Border Collie Owners

1. How much time do you spend exercising with your Border Collie every day?
Physical, probably around an hour or so. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but it probably works out to a little over an hour average. Easily an hour a day broken up into 5 minute training sessions for mental.
2. What kinds of exercise/ activities do you do with your Border Collie?
Obedience, walks, fetch (her favourite), agility, tricks, hikes, going to the beach, and doggy play dates.
3. What is your Border Collie's personality like?
Fearless in new situations, but sensitive to handlers, extremely handler focused, quirky, fun, energetic, and recently, a serious cuddler.
4. Do you think somebody who works during the day could be able to give a Border Collie its required amounts of attention and exercise?

Yes. People make BCs out to be these crazy destructive, off the wall beasts. They're not. With proper exercise and mental training they are a breeze to be around. Especially if you get one from good herding lines (even if you never plan to work stock). They'll have a much better off-switch.

My BC seriously sleeps a ton. She just knows when she isn't "working" and is happy to chill out. She's equally happy to spring into action when needed.

1. Anywhere between 1 & 3 hours a day, it totally depends on my schedule. I'm a dog walker so have the option to take him to work on the days my schedule permits it. This includes exercise around the house and in the garden as well as all out of the home activities.
2. Trick training, fetch, tug (his favourite), ScentWork classes, hiking, comes to work with me, obedience, play dates with other dogs.
3. VERY handler focussed, wicked smart, sensitive, fun, up for anything, sweeter than honey, huge cuddler.
4. Of course. People portray Border Collies as total nut cases which they certainly are not, my boy is 4 years old, he sleeps ALL DAY. If he's not actively playing, training or out walking he is fast asleep. If you can put the effort and time in to PROPERLY train them and don't turn them into a super athlete then of course you can. Far too many people see a working dog and think 'oh I must physically exercise him for 4 hours a day. Nonsense. Can they go that long? Of course they can but to me it's not healthy. The quality of the exercise and stimulation you give a Border Collie is far more important that the quantity.

For example here is Busters routine from today. Got up around 9am, I had to physically prod him to get him out of bed, he is so lazy in the mornings. Gave him his breakfast in a treat ball, he had a bathroom break in the garden, we played tug for a bit then I went to work. He was alone for around 4 hours.

I came and got him after lunchtime and he came out with me on a group walk, he ran for an hour solid with another BC, a Vizsla, a Westie, a beagle and a Cockerpoo. By the end of the hour the other dogs were like okay Buster we're done. He was still raring to go for another hour.

Since we came home he's had his dinner, we done some random tricks when my friends BF came round to meet him. That's all he's done today. He's been sleeping the rest of the day.

These dogs just need to correct amount of stimulation to balance it out. Far too many people will take a BC to a park or field for 2-3 hours and just play fetch over and over. It's boring and monotonous, they are so eager to please and willing to learn its scary. Harness that and you'll end up with a fantastic dog

On the days he doesn't come to work with me we'll go for a 1.5 hour off lead walk, he can take things at his own pace, explore, sniff, follow scents. I'll check in some random obedience, heeling, jumping on and off stuff, keep him guessing. This is the mentally stimulating part along with the sniffing, along with the physical walking it's getting two birds with one stone.

I have rambled way to much as per usual but I guess it's helpful to hear what a day in the life of a border collie and their owner is like.

Thats him on the left

1. How much time do you spend exercising with your Border Collie every day?
About 2 or 3 hours of variable outdoor exercise.

2. What kinds of exercise/ activities do you do with your Border Collie?
Tear arsing after tennis balls, frisbee, swimming, agility, flyball, sometimes doing a bit or work with sheep. Indoors she helps with chores like laundry, recycling and does a lot of trick-training

3. What is your Border Collie's personality like?
The kindest, friendliest and best natured dog I've ever met. Absolutely nuts beyond words. Not just quirky - she's mental.

4. Do you think somebody who works during the day could be able to give a Border Collie its required amounts of attention and exercise?
Depends entirely on the dog's age and health but most importantly whether it's more suited to / has a strong work instinct. Also would depend on what type of activity you do with it when you can and how much time and effort you're willing and able to put in. Mental stimulation and an activity to keep their minds busy and their brains challenged is just as important if not more so than the physical exercise. They're fantastic dogs for sure but need a lot of time and training giving to make sure all their needs are being met.

Realise that's probably as much use as a chocolate teapot to you but I guess what I'm trying to say is simply read up, research and if you've set your heart on getting a Collie, choose well and choose carefully