# The Border Collies



## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

I feel like I'm missing them quite a bit recently, I haven't had a chance to visit them, but I wanted to share some pictures  My introduction to the world of purebred dogs, albeit a messy one.









Above is Bandit, back in his youth. He was probably just over a year old in this picture and he's about 11 now. This guy was supposed to be my first show dog  










Here's Aspen, back when she was about two. She's 9 now, and I know I have more pictures of her, she's just probably included with the other dogs.










This is Jinx in my dad's trunk. This dog is my heart dog, she's been an amazing companion and I can't wait to bring her down to live with us. 










Jinx again, resting while we watch the horses. 










Jinx again 🥺 










Here are three of my girls, left to right: Aspen, Xayah, Jinx










This day was hot and muggy, but here's Aspen and Xayah watching me climb a tree.










This day was also hot and muggy, but here we have Casper, who belongs to a friend of mine, Aspen, Xayah, and Jinx way up in the distance on a hike  If the question arises, I do hike in flip flops. 










Casper and the girls waiting for that frisbee toss. 










Xayah here, with Aspen in the background. Xayah is my prospective sports/stock competition dog, but college has really put a damper on those plans  

I'll post a reply and add some more photos  But to finish this one up, the collies have taught me a lot and I learned so much from my mistakes with them. I miss them and can't wait to bring Xayah and Jinx down. My dad loves Aspen and Bandit and wants to keep them.


----------



## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

Above are back when Jinx lived with me during undergrad. She was, ironically, a fantastic apartment dog. This particular complex had a park that we would play frisbee in and do bits and pieces of agility in the afternoons.










This is Xayah and I, she looks so thrilled lol


































Above are some pictures of Xayah doing what she loves. I have some videos that I may get around to uploading eventually of her doing some stock work


----------



## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Beautiful! My 1st obedience dog was a BC but this was long before acceptance to the AKC so couldn't compete. Rules were different back then  But what a wonderful dog to learn OB with!
I contacted both BC & golden breeders when I got Sips... GR breeder was the only one that replied. Was disappointed when I went to pick up my GR pup only to learn this breeder also had BC (and a couple of other breeds under different kennel names). I have a soft spot in my heart for these guys. Thanks for sharing the pics!!


----------



## Rastadog (Oct 24, 2006)

They’re the Ferrari of the dog world. Doing competition obedience I’ve been around BC’s for years. My training partner and teachers have all had them. Very cool dogs. Talking to my training partner this morning I told her about my golden puppy grabbing a roll of paper towels. I was able to corner the pup in a bedroom. There is no way a border collie would have let that happen!


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

They're beautiful, great pictures.


----------



## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

They are beautiful!!! We had several working BCs on our farm when I was a kid. Their work ethic is unbeatable.


----------



## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

Thank you guys! I have to say, they made me feel like a better trainer than I actually am 🤣 I would love to import an ISDS dog as my next Border Collie, but it'll be so many years before that happens. They definitely live to work. My little one goes and goes and goes. We were waiting our turn to work stock one day and she lunged forward, got through the hog wire, and managed to both slip out of her collar and clip her leash and collar to the fence. I was standing there attached to the fence and she was out there running amuck among the sheep. My stock trainer had a BCxMcNab and holy cow she could work.


----------



## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

Tagrenine said:


> Thank you guys! I have to say, they made me feel like a better trainer than I actually am 🤣 I would love to import an ISDS dog as my next Border Collie, but it'll be so many years before that happens. They definitely live to work. My little one goes and goes and goes. We were waiting our turn to work stock one day and she lunged forward, got through the hog wire, and managed to both slip out of her collar and clip her leash and collar to the fence. I was standing there attached to the fence and she was out there running amuck among the sheep. My stock trainer had a BCxMcNab and holy cow she could work.


We had a BC that we got from another farmer who had lost a leg from being stepped on by a cow, but that didn’t stop him! He worked just as hard and was almost as agile without that leg as he would have been with it. And he was really sweet to boot.


----------



## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

I meant to reply and then got distracted with studying. What made you choose a Golden as your breed vs Border Collies? (Or other breeds  )?


----------



## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

The BC’s weren’t really my dogs, they were my grandfather’s. I had a Pembroke Welsh Corgi as a teenager that was my dog and I loved her so much! But, after I got married and my husband and I decided it was time for a dog, he wanted a Golden. Had wanted one since he was a kid, but had never had one. So we decided to get a Golden first and then I could get a corgi a few years later. Well... getting the Golden first (Rocket) was my first “mistake”. We brought home this incredibly sweet and eager ball of fluff and I was hooked! Then we started doing Rally - second “mistake” - and now here we are with two Goldens both being shown in at least one venue and no plans to ever have any other kind of dog. 😂

What made you decide to get a Golden after having Border Collies?


