Hi all. I have had sound advice on here before so thought i'd ask again.
As some of you may know we sadly lost our American Bulldog a few months ago and have now decided we would like to welcome in another dog into our family.
My whippet loved the Am Bull and i feel like it would benifit her, myself and my partner and daughter to have another dog here.
I'm very lucky in that my partner works enough hours and earns enough money to enable me to stay at home full time so i have plenty of time on my hands.
We were going to view a litter of Border Collies, but in my research it has said they are not acceptable due to children living in the home.
However i know of a few people owning a BC, my partner had one (who has since passed away at the good old age of 13), and those who have them have kids also. Is the idea of 'herding children' really likely? Or is this generaly when a dog has little or no exercise or stimulation and is bored?
Would anyone recommend a BC or recommend against us having one??
I have been advised to get another whippet, but i have always enjoyed the BC and would love one, but i need to be realistic really before we look into it.
If i did bring another into my home, i'd be looking into agility, obedience, heelwork etc.
Any advice greatly appreciated.

My grandparents and mother bred BC's when she was a child. My mum was bitten several times by the dogs, and was always told it was her fault, but i think they may have a low tolerance threshold for kids. My mums ACD is the same having a low tolerance levels for other dogs and people. A high level of respect and an older child, personally i would get a more child friendly breed, spaniel or similar. Somekind of mastiff would be good too, but if your looking at a collie then they may be on the large side for you.

Louise

A friend of mine got a farm breed border and a year later had a child, the baby did grow up pulling on the dogs coat all the time and he never grumbled once but my friend soon realised she did not have the time to walk her dog and used to let him roam around town alone which he would do for up to 5 hours and come home with his paws bleeding from his treks! When her baby was about 18 months I got her in tonch with another friend who was into horse's and really wanted a dog to take out with them, so in the end my friend agreed to give the dog to her. He ended up living with family number 2 until his death a year ago so he must of lived until he was 15 or 16 . His new mum had gotten married and had 2 children over those 10 years with him and he was a great family dog.

If you are willing and able to give them the exercise they need to be content in all weathers then they are fabulous dogs.  

I fostered a  border collie aged 18 months  for 3 months about eight years ago. My children were then ten and fourteen years old. I would have kept him but he used to nip their ankles (resulting in severe bruising) if they ran or rode their bikes or even if he got exited. We have horses and he was fine with them and got lots of exercise. I even had him neutered hoping this would calm him down but it didn't.  After three months I had to hand him back as he was too high maintenance even  for us.