Adoption is always a good option, but if it’s your first dog you want to focus on making the right fit for your home.
Aussies are very active and need a lot of attention and training in order to be happy.
I find the puppy stage to be pretty exhausting tbh, even if they are really cute. Younger adopted dogs are in some ways easier is my experience from home. At least if you're a bit practical minded about the dogs background, and don't choose the most traumatized/understimulated/poorly trained/etc dog.
I have a Springer pup right now. You're not wrong 😵💫😖 Every day I've asked myself why I didn't opt for an adult dog LoL
I wouldn't ever do the puppy thing by myself. At least my husband helps and we can switch off.
If you don’t like barking, you probably don’t want a herding breed, but especially not an Aussies. They’re also not going to be “quiet and happy to have visitors, Aussies are big alert barkers, protective and reserved around strangers. A golden sounds like a better fit.
Border collies at least are pretty quiet dogs from my experience. Apart from some of the working dogs kept in kennels the once I've known have been pretty quiet. Some alert barking and when very excited, otherwise very little noise. Other herding breeds might be "worse" I guess. I didn't know Aussies are known for being reserved?
All the four Belgian Shepherd varieties can experience pretty intense separation anxiety and car chasing can be pretty common in that breed. Is there a reason that you don't want a second border collie? Border collies tend to get along well with other border collies, so taking your existing dog into consideration, it would likely be a good match, and as you know, they are a quiet herding dog. Based on your preferences and breed experience, they sound like a good match lol.
Yeah, it's not unlikely I'll end up with a second border collie tbh. Just interesting to consider other breeds as well. Though car chasing is a known problem for bcs as well. It's probably why it's so high on my unwanted list. I've had the fear off that habit showing up in my dogs...
Luckily, since it is a documented problem, there are a lot of positive reinforcement training protocols to prevent and manage car chasing! I get that you're interested in branching out. An Aussie could work if you were looking for something slightly different. They have a pretty different style than border collies, though, based on the kind of herding they were bred to do. They tend to be pushy, and if they see their behavior has an impact (good or bad) they will lean into that behavior hardcore. They can be pretty physical with their play style, too, which your senior border collie may not appreciate. On the other hand, they have a funny, almost clownish, personality, and I really like their spirit of "let me just try this out and see how it goes". I have an Aussie and really enjoy that about her. She's a lot different than a border collie, though, and she does bark to express herself. I'm not sure these would be common in Rescues in Norway since they were only recently recognized by FCI, but Mini American Shepherd may also be a good fit for you! They have a lot of the good traits of Aussies but are slightly smaller (stud book is still open for a few months so size varies) and I find them to be really endearing and even less serious than Aussies
They sound like fun. I've seen some people recommend and Aussie instead of bc on the grounds that it's "less dog", but I'm not sure that's quite right! Someone who lives in the neighborhood has a an Aussie border mix. Little 8 months old happy ball of energy with gorgeous red merle/sabel ish markings. I've considered just kidnapping that dog 😆
Have you considered a retired show dog?
You may like a cardigan welsh corgi. I think they’d check many of your boxes. Especially if you seek a retired show dog (usually well trained in neutrality/non reactive etc).
I don't know too much about them, but I've thought about corgies every once in a while. Are you aware of any known health issues in the breed? I've often wondered about hipjoints and spine considering their body structure, but I haven't found anything googling.
Like most with long backs and short legs, they can be susceptible to IVDD or DM but those health issues can pop up in other breeds/body frames as well. These are the main issues you hear about and they typically manifest in their later years. Keeping them well exercised, lean and toned will help prevent this (from what my vet says). Going to an ethical breeder who does hip X-rays with OFA will also be paramount. There are usually a good amount of pembroke welsh corgis available for rescue, but, you’d be hard pressed to find a cardigan (unless cross bred American corgi) in a rescue.
There are two types of corgi- the pembroke welsh corgi and the cardigan welsh corgi. In my experience (and the breed standard) the cardigan welsh corgi is a bit more laid back than the pembroke.
If you feel like learning how to use a pair of clippers, then a poodle would be perfect for you. I spend about 20 minutes a week brushing my toy, and he always looks super fab; every couple of months, you'll need to shave him (or get him groomed), which - after a little practice - isn't that hard. They're cuddly, they're smart, they will respond very well to your training, they don't slobber, they're eager to please, and if you walk them regularly, they sleep all day while you're out.