----------



## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

ArkansasGold said:


> The BC’s weren’t really my dogs, they were my grandfather’s. I had a Pembroke Welsh Corgi as a teenager that was my dog and I loved her so much! But, after I got married and my husband and I decided it was time for a dog, he wanted a Golden. Had wanted one since he was a kid, but had never had one. So we decided to get a Golden first and then I could get a corgi a few years later. Well... getting the Golden first (Rocket) was my first “mistake”. We brought home this incredibly sweet and eager ball of fluff and I was hooked! Then we started doing Rally - second “mistake” - and now here we are with two Goldens both being shown in at least one venue and no plans to ever have any other kind of dog. 😂
> 
> What made you decide to get a Golden after having Border Collies?


A lot of it was a matter of my partner actually! We moved into an apt in a suburban area with her cat. I opted to keep my dogs up north, partly because she's never had her "own" dog before, just her parent's byb mini schnauzers. So we started looking into breeds and naturally I want something bigger, athletic, biddable. But knew we needed something friendly, stable, a breed less prone to reactivity. I mostly just wanted the quintessential family pet! And while the collies are great, they love bicycles, children playing, moving cars, joggers and it can be quite a hassle to manage them if you've never had a reactive dog before.

So we searched and searched at breeds. I did not want a barker, so that ruled out a lot of breeds, I didn't want a toy breed, and I didn't want something that wouldn't be down to go hiking on the drop of a hat. That's how we ended up at Goldens 🤣 something stable, biddable, fun, bigger, less barky. One of these days I'd love a GSD to do IPO with, but that'll be in the distant future 🤣

Edit: I want to add, that was actually one of the questions Mustapha asked me when we went over to interview. He asked me why a Golden, because every person he knows in Border Collies never leaves Border Collies.


----------



## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

Tagrenine said:


> A lot of it was a matter of my partner actually! We moved into an apt in a suburban area with her cat. I opted to keep my dogs up north, partly because she's never had her "own" dog before, just her parent's byb mini schnauzers. So we started looking into breeds and naturally I want something bigger, athletic, biddable. But knew we needed something friendly, stable, a breed less prone to reactivity. I mostly just wanted the quintessential family pet! And while the collies are great, they love bicycles, children playing, moving cars, joggers and it can be quite a hassle to manage them if you've never had a reactive dog before.
> 
> So we searched and searched at breeds. I did not want a barker, so that ruled out a lot of breeds, I didn't want a toy breed, and I didn't want something that wouldn't be down to go hiking on the drop of a hat. That's how we ended up at Goldens 🤣 something stable, biddable, fun, bigger, less barky. One of these days I'd love a GSD to do IPO with, but that'll be in the distant future 🤣
> 
> Edit: I want to add, that was actually one of the questions Mustapha asked me when we went over to interview. He asked me why a Golden, because every person he knows in Border Collies never leaves Border Collies.


I guess we owe our partners for getting us into Goldens 😂


----------



## Peri29 (Aug 5, 2017)

Those pictures are borderline gorgeous.Since you are an expert , what do you think of the ones below.Border Collie Mix and with which?They are strays ...


----------



## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

Thanks Peri! Honestly, they could be Border Collie mixes, but it's a little difficult to tell without knowing their temperament, size, etc. They're beautiful though! They all look so sweet.


----------



## Peri29 (Aug 5, 2017)

Tagrenine said:


> Thanks Peri! Honestly, they could be Border Collie mixes, but it's a little difficult to tell without knowing their temperament, size, etc. They're beautiful though! They all look so sweet.


Aren't they.Unfortunately,the first two do not much about personality.They live on the streets.The third one ,my god so funny,so loving,so smart.I 'll put more pictures of him and tell you his story.One of the strays I wish I could adopt personally.


----------



## Charlotte_tte (Apr 21, 2021)

I really like your dogs


----------



## Peri29 (Aug 5, 2017)

Tagrenine said:


> Thanks Peri! Honestly, they could be Border Collie mixes, but it's a little difficult to tell without knowing their temperament, size, etc. They're beautiful though! They all look so sweet.


This is too much of a coincidence @Tagrenine .I was just thinking of this thread. Just same moment I have received an alert for the thread.Will DM you and you will understand why....


----------



## Tagrenine (Aug 20, 2019)

In the last 12 months, I have lost three of these dogs. One to cancer, one to being hit by a vehicle that was visiting the property, and one last night to pyometra with severe, and ultimately fatal complications, despite being at the best hospital in the state and money not being issue.
I only have one left  as they say, when it rains, it pours.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm so sorry *Tagrenine, really sad to hear. *


----------



## ArkansasGold (Dec 7, 2017)

I’m so, so sorry Ashley. 💔💔💔


----------



## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

So sorry to hear that.


----------



## aesthetic (Apr 23, 2015)

oh Ashley, I’m so, so sorry.


----------



## DblTrblGolden2 (Aug 22, 2018)

I'm so sorry, that's just heartbreaking. 💔


----------



## Emmdenn (Jun 5, 2018)

Ashley, I’m so so sorry. Thinking of you ❤‍🩹❤‍🩹


----------



## Xcooper (Aug 18, 2021)

Sorry for your loss


----------



## cwag (Apr 25, 2017)

I'm so sorry.


----------

