Dog's Name & Age
Bandit, 8 years old
In a Word, My Collie Is…
A great pet! Great with kids and a wonderful family dog. So easy to train
Best Characteristics of the Breed
Loving, sweet-natured. Wants to be part of the family - is always with us.
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Breed
Keeping the hair brushed. Brushing frequently keeps it under control.
When, Where and How I Got My Collie
We were having a house built and decided to get a dog for the kids. I was nervous since we had always had cats. It was right before Christmas and we found an 8 week old puppy in the paper and surprised the kids with it. We ended up having to live in a hotel for 3 months while the house was finished with 4 of us, a cat and the 4 month old puppy. He was great then and has been ever since! He is a great companion, always so happy to see everyone if they leave for a few minutes or a few days. I always tell him (so my kids can hear) you know your my favorite I will probably always have a collie. We may get a puppy soon
I'd Describe My Dog As…
Bandit was so easy to train. We went on a lot of walks and we still walk 1 to 2 times a day. We did a basic obedience training mainly to get him around other dogs. He always barks a lot when he sees other dogs as though he is talking to them. He does not have any health issues but as he gets older it is getting harder for him to get up and down. He is very large for a collie though , he is 100 lbs. The father was also large. The breeder told us he would be big but it's fine with us! He is very intelligent and so loyal. At night he sleeps either at the foot of the stairs so he is between all the bedrooms (upstairs and downstairs) or by the front door.
Advice
- >Make sure you have the time at the beginning to brush and walk them.
- Collies love children. My son was 3 when we got ours and they love each other.
- Use tick and flea preventative for their thick fur.
- Grooming is essential. I have mine groomed every few months.
- Most of all, just give them lots of love and attention - I find it hard not to!