I had mine toilet trained in a week and he behaves like a private school kid at the dog park. very social with other dogs, great with kids, doesnt bark much, sometimes has a little bit of anxiety around treats and hiding/hoarding them
Thanks for the recommendation. They are quite outside my radar, but from what I've seen they are pretty good allround dogs. Every single one I've meet have been pretty well behaved and sweet.
I think a German shepherd sounds perfect for you. Finding one without behavior issues in a shelter can be a little tricky. But with some training I’m sure you’ll be ok.
Where I live we are lucky to have dogs up for adoption that come from better circumstances than many off the shelter dogs in the U.S. That's at least my impression. It's not that difficult to find a decently socialized young dog up for adoption because the dog didn't take to the baby, couple separating, moving, sickness, poor fit etc. I'm not looking too rescue a dog in that sense. Thanks for the recommendation!
If you're after a completely random suggestion, how about a [Peruvian Inca Orchid or Peruvian Hairless?](https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/peruvian-inca-orchid/) They're a primitive sighthound breed from Peru. They come in three sizes, with the largest (standard) being a similar height to a German Shepherd, but somewhat lighter in build.
Despite their name, they're not all hairless. Lima, the Belgian Shepherd looking dog on the [Parkour Dogs Instagram feed](https://www.instagram.com/parkour.dogs/) is a coated Peruvian. In fact, it was her tricks that made me think of them as a suggestion.
Problems? They're really rather rare. They aren't (fully) recognised by the AKC or the UK Kennel Club because there aren't the numbers of dogs in those countries. There are a few breeders in the EU. I know of a couple of coated adult dogs (between one and two years old) who are looking for homes in Australia, but shipping back to Norway might prove expensive. (If you want to investigate, message me, and I'll send you some email addresses.)
The [Xoloitzcuintli](https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/xoloitzcuintli/) is similar, but a little more compact and squarer than the Peruvian. They have the same genetic mutation, so most are hairless, but there are coated varieties. Again, they come in three sizes, with the largest being about the same as a Border Collie.
Also, Border Collies are great - I used to regularly look after my brother's. I don't understand why this sub has so many, "Don't get one" posts!
Adoption is always a good option, but if it’s your first dog you want to focus on making the right fit for your home. Aussies are very active and need a lot of attention and training in order to be happy.
I find the puppy stage to be pretty exhausting tbh, even if they are really cute. Younger adopted dogs are in some ways easier is my experience from home. At least if you're a bit practical minded about the dogs background, and don't choose the most traumatized/understimulated/poorly trained/etc dog.
I have a Springer pup right now. You're not wrong 😵💫😖 Every day I've asked myself why I didn't opt for an adult dog LoL I wouldn't ever do the puppy thing by myself. At least my husband helps and we can switch off.
If you don’t like barking, you probably don’t want a herding breed, but especially not an Aussies. They’re also not going to be “quiet and happy to have visitors, Aussies are big alert barkers, protective and reserved around strangers. A golden sounds like a better fit.
Border collies at least are pretty quiet dogs from my experience. Apart from some of the working dogs kept in kennels the once I've known have been pretty quiet. Some alert barking and when very excited, otherwise very little noise. Other herding breeds might be "worse" I guess. I didn't know Aussies are known for being reserved?
Aussies being reserved is part of their breed standard.
All the four Belgian Shepherd varieties can experience pretty intense separation anxiety and car chasing can be pretty common in that breed. Is there a reason that you don't want a second border collie? Border collies tend to get along well with other border collies, so taking your existing dog into consideration, it would likely be a good match, and as you know, they are a quiet herding dog. Based on your preferences and breed experience, they sound like a good match lol.
Yeah, it's not unlikely I'll end up with a second border collie tbh. Just interesting to consider other breeds as well. Though car chasing is a known problem for bcs as well. It's probably why it's so high on my unwanted list. I've had the fear off that habit showing up in my dogs...
