Anyone have working border collies or aussies or ACDs (heelers)

[TedH71]

In either KS or Oklahoma? I'm wanting to see them in action and perhaps get a pup. I am also needing someone who is willing to allow my blue lacy "work" some ducks/geese to see if he has it in him to herd ducks/geese for what I have in mind for a small business that is dog-related somewhat. Was told border collies are tops at this. I may also consider kelpies. Private message me please. Thank you.

[Wolf mom]

my DD has a heeler. I have a 1/2 heeler.

Just try jogging with them. If they herd you and nip at your heels. You know yours is a working dog. Both of ours do & they're a riot when you try to go running.

Yes, border collies are the tops. Very very intelligent & have to be kept busy as they get bored easily - so if this is a passing fancy, don't get one.

[TedH71]

The jobs I plan to have for the dog is geese/duck managment. Basically the dog is supposed to herd/chase off geese/ducks from various places since they make a lot of droppings that cause health concerns and they can be rather aggressive when nesting. Am considering using the dog as a termite/bedbug detection dog but am getting a coonhound pup for that job but thought perhaps I could kill two birds with one stone and train the dog to do both herding the geese and hunting termites the dog will have to be good enough to be paid for it! In other words, the dog will be working for me. I also want an excuse to end up having critters on the place for the dog to work if there is no alternative work....

[ErinP]

IMO, borders are the way to go if you don't know anything.

Heelers and Aussies both tend to be more hard headed and you need to keep a bit firmer "grip" on them. Borders, on the other hand, innately know exactly what to do. All you really have to train into them is "get out!" And they tend to be so anxious to please, training is fairly easy. I also think a heeler (not sure about an Aussie) is also far more likely to kill the birds.

[clsmith15]

Well, my heeler heels me into the house when the chores are done after work lol. I've had chickens and while he will herd them there has never been any issue with him attacking or hurting them.

[Denise K.]

I have one and he is great, getting old I will miss him one day. They can be trained to herd ducks and geese away from areas. Most are very responsive to their owners requests. My dog has helped me round up chickens and ducks with minimal training for it. He also will help me scattered the geese (wild, grass eating, pooping machines) out of my pasture. The wild geese around here are horrid in the winter for picking any green grass they can find. I don't need them feeding on my pasture! So when we hear them we go for a walk and he chases them off the place. The geese have learned to skirt my place, I see them on the bordering school grounds but not on my place (they are faily smart creatures) But the dog will need monitoring until your sure he understands his job. Mine killed a duck when he was a pup, there was no intent to kill but it happened and we work with him 10 years later has never hurt another thing, unless you count the soccer balls he has flattened! Good Luck its a doable job for a Border Collie google a company called Goose B Gone, they had quite a website on this stuff a few years ago. (haven't looked recently)

[Witterbound]

I've got a mini aussie, that's about 30 lbs. He absolutely loves to heard cows or my horse and mule. Great instincts. My problem is that I don't know how to train him. I can call him off, or send him to "heard them home", but beyond that I don't know how to train him to do anything, like going to the pasture to bring someone to the barn. Anyway, the horse and mule are not intimidated by him in the slightest. The cows are sometimes. Guess what I'm saying is that a smaller dog might be more appropriate for your duck job.

[CIW]

Ted,
I've had BC's for about 20 yr. now. Heelers and AS when I was growing up.
Many things have changed over the years.
When the BC was granted registery in the American Kennel Club the breed started changing. In years previous these animals were bred for disposition, working ability and health. The BCwould come in many shapes sizes and coat lengths. I wouldn't own a dog with any AKC registery in its background unless you want it to just chase a frisbie or ball. A BC will have the ability to cast out and gather further than other breeds. They will be surigical when shedding (dividing) stock.
The AS's have lost alot of thier working instincts, but if you can find some of the older lines you may come up with a good dog. They will often be a shorter haired animal.
I remember a man that used to come and do day work in the fall. He had 2 of the best AS I'd ever seen. With those 2 dogs he could gather 250 off the mountain a horseback.
The heelers tend to be more of a pushing dog rather than a gathering dog and usually don't mind a conferentation from cattle. Also they have a tendency to get sulky when it gets hot or you put alot of pressure on them.
Those little Kelpies are creepers. They seem to use their belly as a fifth leg when they crawl. The person working the dog needs to be patient as they will sometimes quit you in a tight spot. They also don't mature for several years which may be the reason (impatience on the part of the owner) for those kinds of actions. I love to watch them work ducks.
Getting 5 or 7 Runner Ducks is a good way to bring a marginal or young animal onto working stock because the ducks change directions so quick.
A good book to read is "A Way of Life" by H. Glyn Jones. He is a Welshmen that has bred and trained many trial champion and farm working dogs in his life. There is also a video to go with it, by the same name.
You may be able to find someone local that you can hitch up with at; americanbordercollie.org

[neolady]

My brother is using BCs for cattle - about 125 head - they are great little working dogs that make great housedogs as well. He's never trained one of them, but they just instinctively do the job.

[DavisHillFarm]

We "adopted" a Border Collie 3 or 4 years ago. When we got him, he was a mess...abused and no training. The first three months were a real trial and we almost were going to give him up, but my wife, I and Joe (our BC) hung in there. Seems like one day everything clicked and today Joe is an important part of our family. He's our first BC and I now wish we had gotten one 30 yrs ago. All he needed was trust and love from us something he had little of before we got him. Joe is a wonderful friend and protector, well worth the time it took to straighten him out from his previous life....before we took him in.

Edit....Joe watches over our chickens as well as our place. And loves rounding up our cats!