Border Collie probably developed in Scotland, as the word collie is a Scottish dialect word meaning sheepdog. The Border Collie is recognized worldwide today as one of the best sheep-herding breeds in existence.
The Border Collie is a medium-sized dog, between 18 and 23 inches at the shoulder and 35 to 50 pounds. The breed has two varieties of coat. The rough coat is medium to long, with a flat to slightly wavy outer coat. The hair on the face is short and smooth. The short coat variety has a short, smooth coat over the entire body, although dogs may have feathering on the back of the forelegs.
The Border Collie dog breed has many acceptable colors, including black with or without white markings and the classic tricolor with white and copper markings on a black dog. Grooming a Border Collie is easy. She should be brushed and combed twice weekly.
Border Collies are workaholics. If there are no sheep to herd, then there should be an agility course to run, a newspaper to be retrieved from down the driveway, and tricks to learn. A Border Collie can be tough to live with because she won’t get comfy on the sofa and stay there until you’re ready to do something.
Training a Border Collie can also be a challenge; not because training is difficult—it’s not—but because Border Collies are very intelligent. Instead, the challenge is staying one step ahead! All Border Collies should attend puppy and basic training and then go on to more advanced training. Keep her mind busy and active and make training fun.
The Border Collie can be a wonderful family pet in a busy, active household that can meet her needs. She is patient with children and loves to play games with them, but may frustrate some kids when she tries to herd them. She is also fine with other dogs when well-socialized as a puppy, but other dogs may not understand the breed’s stare. Interactions with small pets should be supervised. Health concerns include hip dysplasia and eye defects.
2 replies on “Border Collie”
This working farm dog is famous for his intimidating “eye” — a fixed, hypnotic stare as he crouches low and creeps up on the sheep.
One of the most intelligent of all breeds, the Border Collie is also one of the most challenging to live with.
His superior intellect, combined with his intensity and obsessive zeal for working, are his most impressive features — and also the ones that make him unsuitable for most homes.
This sharp-eyed, quick-thinking, fanatical workaholic has been bred for endless miles of sprinting and stop-and-go action.
If it isn’t possible for him to work livestock, you must substitute several LONG (45 minute) walks per day, plus off-leash romps in a safe area, fetching balls or frisbee, and weekly or twice-a-week advanced obedience classes or agility classes.
Without physical and mental stimulation, Border Collies become hyperactive and will drive you up the wall with obsessive and destructive behaviors as they seek creative outlets for their physical and mental energy.
High intelligence does mean they learn very quickly – but that includes learning how to do anything they set their minds to. They are master escape artists who can virtually pick the lock on your gate.
Trying to train a Border Collie, in fact, can be frustrating, because they are constantly thinking, analyzing, and reacting to every tiny movement you make. They can be a bit high-strung and oversensitive to sound and touch.
Border Collies are passionate gatherers of cars, bikes, joggers, cats, other dogs, livestock, deer, and running children — poking, pushing, and nipping if the pursued person or animal or object doesn’t cooperate.
You must stay one step ahead of this challenging breed, and most households are simply not up to the task.
I Got My Border Collie mix at six weeks old, her father is a pure chocolate border, and her mum is a white german shepherd, i went to a farm to get goats for my boys school pet day and fell in love with pink straight away she was one of 12 pups, and was chosen because she was the first born, the first to venture out of the kennel, and the first to find the hole in the fence! Pink is the easiest dog to train that i’ve come across, she will do anything, she opens doors, escapes out of crates, will scale a 8 foot gate to get to me if i’m on the other side! will heal off lead beg, high five, weave thru my legs, jump through hoops, walk up ladders, go down slides,fetch anything i ask her to bring, can tell her to go get some wood she will go out the back porch and bring in firewood, will get the newspaper from the mailbox, i can give her something and ask her to take it to eg Fred and as long as she knows who i’m talking about she will take it to that person, even if she has to go outside or into another room to do it, she sleeps beside my bed at night comes to work with me every day, even comes to the bathroom(one down fall of her being able to open doors haha) we are inseperable she just knows how i feel, cheers me up when i’m down, makes me smile daily, i love her to pieces, and in return she is the most loyal friend i have ever had!