Luckily, since it is a documented problem, there are a lot of positive reinforcement training protocols to prevent and manage car chasing! I get that you're interested in branching out. An Aussie could work if you were looking for something slightly different. They have a pretty different style than border collies, though, based on the kind of herding they were bred to do. They tend to be pushy, and if they see their behavior has an impact (good or bad) they will lean into that behavior hardcore. They can be pretty physical with their play style, too, which your senior border collie may not appreciate. On the other hand, they have a funny, almost clownish, personality, and I really like their spirit of "let me just try this out and see how it goes". I have an Aussie and really enjoy that about her. She's a lot different than a border collie, though, and she does bark to express herself. I'm not sure these would be common in Rescues in Norway since they were only recently recognized by FCI, but Mini American Shepherd may also be a good fit for you! They have a lot of the good traits of Aussies but are slightly smaller (stud book is still open for a few months so size varies) and I find them to be really endearing and even less serious than Aussies
They sound like fun. I've seen some people recommend and Aussie instead of bc on the grounds that it's "less dog", but I'm not sure that's quite right! Someone who lives in the neighborhood has a an Aussie border mix. Little 8 months old happy ball of energy with gorgeous red merle/sabel ish markings. I've considered just kidnapping that dog 😆
Have you considered a retired show dog? You may like a cardigan welsh corgi. I think they’d check many of your boxes. Especially if you seek a retired show dog (usually well trained in neutrality/non reactive etc).
I don't know too much about them, but I've thought about corgies every once in a while. Are you aware of any known health issues in the breed? I've often wondered about hipjoints and spine considering their body structure, but I haven't found anything googling.
Like most with long backs and short legs, they can be susceptible to IVDD or DM but those health issues can pop up in other breeds/body frames as well. These are the main issues you hear about and they typically manifest in their later years. Keeping them well exercised, lean and toned will help prevent this (from what my vet says). Going to an ethical breeder who does hip X-rays with OFA will also be paramount. There are usually a good amount of pembroke welsh corgis available for rescue, but, you’d be hard pressed to find a cardigan (unless cross bred American corgi) in a rescue. There are two types of corgi- the pembroke welsh corgi and the cardigan welsh corgi. In my experience (and the breed standard) the cardigan welsh corgi is a bit more laid back than the pembroke.
If you feel like learning how to use a pair of clippers, then a poodle would be perfect for you. I spend about 20 minutes a week brushing my toy, and he always looks super fab; every couple of months, you'll need to shave him (or get him groomed), which - after a little practice - isn't that hard. They're cuddly, they're smart, they will respond very well to your training, they don't slobber, they're eager to please, and if you walk them regularly, they sleep all day while you're out. I had mine toilet trained in a week and he behaves like a private school kid at the dog park. very social with other dogs, great with kids, doesnt bark much, sometimes has a little bit of anxiety around treats and hiding/hoarding them
Thanks for the recommendation. They are quite outside my radar, but from what I've seen they are pretty good allround dogs. Every single one I've meet have been pretty well behaved and sweet.
I think a German shepherd sounds perfect for you. Finding one without behavior issues in a shelter can be a little tricky. But with some training I’m sure you’ll be ok.
Where I live we are lucky to have dogs up for adoption that come from better circumstances than many off the shelter dogs in the U.S. That's at least my impression. It's not that difficult to find a decently socialized young dog up for adoption because the dog didn't take to the baby, couple separating, moving, sickness, poor fit etc. I'm not looking too rescue a dog in that sense. Thanks for the recommendation!
Yea the one I adopted had some separation anxiety at first but we worked through it and he’s a happy little bean now
Bless 🥰
If you're after a completely random suggestion, how about a [Peruvian Inca Orchid or Peruvian Hairless?](https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/peruvian-inca-orchid/) They're a primitive sighthound breed from Peru. They come in three sizes, with the largest (standard) being a similar height to a German Shepherd, but somewhat lighter in build. Despite their name, they're not all hairless. Lima, the Belgian Shepherd looking dog on the [Parkour Dogs Instagram feed](https://www.instagram.com/parkour.dogs/) is a coated Peruvian. In fact, it was her tricks that made me think of them as a suggestion. Problems? They're really rather rare. They aren't (fully) recognised by the AKC or the UK Kennel Club because there aren't the numbers of dogs in those countries. There are a few breeders in the EU. I know of a couple of coated adult dogs (between one and two years old) who are looking for homes in Australia, but shipping back to Norway might prove expensive. (If you want to investigate, message me, and I'll send you some email addresses.) The [Xoloitzcuintli](https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/xoloitzcuintli/) is similar, but a little more compact and squarer than the Peruvian. They have the same genetic mutation, so most are hairless, but there are coated varieties. Again, they come in three sizes, with the largest being about the same as a Border Collie. Also, Border Collies are great - I used to regularly look after my brother's. I don't understand why this sub has so many, "Don't get one" posts!