I have a wonderful son with Asperger's syndrome (autism).  I have been advised that it would be helpful to him to get him a border collie puppy.  I am in the Inverness area and we can travel in the highlands, but are limited to where we can travel. Also, how do we know what to look for when buying a puppy?  I don't want to spend too much money, but need one for near end of Nov

I wouldn't sayy it has to be a border collie, I'm sure a crossbreed would be just as good :)

Try and find a breed your son likes.  This way he will be much happier and willing to work with the puppy :)

Do get a puppy so they can grow up together

Contact breed clubs to get recomendations for breeders.

Make sure the breeders have health tested for relevant things (ask breed club what is done in the breed)

Make sure the breeder is happy having a puppy go to your son.  Most will but some may be abit worried, do not hate a breeder for this they only want whats best for their puppies.

Good luck! :)

the RIGHT BC would be really suitable,the wrong one would be a nightmare.so when going to see pups make sure the breeders know the sort of temperment you require.my oldest bitch would have been 100% perfect

hi
I don't know how old your son is but although you say you want a dog for your son are YOU willing to put in the considerable amount of work required to raise one? I would suggest you go to a reputable breeder who breeds for temperament and health...it is essential that a puppy is carefully bred especialy in your circumastances.
Archer

I wouldn't reccommend a border collie for an autistic/ aspergers child personally. Collies, no matter how well breed are a sensitive breed and can be easily upset by shouting or erratic movement. THey need a tremendous amount of socialisation and both mental and physical stimulation and so will be a lot of work on your part. I would reccommend looking for a breed known for sturdiness such as a golden retriever, lab or cavalier king charles for example, or even a cross breed as has been suggested.

Hi Guest. A great deal of thought must go into the choosing of the right puppy for your family and your son.
Your son must be allowed a considerable amount of input into this also. The puppy should primarily be a family pet, with perhaps the bonding and teaching of responsibility being a relevant part of the puppy ownership. 

At the moment I have a family who have been on my waiting list for quite a few months. After meeting the parents and the children, one of whom is a 12year old with aspergers/autism, I knew that the temperament of at least one of my bitches pups would be suitable. 

In this case it was not simply a case of vetting the home and owner and then handing over a puppy when 8weeks old.  In this case, the family have been making weekly visits to the prospective mum before mating took place and the bonding process started from there.  'J' has been visiting and has been involved with the bitches progress all the way.  He is completely involved and this seems to have been of great improtance to him.  He is now awaiting the birth of the puppies and does understand that he wont be able to visit after whelping until the pups are 4 weeks old and the initial dangers have passed. With a little guidance from me, I am also allowing him to take a 1st pick of the litter (after my own for show purposes) as I feel he needs to take his time and spend extra bonding time with puppy before it becomes his responsibility in his own home.  All the family are completely happy with all I have suggested and are working well together with myself to make sure that everything works best for 'J' and most importantly for the puppy.

Please do take your time in considering a particular breed and please make sure the breeder is fully aware of any possible problems. I am sure that when you find a good and reputable breeder she will help in every way possible.

One thing that I would not have done, would be to simply allow you to have a puppy without going through all I have done above.  Also, to stipulate a time limit, would not be in the pups best interests, this is not something in which a breeder will enter into lightly. (I am curious as to why you need a puppy for end of November).  I am hoping this is not for a surprise.  Please do not even consider this as an option. No reputable breeder would entertain this.

I would only get a puppy if YOU want one.
Yes it might be a great addition to the family fr everyone but you can not guarantee that the dog will bond with your son rather than you, does he like the idea of a puppy?
What breeds does HE like.

Yep,

Puppies are bl**dy hard work -- Border Collies are very intelligent and quick to learn, BUT they are very quick to learn the WRONG things. They will train themselves, but generally to do things you dont WANT them to do!

I have a friend whose son has Aspergers, he lives happily with five dogs.

Definately let him pick the breed where possible, take him to meet the breeds he likes, not just from photos - go to a few dog shows adn see the different breeds.

Find a breeder that will let you get involved with the litter as much as is possible as well.

Em

<<<<<I wouldn't reccommend a border collie for an autistic/ aspergers child personally. Collies, no matter how well breed are a sensitive breed and can be easily upset by shouting or erratic movement. >>>>>

Lucyand meg....aspergers children do not shout or do 'erratic' movements anymore than 'normal' children.The main problem with aspergers children is a communication problem....I have a son with symantic pragmatic disorder which is VERY  similar to aspergers and he is  wonderful with animals.
Archer

My Joedee(cavalier) made friends with a young man with aspergers at Blackpool & his mum was a bit concerned that JD might be frightened, but her son so wanted a cavalier(dad & mum had agreed that he could have a dog)The young man ended up with JD smothering with kisses & cuddles & went off with his mum happy that he would be fine & her son went off waving good bye to  my little man. JD hasn't met many disabled people of any age, but he is wonderful with all the people he has  met like 99% of all cavaliers & the family were given the names of a couple of good breeders to get their puppy from

One of my BC's who was a very bouncy energetic boy was wonderful at Crufts when a young lady with cerebral palsy wanted to stroke & play ball with him. He was so gentle bringing his bally back & putting it gently in her hands, totally different to how he played with me & he sat for ages with his head on her knees something he never did with me

Dogs are very sensitive to the disabilities of people(I have an epileptic friend whose rescue collie taught herself to indicate his siezures upto an hour before they occurred)& the rght BC tuned into this young man would make a hell of a lot of difference to his life

You're so right MM....with a bit of caution in chosing the right dog a bond between a disabled child or a child with a condition and a dog can be wonderful.
Archer

Archer, i am well aware of aspergers but the op had put in brackets autism, in which children can behave like that. We don't actually know how old the child is, i wouldn't reccommend a collie for any young child regardless of whether or not they have autism. As my sister has downs i am in regular contact with all sorts of disabilities, but not all children with the same disabilities behave in the same way so we can't be completely sure what the child is like. My collie is very good with my sister, they have a real bond, but i wouldn't reccommend having a collie (or any other breed really) unless the parents are willing to look after the dog, not just because they have been told it may be a good idea.

Hi there,
You don't say how old your son is. To be honest, this is more critical to me as a border collie breeder than anything else. I would not let one of my pups go to any home with children under the age of 12. Border Collies, as I am sure you know, are a highly driven working breed and can often display "nipping behaviour" to small and fast moving children. It's not a sign of aggression, simply part of their natural instinct but, in a family with young children, is highly undesirable.
To be honest, Border Collies make one of the worst pets for the average family. They require intense amounts of exercise and stimulation in order to be contented companions. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule and I am sure some posters are screaming "but my border collie is a couch potato!" but there is no way to tell if an 8 week old puppy will be one of these exceptions.
Rather than rush out and commit you and your family to a long commitment of caring for any breed of dog, perhaps I may make some alternative suggestions? Is there a local rescue centre nearby that may welcome you and your son coming along to walk and play with some of their dogs? (this will probably depend on the age of your son and their insurance restrictions). Or perhaps a neighbour with a dog who is elderly or working full time that would appreciate a help with daily walking of their pet? I know this is not the same as having your own pet - but perhaps a starting point for deciding if a dog is the right pet for you and your family.
Good luck!