The Border Collie
A medium-sized dog, they tend to average between 30 to 55 pounds. Average Life Span is 12 to 16 years. Common Colors include: Black & white, Red & White, Black Tri-color, Red Tri-color, Sable, and Blue Merle. Purebred Border Collies can also be one solid color. Coat varies from short/smooth/close to the body – to long/feathered/perhaps wavy or curly – and everything in-between. Most coats are water-repellent and easy to clean. Minimal grooming is required. Due to relatively short coats and little-to-zero undercoat, they stay relatively clean. Occasional bathing, toenail trimming and brushing is needed. They think nothing of running through deep muddy pools or laying down in them. Genetic health disorders can occur occasionally in them include Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Canine Hip Dysplasia, seizures, hyperthermia. Accidental injuries are common due to high-speed athletic activities. The Border collie was originally bred many years ago in the border country between Scotland and England as a working dog for sheep ranchers. Today the Border collie remains a working machine who can maintain control over sheep for many hours or days at a time. Although bred for its abilities and natural herding instinct rather than for appearance, they were officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1994 and are now allowed to compete in conformation classes (for AKC Championships).People who love outdoor activities and regular daily exercise would love a Border collie. If you enjoy teaching a dog amazing new tricks on a regular basis, you would be one very entertaining Border collie owner. If you would like extreme devotion, affection and attention from your dog, the Border collie is for you. If, on the other hand, you live a quiet sedentary lifestyle, don’t want to be bothered with tossing the ball every day or teaching new tricks to your dog, and installed new white carpeting you wish to remain unstained, FORGET owning a Border collie. They are an extremely intense breed of dog that can control the movement of sheep by simply using their “eye.” The eye-lock stare can look very intimidating
They are very wise souls who can look at your face and get into your head, know what you are thinking. They are sensitive and can get their feelings hurt easily, pouting for hours. They are affectionate, known to truly hug their owners. They are playful and adore their toys, asking you to join them for a game. They enjoy traveling, swimming and watching television or simply being close to their people. Although they can run at the speed of light for long periods of time, they also can settle down quietly at your feet inside the house. Generally, they get along well with other dogs and family pets, pay close attention to their owners, and tend to stay home (unless bored, ignored and frustrated).They are an exceptionally versatile dog breed which can compete in dog sports, perform many dog tricks, retrieve like a Labrador, point like a Setter, swim like a fish, assist as a Search & Rescue Team member, as well as join owners as an enthusiastic hiking/jogging/camping/boating partner. Most are highly sight and sound sensitive – they see and hear things we would certainly overlook. They often exhibit quirky behaviors observing shadows, moving lights, flying bugs, air movement, hearing sounds that we cannot such as vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, and toaster sounds, rustling tin foil, a human cough or sneeze, baby crying, laughing, thunder & lightening, gunshots and fireworks… to mention a few.They require lots of socialization and training to avoid becoming overly property and family protective. Owners who neglect their high demand for regularly daily exercise can expect noticeable behavior problems (digging, chewing, barking, escaping yards, household destruction) so a commitment to off-leash running for at least 2 hours a day is needed. A gentle walk around the neighborhood is inadequate. Obedience, manners and other training are absolutely necessary.
They are NOT recommended for children under 12 years of age. One of the basic prerequisites for your children and your puppy to have a good relationship is to teach the child, as well as the puppy, what is allowed. Babies and toddlers should not be left unattended with your dog, no matter what breed. A child should learn not to handle the dog roughly or tease him. The parent, not the child, should be responsible for correcting the puppy if he gets too rough. Puppies and dogs have a tendency to look at children as “siblings” in the social order of the family, and the dog should never be allowed to get the upper position over the child. Something that sometimes occurs with puppies of herding breeds and kids is that, in play, the puppy may chase and nip at the heels of the child. This is because the dog is bred to herd and he is trying to “herd” the child because it is natural to herd something moving. In this situation, it is a good idea to have the child stop running and tell the dog “no bite.” This should not be confused with actually trying to harm the child, but the game should not be encouraged. They LIVE for training and are very receptive to any new command. They excel at agility, fly ball, obedience, tracking, fetching, Frisbee toss, and sheep herding (surprisingly there are many sheepdog trainers in Washington & Oregon). An untrained/ignored Border collie will become frustrated and bored resulting in problematic behaviors. They house train quickly. Even dogs that have spent years strictly outdoors have become wonderful house pets. Like any dog, they can be destructive if left alone loose indoors unsupervised.
The diversity of the breed
Every one a Border Collie
For more information about the Border Collie you can check these sites:
All about Border Collies
Dog breed info central: Border Collies
American Kennel Club: Border Collies
Dog owners guide to Border Collies
The Border Collie museum
Check out our webmistress’s list of people who rescue Border Collies:
