neil treloar Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Regardless of leaving it I cannot understand why if you want a dog to take shooting you do not want a gundog breed rather than a collie , which you will try to train to do something it is just not designed for , if you think springers are bonkers then a collie is going to be even worse IMO I understand where you are coming from,but never underestimate the ability of a Border Collie.I have personally seen 2 of the best Gundogs ever,Border Collies.The Dog is up for the job,in the right hands,with the good training.Somebody who has to ask on awebsite,do you think a Collie will mind being ignored for 10 hours at a time,possibly is not the right candidate to look after such complexed dogs.With mental stimulation,and an occupation,there are few dogs to rival a collie.How many bite alarm fishing collies do you know? I've got one,not specifically got her for that,but she had a fascination for fishing,with their manic inquisitive,hardly ever give up personallity.I can take her fishing now,fall asleepif I like,get a bite,she pulls my leg or arm,whines,alerts me.Just a thing which has developed.I am maybe the wrong person to talk to about leaving dogs home alone,as mine comes roofing with me every day,pretty much spend all our life together,she is sprawled out on my bed now.I have seen many great dogs,who love their kennels (after a days work or enough excercise) but I certainly would not expect somebody who gets a Collie,leavs it unattended for so long,to expect much more than a very troubled,hard to work with dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil treloar Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 I have bored collie and a welsh collie and you the. On the local shoot for beating and they both restive back to hand a can handle runners a blind retrieves and are both soft mouth and fine round the guns and now the fire works don't bother them no more and they have put some labs and spanials to shame not saying there the best but there good enough for me Matt They are fantastic Dogs in the right hands.This chap needs a lab,or a flatcoat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenboy Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 If border collies made good gundogs then we would see far more of then in the field . I dont doubt there may be one or two that can do some gundog work , but I would lay money on them not being as good as a well bred well trained working gundog breed. If so where are all the collie FTCH etc ? The fact remains no one with any clue about dogs would pick a collie by choice for work with the gun.# Though the OP has said he does not want a Lab that would be the best choice , but if its being left home alone unless out in a kennel they can be very destructive when young . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Get a Lab even if you do not want one Get a Lab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 (edited) Why do people think that just any dog can be trained to be a DECENT gundog? While i have no doubt there is allsorts of wonderful breeds out there doing it, they are the exception to the rule. Do u think there is farming/shepherding forums out there where there asking advice how to train a lab/spaniel/hpr to be a sheep dog? No i seriously doubt it. But they are all clever, athletic, intellegent dogs why not, because there is no need the collie has been bred for it for hundreds of years just like GUNdogs have been breed for hundreds off years to work to a GUN. The clues all in the name really Edited December 31, 2013 by scotslad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 I have 2 springers and a boarder collie, my springers are my gundogs / pets. My collie is just a pet she hates loud noises but does round up our goats, pigs, children. I have been on one shoot in Devon that had a collie in the beating line, it was ok but if a bit of cover needed working in went a lab or spaniel and the collie looked on. Collies come from a working back ground easy to train the basic sit and stay but need endless exercise, also can be a bit scatty and or nutty. If you want a gundog buy a gundog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aled Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 (edited) Houlsby, with regards to getting an adult dog, you could do worse than contact the rescue centres for working breeds. There's some for cockers, springers, labs, hprs etc. Cheers Aled Edited December 31, 2013 by Aled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret47 Posted December 31, 2013 Report Share Posted December 31, 2013 Border Collies used to be the bain of my life, when (as a young chap) I used to ferret a lot in the Cheviots the Borders (the leggy type) used to make my life a misery! However, I always remember one (on a farm near Rothbury) it used to MURDER Foxes, lots of lads from Newcastle/Tyne and Wear used it in their Lurcher Strains (before Punch/Bulls/etc), However Collies are NOT Gundogs, and anyone who thinks so has not seen a good Spaniel/Lab work, I have a couple of working Beardie Collies (kill Foxes but unfortunetly mangled Rabbits) Happy to discuss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazbev Posted January 2, 2014 Report Share Posted January 2, 2014 Yes but this chap wants a dog for shooting,he hasn't got a dog yet,he needs a gundog breed to make his life easier if nothing else. A decent spaniel or lab will retrieve with a soft mouth and hunt from a pup,it's their natural born ability through selective breeding,in the same way a collie will round up anything sheep,geese or people,because it's been bred to do so. Any