Border Collie breed: the embodiment of concentration

There is no dog lover who does not know the Border Collie. This wonderful breed is one of the most intelligent of all four-legged creatures. They are teachable, playful, friendly and obedient. Need more?

The Border Collie excels at almost everything he does. Easy to train, extremely smart and obedient, he listens to his owner’s wishes all day long. His friendly, loving nature makes him an ideal family pet and a great playmate for children. No one will ever be bored with him. Many people may be confused with the Australian Shepherd because they look very similar and both are bred for herding. The Border Collie is slightly smaller and comes in more colours than its counterpart. They are both active, energetic and friendly in character, but the Australian Shepherd is slightly more affectionate and therefore more prone to separation anxiety.

History

The Border Collie is named after the border between England and Scotland. It was bred by shepherds who wanted a perfect herding dog to accompany their flocks. They were always looking to mate the best individuals with the best abilities. It is likely that John Caius in his 1576 note De Cannibus Britannicus, refers to this breed. This is because it is a dog that keeps the flock together better than any other. The Border Collie owes this to his great powers of concentration. Its herding technique involves looking deep into the sheep’s eyes, focusing on them and adopting a characteristic sneaking, crouching pose. It was not until the end of the 19th century that targeted breeding was developed. The forefather of the border collie is thought to be a dog called Old Hemp, born in 1893. He was considered an exceptional talent, which is why he has more than 200 descendants.

At that time, there were many different types of collie dogs, which were not really distinguished from each other. They were named according to region, such as the Northern Sheepdog, the Welsh Sheepdog, the Highland Collie and the Scottish Collie. The term Border Collie was first used in 1915 by James Reid, then Executive Director of the International Sheep Dog Society. In 1976 the FCI officially recognised the breed.

The 1995 hit film Babe, which featured the breed, was released. After that, it became a very popular dog in our country and its popularity has been growing as people have realised how intelligent and talented it is. However, there is a downside to this popularity, as there are unfortunately many abandoned, poorly kept and bred border collies.

Breed standard

The border collie is a medium-sized sheepdog. It comes in a variety of colours, the most common being black and white. White should never be the dominant colour. Two coat types are known, one moderately long, the other shorter and straight. The topcoat is dense, medium thick, the undercoat is soft. Height at withers 48-53 cm, bitches may be smaller. Body weight 13-20 kg. Ears of medium size. Eyes oval, medium in size, blue in the merle variety. Lively, inquisitive, intelligent eyes. Nose colour brown if the dog’s base colour is also brown, otherwise black. Tail moderately long, deeply set on, the tip curving upwards. The gait is light and when herding, the dog assumes a unique posture similar to a squat. Expected lifetime 12-15 years.

Character

The Border Collie is a wonderful character, but is recommended for owners who are experienced in dog ownership. He is a quick and easy learner, highly intelligent and interested. It requires intensive training from puppyhood onwards, and mental and physical exhaustion is important. If this is not done, he tends to be naughty in order to release excess energy. He likes to be given tasks and has a very high work rate. He is therefore suitable for almost any dog sport, be it agility, dog dancing, flyball, frisbee, fetch or herding.

A true athlete, he has a great need for movement that needs to be satisfied. He demands attention, is very friendly, loyal and affectionate. His temperament is calm but also fiery, he is always available for a chase and a game. Not aggressive or nervous. Friendly and inquisitive towards other four-legged friends. Also ideal as a therapy dog, even with elderly people or children.

It is an excellent working and family dog, if given plenty of attention and exercised regularly. There are two types, one is the show dog, which has a stronger bone structure and a larger coat. They are usually recommended by breeders as a family pet. The other is the working dog, recommended for professional sports and herding.

Ideal environment

It is not recommended to keep Border Collies indoors. Its huge need for exercise requires a garden house, a farmhouse, where it can run around at will. He gets on well with children and is not aggressive towards them. It is recommended for elderly people if they lead an active lifestyle.

Care

The coat needs regular combing as it sheds. His eyes and ears need to be cleaned as all dogs do.

Common health problems

The Border Collie is an overall healthy breed. He may be prone to eye diseases, so his owner should be aware of this. Dysplasia is not as common as in large dogs, but can sometimes occur. It is therefore not recommended to work them intensively under the age of one year. The above diseases can often be detected by genetic testing.