Border Collie Breed 1 Of The Best & Special Information
The Border Collie is a British breed of medium-sized herding dog. Known as the most intelligent dog breed, they are descended from landrace sheepdogs that were once found throughout the British Isles but became the standard in the Anglo-Scottish border region. They are now mostly used as working dogs for herding livestock, especially sheep.
The Border Collie is considered a highly intelligent, highly energetic, acrobatic, and athletic dog. They often compete with great success in sheep dog trials and a range of dog sports such as dog obedience, disc dog, herding, and dog agility.
They are one of the most intelligent breeds of domestic dogs. Border collies are employed in their traditional work of herding livestock all over the world and are kept as pets
Border Collies Size
| Dog Breed Group: Herding Dogs | Height: 18 to 22 inches tall at the shoulder | Life Span: 12 to 15 years | Weight: 30 to 45 pounds |
Males are 19 to 22 inches tall and weigh 35 to 45 pounds. Females are 18 to 21 inches and weigh 30 to 40 pounds.
Border Collies Breed Characteristics
| Adaptability: 5 stars | Dog Friendly: 3 stars | Shedding Level: 3 stars |
| Affection Level: 5 stars | Exercise Needs: 5 stars | Social Needs: 5 stars |
| Apartment Friendly: 2 stars | Grooming: 2 stars | Stranger Friendly: 3 stars |
| Barking Tendencies: 5 stars | Health Issues: 3 stars | Territorial: 5 stars |
| Cat Friendly: 3 stars | Intelligence: 5 stars | Trainability: 5 stars |
| Child Friendly: 5 stars | Playfulness: 5 stars | Watchdog Ability: 5 stars |
Appearance
Border collies were bred to work, and their looks fit the bill. These medium-sized herding dogs have strong, agile bodies on lean frames, typically weighing around 45 pounds. They can have two types of coats: smooth or rough.
Both types are double-coated to protect against harsh weather and come in a variety of colors and patterns, but black-and-white or a tricolor pattern of black, white, and tan is the most commonly seen. Border collies can be merle – which makes them look similar to Australian shepherds – or even brindle in pattern, though this is less common.
Border collies always look alert, with their ears held high on their heads and often partially folded at the top. Unlike some working breeds, their tails are long and bushy – and they never stop hanging.
One of the most prominent features of this breed is its eyes.
Oval in shape and coming in shades of brown or light blue, the Border Collie’s eyes are always alert and focused. This keen eye is more than just good looks – their keen vision helps the breed when working in the fields. Border collies are known to look intently into an animal’s eyes, using mind tricks to control herds.
History Collie Dog
During the glory days of the Roman Empire, successive emperors made plans to invade and conquer Britain. But, for various reasons – rebellions in other parts of the empire or changes in political conditions – the plans were shelved. Finally, in the year 43, the emperor Claudius fulfilled this long-held dream of victory.
The Roman occupation of Britain had a major influence on almost every aspect of British life. Which included dog breeding. The occupying soldiers brought with them their own source of food: livestock. And where livestock goes, herding dogs surely follow. Large, heavy-boned herding dogs imported by the Romans remained a fixture on the British landscape for more than three centuries.
During the long, slow dissolution of the Roman Empire, fierce Viking raiders took their turn to invade Britain. They also brought their dogs along. These were small, fast, spitz-type herders, the ancestors of contemporary breeds such as the Icelandic sheepdog.
A cross between an old Roman dog and a Viking Spitz produced compact and agile herders, well equipped for work in the hilly, rocky highlands of Scotland and Wales. Thus began the history of the Border Collie.
Borders are known as the world’s greatest herders, and anyone who has seen them in action – with their positive forwardness, their silent crouching and creeping, and their explosive bursts of focused energy – would have to agree. When shepherds dream of the perfect dog, you can bet it’s a border.
As immortalized in the movie “Babe,” Borders have dominated competitive sheepdog trials in the British Isles for more than a hundred years. Borders also rule the championship levels of the fast-paced sport of agility, and they regularly top lists of the world’s smartest dog breeds. Read More on en.wikipedia.org
Personality
Their personality is typically alert, energetic, energetic, and smart. He learns quickly – so quickly that it is sometimes difficult to keep up with the challenge.