dog can go on a beating line and I have seen all sorts,but if you want a dog for walked up,picking up on land and water and beating get a gundog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigeon-hunter Posted January 3, 2014 Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 I as well have never seen a collie used as a gun dog, the 2 breeds I looked at were the usual suspects springer and lab, my mate had a springer and he was as mad as a hatter, so that's what swayed me towards a lab. As someone stated earlier as his my 1st dog, I wanted an easy breed to train, and train myself, as a lot of people say labs are born half trained all ready. And all ready his showing really promising signs to becoming a good gun dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gillaroo Posted January 9, 2014 Report Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) Springers and labs will nearly always be better as gundogs but some of the classiest dogs I have seen in a beating line have been collies. When your pushing several hundred birds steadily towards a flushing point their herding instinct really comes into its own. Personally I'll always have springers as allrounders. Edited January 9, 2014 by Gillaroo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil treloar Posted February 1, 2014 Report Share Posted February 1, 2014 Nobody sees to be endorsing the flat coated retriever,great dogs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted February 2, 2014 Report Share Posted February 2, 2014 Nobody sees to be endorsing the flat coated retriever,great dogs! Lacking in brains, very slow to mature and generally not the full tin of biscuits... is it any wonder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 I understand where you are coming from,but never underestimate the ability of a Border Collie.I have personally seen 2 of the best Gundogs ever,Border Collies.The Dog is up for the job,in the right hands,with the good training.Somebody who has to ask on awebsite,do you think a Collie will mind being ignored for 10 hours at a time,possibly is not the right candidate to look after such complexed dogs.With mental stimulation,and an occupation,there are few dogs to rival a collie.How many bite alarm fishing collies do you know? I've got one,not specifically got her for that,but she had a fascination for fishing,with their manic inquisitive,hardly ever give up personallity.I can take her fishing now,fall asleepif I like,get a bite,she pulls my leg or arm,whines,alerts me.Just a thing which has developed.I am maybe the wrong person to talk to about leaving dogs home alone,as mine comes roofing with me every day,pretty much spend all our life together,she is sprawled out on my bed now.I have seen many great dogs,who love their kennels (after a days work or enough excercise) but I certainly would not expect somebody who gets a Collie,leavs it unattended for so long,to expect much more than a very troubled,hard to work with dog. I am not inexperienced with the Border collie and its crosses having been involved in a long family line of Collie cross lurchers. I have trained two for the gun, they are bred noise sensitive!!!!!! They are absolute pains to get picking up runners as they want to herd not pick up and most make their first captures with their feet! A high degree of intelligence sure, but so has a Lab (look to the other work they do as assistance and guide dogs, search dogs etc) I recon I might train a Lab to work sheep with a percentage chance of success BUT ITS DUMB! if you want a sheepdog buy one if you want a gundog buy one. When you have your hands on a dog that shows you what its been bred for you will understand! To see a pointer run wide and far across a moor into the wind, a spaniel bussle and hustle it way through a hedgeline for rabbits or game, the Lab sat steady at heel then handled out on a long runner and yes to see a Border collie bringing the sheep off the fell side is a thing to behold and if you have the Wit to look you will see that gleam in its eye you only get when a dog is fulfilling its true purpose in life- the one it was born and bred to do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeredup Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 i think i'll get a yorkie terrier and train it to collect my spent cartridges into a neat lil pile by the peg me thinks it can live in my left game pocket and i shall name him baldrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted February 5, 2014 Report Share Posted February 5, 2014 i think i'll get a yorkie terrier and train it to collect my spent cartridges into a neat lil pile by the peg me thinks it can live in my left game pocket and i shall name him baldrick my lab loves doing the empties at the end of a flight, It is actually very useful as it not only in the rules of most clubs that you collect but also hides exactly were you have been getting the shooting. Downside is he will often run in for them when I use the auto, started by accident when he was a puppy! I get some dirty looks when I use a s/s and remove the shells by hand. Don't ya think the Yorkie a bit effeminate? LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeredup Posted February 6, 2014 Report Share Posted February 6, 2014 Lol Kent i think i'm man enough to carry it off yeah my spaniel has a thing for bringing me ful carts in the house if he ever gets his nose in the bag! i think its his way of suggesting we go out which is funny as he is still very much in training but by next season he will be ready for walked up shooting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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