We have a BC mix, and we're in constant contact with pure bred BCs. We herd with our guy and he's grateful for it.
BCs need a lot of exercise. Exercise is not work. Exercise alone will not tire a. BC brain.
A walk to a BC would be like you learning the copy machine at work after getting your MBA and being demoted to using it all day for 8 hours (without listening to an mp3 player.)
A training walk for an hour with varying/demanding conditions could be fun for a BC. But what will you do in the evening with your BC? That was just the AM routine. Can you play "Find it!" any where in your home/yard? This is helpful. Throwing a ball back and forth is a great way to exercise a BC, if they like it, but it's not thinking, and will not fulfill their need to have a real job.
One thing we've learned is BC's need to think, not just work on the same thing over and over, they need to work out problems and use their brain. It's almost as if they are constantly figuring out a math word problem. Sometimes a BC who is only doing agility for their work may still get bored or a little obsessive compulsive. Because once they learn the equipment, then what?
What if your BC doesn't like agility, then what?
What might, and this is a might, not a definite, a lot of BC's do fine with agility. But, what might happen is a BC is bred with a personality that seems to pick up on patterns very quickly. For some people this is great. Your BC will tell you when you are running late, will tell you when you are not eating dinner at the correct time, will tell you what day of the week it is and why aren't we going to herding practice??! If your BC is bored this "telling you" may become distructive behavior after you leave. Are you ready for that? Are you ready for your BC to eat it's bed because you put it in the crate on a Wednesday and you never put your BC in a crate on Wednesday. Not every BC is like this, but they can be if left to their own devices.
We avoid this by altering our schedule frequently, making sure he thinks before we go anywhere, and make sure he herds the day before a long day at home.
There will be days when you will need to give him/her more than agility, teach them a new trick, give them buster cubes and kongs... but some BCs are not food oriented, then what? Burying bones in your backyard, taking a different class like freestyle, rally-O, tracking, etc, etc, etc. What about going out to a farm and letting your BC take a class in herding for an hour? It's an option, what they were bred to do, and incredibly calming to our guy. Not for everyone, but important to consider every angle here.
Personally, I find them incredibly easy to train. With the exception of what they are obsessed about. If the BC is obsessed about something, it might be wise to hire a trainer to give you professional advice on how to relax their interest into a managable situation. Or, embrace their obsession and capitalize on it for work.
Okay, now that I've been really negative and blunt. BC's steal my heart. I cannot imagine another breed or mix living in our home. I just love their little faces and adore how their eyes look at you as if they really comprehend English. I love them so much. It's important to take on a BC with love and patience because rehoming a bored BC is difficult.
My last question.... What is the health of the parents?
Maui