You are here:
- Home
- Animals/Pets
- Dogs
- Canine Behavior
- Border companion
Canine Behavior/Border companion
Advertisement
Question
QUESTION: We are thinking we might want to find a companion dog for our 7 year old border collie. We live in a rural area and have a large area to run. Would you suggest us finding a companion for our female border collie (who was fixed at a young age before having any kids) and if so, what breed would you suggest?
ANSWER: I'm very pleased that you want the best for your dog, and as far as I can see, you have been a very responsible pet owner. For a female seven year old Border Collie, I would probably recommend a young Labrador Retriever. I would suggest getting one from a nearby shelter. Try getting a young Labrador mix. Gender is your preference, but we got a female Lab puppy for our other female Labrador, and they get along great. Good Luck!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Cassie,
We are considering adopting a male 9 month old golden retriever. What do you think about that combination?
I have never owned a Golden Retriever, but I've been around them all my life. Goldens are a lot like Labradors, which I breed, so I'd have to say that would be a great combination. Is it a purebred? Where will you purchase him from? Give me some more information on the dog. Golden Retrievers are very popular, so unfortunately they are being bred by ignorant owners, who don't do their research and decide they want to breed on a whim. This causes there to be very unhealthy puppies. Click on this link to go to my breeder's page, and click on "Puppy Mills" located at the top of the page: http://happytails.weebly.com/
Related Articles
Answers by Expert:
Cassie
Expertise
My expertise lies in the fact that I've helped people with their dog's behavior since the age of eleven! I was inspired by animal behaviorist "Cesar Millan" and knew I was meant to make a difference in the lives of animals, particularly dogs. I have owned dogs all my life. I can answer questions regarding behavior, breeding, training, and raising your puppy. In most 'behavior cases', the owner is the reason the dog is misbehaving. They were thinking with human psychology, not canine psychology. They did not provide their dog with what he/she needed, or tried to 'punish' their dog like their children, by putting them in a time-out, yelling, ect. This caused the dog to be in an unbalanced state of mind, which is the exact opposite of what most owners are trying to achieve. The dogs' instincts kick in and he/she tries to take over by jumping up, excessive barking, ect. That is why I'm here. To help people live happy, healthy lives with their best friend.
Experience
I have owned animals all my life, particularly dogs. I have studied animal behavior for much of my life, and am currently working toward my goal of becoming a professional animal behaviorist. I breed Labrador Retrievers as well. My kennel name is "Happy Tails Labradors", and my website can be viewed here: http://happytails.weebly.com/.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.