I have a cocker spaniel and a border collie mix.
My cocker spaniel is 12 years old and our border collie is 6 years old.
Everyone loves Peppi (my cocker). She is very well trained and just loves everyone especially kids. She was very easy to train and picked up things very quickly. Potty training was easy as well.
I did obedience with her for years and she won a lot of ribbons for it. She wasn't hyper either, she would take on my personality and mood.
My family raised cockers and I will always have one in my life as well.
The main health concerns in cockers are cherry eye, skin conditions and ear infections. Luckily in all the years of raising Peppi she has never had any.
Their hair however is quite a task to upkeep. You will need to get them groomed about every 6 weeks even when they are kept in a puppy cut.
If you find a good reputable breeder I don't see you having any problems with the right training and socialization. They are great family dogs if brought up right.
Now I love my border collie Daisy but I won't ever get another unless I was to live on a farm or somewhere with a lot of land.
Border collies are very smart but they need a lot of exercise and most importantly they need mental stimulation. They aren't a dog you can leave in the house all day or one that would be happy with just going on walks.
I wouldn't get a border collie unless you have a lot of time to devote to exercising and stimulating them.
How about a Papillon? They are very intelligent, their health is good and grooming isn't bad. They are a more active breed though. |