When I look at her, my heart does a flip-flop. Why?

JP Must be a case of puppy love. You made me stop and look at the picture of my two goldens that I keep on my desk. I lost them a few years ago. Enjoy every minute of your time with her.

Give in. She’s got you.

@JP What happened to your other dog that you got?

Marinelife, her name is Maggie and she still loves me as much as ever. This is the problem. Will Maggie accept a Border Collie puppy or will there be conflict and jealousy from the beginning.

Marienlife, Maggie sends you a kiss for thinking about her.

I’d give in to her to her if you think she would fit in well with you lifestyle and your other dog of course :)

“should I just give up everything just to be with her?”

It’s about $1100—$3500 a year to own a dog. Also consider the inconvenience, the clean up, the extra house maintenance, the liability risks, fleas, hair, yard mess, dog sitting when you are on vacation, dog fights, required dog walks. Hope that makes your decision easier.

http://dogs.about.com/od/becomingadogowner/a/costofdogs.htm

What you are experiencing is a series of biochemical responses, triggering an emotional cascade and impairing normal functioning.
Now, there is no shame in having these feelings for a dog, but you should be aware of your state’s laws concering sodomy, before you initiate any intimate actions.

Maggie is still young, isn’t she? I think she will accept the puppy fine. You might have to monitor their play since Maggie is a pretty big dog, right?

Go for it

Maggie weighes close to 85 pounds and will top out at 120, according to her vet.

I call her Goat Dog. She looks like a goat and will eat anything, except black olives.

If you’re in love, jump right in.

Border collies require a lot of exercise and running and they will find a job herding something if you don’t help them find a job that works for you. How would Maggie and or You adjust to being herded around by this puppy?

Border collies are more work than you can imagine. Imagine how much a very active dog would be, and then times it by 50. Over and over, I meet people who took in a border collie or herding dog or a 50/50 mix and it turned into a nightmare, but both animal and owner. A friend in the city got herself an Australian herding dog, called her a cute name and she was very pretty. Within two years, she had to have the dog euthanised because he went stupid from not enough exercise or attention. A girlfriend back in NZ had a border collie and it became so destructive, she couldn’t keep it. A neighbour here in my village in Norway got a female border collie/retriever cross and it is two years old. He is a retired guy, and has spent time with the dog, but it is completely out of control and he has never had the heart to treat the bitch in a way she could be trained because he thinks those methods are ‘cruel’ yet, he has brought her to the vet twice with the intention of euthanising her because of how out of control she is. (This dog I think of when I wake up every morning and wonder if I should take a hand to her and try to train her, simply to save her life. She is beautiful, but completely wild.)

Maggie might be a calming influence and herding dogs need company 24/7, so that could be a real positive but what if they don’t get along? Dogs are very much like poorly communicative people. If they decide they don’t like a new comer, it is difficult to fix.

If you have a local dog trainer you can talk with and who might be able to guide and fix problems as they occur, make use of them. Dogs are pack animals and they all have different personalities. Breed traits are strong, because it’s in their genes to be that way, so behaviour correction can only do so much and it will be harder than you think.

And they call it puppy lo-o-o-ove….

If you have the time and energy to take her out and let her run for several hours every day, and keep her mentally stimulated with training and tasks, then you two will be very happy together. Border collies in general are the smartest dogs out there, and also some of the most energetic. If they don’t have something to keep them busy and active they will start acting out, BUT if you DO have the time and energy they are likewise some of the best dogs out there.

Her feet smell?

Nobody really knows why. But it is probably why they built the pyramids, and why about ten million poems have been written. One of the great mysteries of life, and thus being human is better than being a gold fish.

You used to have a BC didn’t you? I would get her. I don’t think 2 dogs are much more work than 1, 3 is the number that starts to turn your house into a kennel! Send us a pic when you get her.