This caste likes to be busy. He must be busy or he gets bored, which leads to annoying behavior, such as barking, digging, or chasing cars. It’s not a dog to sleep peacefully on the front porch while you drink a glass of lemonade; He thrives on activity. Remember, he was raised to drive and work sheep all day.
The Border Collie is also famous for being extremely sensitive to every signal from its handler, from whistling to hand signals to raised eyebrows.
Of course, the border collie is not perfect. He can be strong-minded and independent, and his duty to the flock can be misguided. In the absence of sheep or some kind of job, it is perfect for collecting and chasing children, cars, or pets.
If he is not properly socialized as a puppy he may become fearful or even shy. Puppy classes and lots of exposure to different people, places, and things help the sensitive Border Collie gain confidence.
Temperament
Border Collies require much more daily physical exercise and mental stimulation than many other breeds. The border collie is widely considered to be the most intelligent dog breed. The Border Collie is ranked number one in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, part of the top 10 brightest dogs. Although the Border Collie’s primary role is livestock, the breed is becoming increasingly popular as a companion animal.
In this role, due to their working heritage, the Border Collie is very demanding, playful, and energetic. They thrive best in homes that can provide them with plenty of play and exercise, either with humans or other dogs. Due to their demanding personalities and need for mental stimulation and exercise, many border collies develop problematic behaviors in homes that are not able to provide for their needs.
Characteristic of the herding of the caste
They are notorious for boredom, for chewing holes in walls and furniture, and for destructive scraping and burrowing. Border collies can show a strong desire to herd, a trait they can show with small children, cats, and other dogs.
The herding trait of the breed has been deliberately fostered, as it was in the dogs from which the border collie was developed, through selective breeding over many generations. However, being avidly trained, they can live amicably with other pets if given proper socialization training.
The American Border Collie Association recommends that prospective owners, before adopting the breed as a house pet, ensure that they can provide regular exercise to match Collie’s high energy and prodigious stamina. A working collie can run many miles a day, using its experience, personality, and intelligence to handle challenging livestock.
These dogs will become distressed and depressed if left alone, ignored, or passive. Like many working breeds, the Border Collie can be motion-sensitive and chase moving vehicles and bicycles, but this behavior can be improved with training. Some of the more difficult behaviors require patience, as they are developmental and may disappear as the dog matures.
Health
The Border Collie is generally considered a healthy breed with a life expectancy of 12-15 years. But like all breeds, the Border Collie is susceptible to certain diseases. The Border Collie Society of America, the official breed club, strongly recommends testing breeders for hip dysplasia and completing a thorough eye examination. ( American Kennel Club | www.akc.org )
The club recommends additional testing for progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), deafness, epilepsy, collie eye anomaly (CEA), neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, and trapped neutrophil syndrome. Of course, not all Border Collies will suffer from serious health problems, but it’s important to be aware of these common concerns and know what signs to look out for.
It is also important to purchase all dogs from reputable breeders who will introduce you to the dog’s parents and siblings. If you are adopting, ask the rescue for all available health histories.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club: (1) Ophthalmologist Evaluation (2) Hip Evaluation
Care
While the Border Collie is a highly adaptable dog, it is best suited for the right home: a city home with a securely fenced yard, or a country retreat or backyard. Because it has a tendency to herd and chase, it must be protected from its very serious car chase.
Regardless of peace, it requires mental and physical intent, and it requires the right person who is ready and capable of that power. This can be a great person for individuals who don’t know what they can do.
If you can think of a border collie, make sure you can rule him a suitable outlet for his natural spirit and mind. If you don’t have a knee, dog play is an alternative option.
Coat Color
The Border Collie breed has two varieties of coat: rough and smooth. Both are double coats, with a coarse outer coat and a soft undercoat. The rough breed is of medium length with feathers on the legs, chest, and belly. The smooth variety is shorter all over, generally coarser in texture than the rough variety, and has minimal feathering.
Its coat is mostly black with white markings on the face, neck, legs, feet, and tip of the tail, with or without a tan. However, it can be any bicolor, tricolor, merle, or solid color except white.
The hardworking Border Collie is not prissy and does not require a lot of grooming to look good. Its weather-resistant double coat requires weekly brushing to keep coat oils well distributed and prevent matting in rough varieties.
