in a typical retriever.

As far as size - again, the Border collie has very diffuse genetics that tend to pick up whatever is in the other breed  (breeds).  There are really big BCs (the grandfather of my little 18 pound female is almost 70 pounds) and really little ones, and everything in between  There is no size standard enforced on the majority of well-bred BCs, in fact.  So zeroing in on BCs to help find a particular sized companion is really not a good strategy - better to look at more standardized active breeds like beagles and spaniels if you aren't looking for a dog to work sheep or be a flyball superstar.  []

The life you describe would be wonderful for the vast majority of smooth-coated, black or brown, lab type mixes in the shelter.  Most dogs will adjust their needs to what is asked of them and are perfectly capable of a daily run on the beach or whatever.  You don't need a super-athlete to keep up with that - it's kind of like getting a NASCAR stockcar to drive to the grocery store - way too much for your needs.  You just have to start go meeting dogs and see what you think.  There's so many nice totally unidentifiable medium-sized, smooth coated dogs who need homes and would love a moderately active lifestyle such as you describe.

where the BC biddability makes the particular dog a little easier to work with, but that's only my experience in maybe 25% of cases.

AMEN. That is where Bree and I have difference of opinion a lot of the time - she is pretty Border Collie-like in regards to energy and exercise requirements... but missed out on quite a bit of the biddability. Its a little bit (since we're on NASCAR analogies [] ) like driving a race car... with no steering wheel an sucky brakes. She is also ruled very much by her nose, and she does not have great impulse control. Neat dog, but some of the things that I find I like about Border Collies are missing in this dog.

Anyway, Sandra, Bree bays too. BWaaaawrawrawr!!!! *sighs* I have tried her on sheep a few times, but she was missing WAY too many pieces of the puzzle. As our late trainer put it (to paraphrase), we could spend a lot of time and money, and although we may get a little out of her, we wouldn't really get what we wanted/needed. She was interested though. Now she's content to just come with the dog that DOES work sheep, and just hang out.

Thank you luvarescue.

Brookcover, The one that I'm thinking of adopting I beleive is similiar to the one pic in your advatar (BC). But Thank you for the response, I'm going to call them right now and ask a few question before I go and see her.

Thanks everyone for helping me out!