Three alternative dog breeds for prospective Border collie buyers to consider

Whatever breed or type of dog you are considering buying, it is vitally important to do plenty of research before you make a purchase, and find out as much about the breed in question as possible so that you know what you are getting in to and make the right decision.

Learning about a breed in-depth can help you to make sure that it is a good choice for your home and lifestyle, and that you understand the breed’s health and core traits in order to provide your dog with an appropriate home and take care of all of their needs.

For many dog owners, undertaking such research results in them eventually ruling out their initial breed of choice as unsuitable, and it is very important to be objective about doing this if the breed simply isn’t a good match for you.

This then leaves you with a blank slate to begin again with the consideration of some alternative breeds that might be a better pick for you, if you know where to look!

The Border collie is a very popular dog breed in the UK, and one with a very unique personality and core traits. For the right owners, Border collies can be hugely rewarding to own, but they can soon turn into much more that you can handle if you’re unprepared for the realities of Border collie ownership, or underestimate the dog’s needs.

Border collies are hugely intelligent dogs, and also have the highest energy levels of pretty much any breed you can think of, and this means that owning a dog of the breed requires a huge commitment of time and effort in terms of keeping the dog exercised, mentally engaged, and happy.

If you’re researching Border collies and are starting to wonder if there are any alternative breeds that might be a better choice, this article will introduce three great dog breeds that prospective Border collie owners might wish to consider instead. Read on to learn more.

The rough collie

The rough collie is another collie breed that people considering buying a Border collie might wish to consider instead, as the two breeds share a number of common traits but also, have several notable differences that may give the rough collie an advantage for many owners.

Rough collies are lively, energetic dogs that need plenty of long walks, but they don’t need to spend hours and hours running around every day like the Border collie does.

The breed is also highly intelligent and generally a pleasure to train, being more straightforward in this respect than the average Border collie, which requires an experienced and adaptive trainer.

Rough collies have a similar body and head shape to Border collies with a long muzzle and well balanced build, but the rough collie has longer, denser fur that often makes them look quite chunky, particularly when exhibiting their winter coats. However, despite this, the rough collie’s need for grooming isn’t overly onerous, although they are very heavy shedders!

The Shetland sheepdog

The Shetland sheepdog possesses all of the core collie traits including high intelligence, high energy levels and a superior working ability, but they’re rather smaller than Border collies and so, suitable for a wider range of homes.

Shetland sheepdogs are once more smart and energetic, although not quite in the same league as the Border collie, and they enjoy long, varied walks with plenty of mental stimulation, but tend to be quiet and well behaved within the home.

In terms of their physical appearance, Shetland sheepdogs are small and compact, with lean muscles and quite fine bones and faces, with relatively long and thick coats that both shed heavily and take quite a lot of work to look after.

They are one of the collie breeds that are widely considered to be a better choice for first-time owners than most others, and they make for very rewarding companions with the right care.

The lurcher

Finally, the lurcher might not seem to be an obvious choice if you’re seeking a Border collie alternative, but it is still one worth considering. A lurcher is a dog type rather than a dog breed, and is comprised of the crossing of a greyhound with any other dog breed, and Border collies are one of the breeds most widely used within the mixture.

A lurcher bred from a greyhound and a Border collie will tend to balance out the most extreme traits of these two quite dissimilar breeds, to provide a middle-of-the-road alternative that is versatile and well suited to many different types of homes.

Lurchers tend to be very middle of the road in terms of all of their core traits, including energy levels, intelligence, aptitude for training and tolerance of being left alone, and their coats are short and easy to care for too.

Lurchers do tend to have a very strong prey drive, which means that care must be taken to protect cats and wildlife when out on walks, but they make for excellent companions that are very loving, quiet within the home, and good fun to walk and play with.