Brushing more frequently during the shedding season is a good idea to reduce shedding around the house. Bathe only as needed – about every four months or when it’s really dirty or smells terrible.
Brush your border collie’s teeth at least two or three times a week to remove tartar and the bacteria it contains. Brushing daily is better if you want to avoid gum disease and bad breath.
Trim her nails once a month if necessary, and check her ears once a week for dirt, redness, or a foul odor that could indicate an infection. Then clean them weekly with a cotton ball moistened with a mild, pH-balanced ear cleaner to prevent problems.
As you groom, check for sores, rashes, or signs of infection, such as redness, tenderness, or inflammation on the skin, in the nose, mouth, and eyes, and on the feet. Eyes should be clear, without redness or discharge. Your careful weekly exam will help you detect potential health problems early.
Feeding
Daily Amount: 1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
How much your adult dog should eat depends on its size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level. Dogs are individuals, just like people, and they don’t all need the same amount of food.
It almost goes without saying that a highly active dog will need more than a couch potato dog. The quality of the dog food you buy also makes a difference – the better the dog food, the more it will go towards nourishing your dog, and the more you’ll need to stir in your dog’s bowl.
Children And Other Pets
The Border Collie is a good family dog, as long as it is properly raised and trained when it is young. He gets along with children and other pets, although his herd instincts lead him to bark, chase, and bark at children and animals unless his herding instincts dictate otherwise.
As with every breed, you should always teach children how to approach and touch dogs and always supervise any interactions between dogs and small children to ensure no bites or ear or tail pulling on the part of either party.
Teach your child to never approach a dog or try to take the dog’s food while it is eating or sleeping. No dog, no matter how friendly, should ever be supervised by a child.
Border Collie Puppies – Further Detail
The border collie is the star of the herding group. He is a hard worker with keen instincts and intelligence. Your Border Collie puppy will thrive on lots of exercise and tasks to do, whether that task is catching a frisbee or running an agility course.
Watching him at work or at play is a thing of beauty; It is attractive, crisp, and responsive. He is affectionate with his family and always ready for the next activity.
Border Collie Puppy – Breed Detail
- Personality: Affectionate, smart, energetic
- Energy Level: Needs Lots of Activity
- Good with Children: With Supervision
- Good with other Dogs: With Supervision
- Shedding: Moderate
- Grooming: Weekly
- Trainability: Eager to Please
- Height: 19-22 inches (male), 18-21 inches (female)
- Weight: 30-55 pounds
- Life Expectancy: 12-15 years
5 Fun Facts About Border Collie
- A border collie was chosen to play Fly – a dog who teaches pigs to herd sheep – in the film Babe.
- The border collie is often on the top list of the smartest dogs in the world.
- The Border Collie is one of the fastest breeds in the world and can run up to 30 miles per hour.
- Collie is the Scottish word for the sheepdog. The Border Collie got its name because of its popularity as a herding dog on the border between Scotland and England.
- The Border Collie breed is popular with many famous people including Queen Victoria, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Jon Bon Jovi, Ethan Hawke, and Tiger Woods.
Dog Breeds For Further Research
Border Collie Dog Review
Border Collie Dog Breed FAQs
What’s the best Border Collie mix?
Border Aussie: Border Collie x Australian Shepherd
Border Jack: Border Collie x Jack Russell Terrier
Border Collie Pit: Border Collie x Pit Bull
Borderdoodle: Border Collie x Poodle
Borador: Border Collie x Labrador
Border Point: Border Collie x Pointer
Border Heeler: Border Collie x Blue Heeler
How big is a Border Collie mix?
Males are 19 to 22 inches tall and weigh 35 to 45 pounds. Females are 18 to 21 inches and weigh 30 to 40 pounds.
border collie price in India?
The price of a Border Collie in India ranges from ₹20,000 to ₹40,000. But because of how rare they are, don’t be surprised if the price is too high. Such rare breeds come with high import prices, which in turn are diverted by dog breeders and pet stores to make a profit.
Are Border Collies good family dogs?
Yes! In general, Border Collies are energetic, even-tempered, and eager to please, making them a good choice for a family pet. They get along well with children and other pets if they are properly introduced.