give a dog a bad name

Give a Dog a Bad Name

Our breed is described in many different ways. Border Collies, Sheepdogs, herding dogs, working dogs, faithful, loyal, intelligent. These I can relate to. But what about the less favourable ones, nippy, chasers, biters, nervous, hyper, neurotic, and the one which really infuriates me – not good with children.

Other people’s re-action to the breed has often prompted me to put pen to paper, but what has really caused me to feel that Border Collies are being misrepresented is an article I read some time ago, and one on the Internet, which were aimed specifically at Border Collies and children. I have no doubt that the intentions were well meant but I see nothing beneficial in making people believe that a particular breed of dog is of dubious character. I see in black and white information such as ‘Border Collies are not good with children they are meant to chase sheep and nip them, it’s what they are bred to do and if you let them in the garden with your children they will treat them like sheep.’

They are meant to herd and to use their power of eye and their mental strength to do the job they were bred for. Anyone who has seen a collie gently nosing a stray lamb back to the flock, or using its power to turn a truculent ewe will not need telling that these dogs do not need to bite, and it is not second nature for them to use their teeth.

I am the first to say to would-be owners that these dogs were hunting animals originally and as such should be respected. But so is every other natural breed of dog! If we are honest there is no breed of dog which is safe with children, no human being can know exactly what is going on in a dog’s head at any given time and I defy any parent to tell me that their children are completely trustworthy with a dog.

But should this be an issue? Why do people want a dog to be ‘good with children’? My children were brought up to be good with dogs and we had no problems, but I respected my dogs’ wishes just I respected my children’s safety. All my dogs had a ‘safe house’ and woe betide any child, mine or anyone else’s, who even looked like invading that ‘safe house’. If someone were to ask me, ‘is your dog good with children?’ I would want to know, ‘how good is your child with dogs?’

We come back to the same old question. Should a Border Collie be in anything other than a working home? And it’s the same old answer. Whatever kind of home they are in they are going to come into contact with children. I firmly believe that the type of home isn’t the issue as much it is the type of people who are relevant, and it’s no good blaming the breed for indiscriminate breeding and homing of puppies. A collie given the correct diet, and this is important, and the correct basics, is a dog to be proud of.

Barbara Sykes MFCBA MBIPDT

 

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