Kid Myth Page 2

Myth #5 - We had a border collie when I was a kid and he was great, so I KNOW that we're a good family for this breed.

Remember when Gyp the first joined your family 30 years ago; you were about 8 years old and lived in a quiet suburban neighborhood? Gyp was always waiting in the courtyard for you after school, and he spent his days roaming around, scaring up rabbits and hanging out with the neighbor's Lab. Everyone just sort of accepted that sometimes he'd get into their garbage and a couple of times he knocked up the German Shepherd down the street and the puppies were just so cute? Those were such great times, and Gyp was such a great dog.

You aren't your parents. What you don't remember is your mum on her knees scrubbing dog vomit out of the carpet, or your dad getting up at 6AM to take Gyp for a good long walk before he went off to work. You were busy playing with your pals when Mr. Smith down the road yelled at your dad because Gyp kept lifting his leg on his doorstep when his Fifi was in season. You don't remember all the shoes, cameras and sofa cushions he destroyed because, well, you were 8 years old and who cares about sofas when they're eight years old?

Fast forward 30 years and dog ownership is a lot tougher too. The leash laws are pretty strict in almost all cities, and today's Gyp would be impounded with increasingly larger fines for roaming like the first Gyp did. That means Gyp needs a lot more supervised walks. If you do let him roam, he's more likely to get hit by a car, because there are a lot more of those around, and if he barks when you leave him in the yard, expect a visit and/or a fine from City Hall. You probably work longer hours than your dad did, and your wife probably works as well; probably your mum stayed at home. That means Gyp, a dog whose lineage tells him he is supposed to work hard every day, is actually laying around your house bored senseless, and when you and your wife finally get home from an exhausting day, it's tough to rustle up the enthusiasm to take Gyp for a run for an hour or so, especially when it's raining outside.

The fact is, what you remember about your childhood with Gyp the First is not Gyp, but in fact, your childhood. EVERYTHING was better back then (the grass was greener, flowers smelled better, gas was cheaper and kids weren't so damn rude). You weren't Gyp's primary caregiver and you had a lot fewer responsibilities in your life too. Your childhood dog, as great as he was, was not as great as you think he was. He was still a dog, and owning a dog is a lot of work.

Some families and border collies really make it work. We don't mean to suggest that no family in the world today gets along with their border collie, and that all border collies are terrible with kids and / or neglected in the garage. Of course there are some very happy dogs, kids and parents out there right this minute loving their lives and everyone is content. But that's because they make a real effort, and the dogs were a good match for their families.

There are border collies that are great with kids. Maybe Gyp isn't the right dog for you, but Sweep might be. Maybe Sweep loved the family kids dearly but the parents didn't want the dog anymore, so he ended up in rescue. If you do feel certain you can keep Sweep busy and happy within your family dynamic, and you know Sweep has a good history with kids, by all means look at adopting Sweep. He's probably a much better choice than a puppy from the farmer in the next municipality.

Wait until your kids are older. Don't bite off more than you can chew. If you are already exhausted from chasing your toddlers around and your newborn doesn't let you sleep through the night, and five minutes alone on the sofa is like the best gift ever to you, now is not the right time to get a dog. You won't have time for him, and that's not fair for him or you. Wait until your kids are more independent and you have more free time to spend with the dog.

Get the dog for you, not for your kids. No matter how keen your children are to get a dog, you can bet the farm on the plain truth; your kids are not going to get up at 3AM, 4:30AM and 6AM when Sweep has diarrhea and has to go outside. Your kids are not going to get up an hour early in the winter to make sure he gets out there and has a good run in the morning. When your kids discover The Opposite Sex, Sweep is going to be pretty much the last thing on their mind. And when your kids move out into cheap, moldy rental apartments or go off to college dorms, chances are they won't be able to take Sweep with them. That means he stays with you. And Sweep could live for 16 years or more, so make sure that although you told the kids you'd get "them" a dog, secretly, Sweep is really for you.

We think so highly of border collies. It breaks our hearts to see them tossed away like yesterday's fad toy to languish in shelters, or passed from home to home, growing more nervous and uncertain with each family swap. These dogs are such intelligent, loyal animals that they deserve a lifetime commitment, and yet everyday someone, somewhere, turns their border collie into a shelter or a rescue organization. Literally thousands of dogs are killed in this country each and every years because there are more dogs than there are families with time for them so please, unless you know you can give a border collie - or any dog - a meaningful home for life, don't overestimate your availability. Wait until you can do right by your dog.f