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| Photo by: @meganbeedy via Twenty20 |
A Brief History of the Border Collie
The Border Collie, as its name suggests, originates from the border between Scotland and England. It is said that the word Collie comes from the old Celtic and means “useful”. The ancestors of this dog have been used for centuries to guide herds, perfecting the style that is unique to the breed today. Useful, they were and still are. The Border Collie is at the heart of the shepherds’ way of life and is still used today!
The Border Collie has been around for a long time, but the breed wasn’t official until the early 20th century. This unique dog was exported all over the world and still excels today in its original work and in many dog sports as well as warming the hearts of its beloved humans.
Border Collie’s personality
A dog that is both sensitive and intense, the Border Collie is brimming with energy. They have often been recognized as the most intelligent breed and their intellectual abilities go hand in hand with their need to use their brain.
The Border, as they are called, have only one goal in life, to work! As the responsible guardian of this special breed of dog, your role will be to find an outlet for all his energy. Otherwise he will find a job chasing shadows and lights, guarding the hallways, sounding the alarm at the slightest noise, managing children and… You won’t like it!
Physical characteristics of this sheepdog
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| Photo: Twenty20 |
Its head is often adorned with a pretty white string-course that bridges the muzzle and the top of the head. Speaking of snout, the muzzle of the Border Collie is long and pointed. One of the most distinctive physical features of the breed is the way it walks, belly down, when guiding cattle. It is an instantly recognizable silhouette!
In addition to being a good sheepdog, the Border Collie also excels in canine sports. Whether in agility, fly ball, fancy, odor detection or even canicross, the reputation of this exceptional canine is well established.
Because he learns quickly, he is full of energy and, let’s admit it, training him is not exactly optional in his case, the Border has all the qualities to be a fantastic athlete!
What kind of family is the Border Collie for?
The Border Collie is the most wonderful dog on Earth… if his needs are met. It is a dog that needs to move and work a lot. Playing by himself in the yard is not enough for him. No matter how big your fenced yard is.
A Border Collie needs to move with you, to think with you and to keep busy with you. It is not a dog made to be alone and organize itself.
Beware of ball games for hours and hours and hours. Not only you can injure your dog because of the rapid repetitive movements, but it will never exhaust him. Your Border could play forever. What it needs is to use its brain.
No problem, you think, I’ll take him to the dog park, he can spend his energy with his canine friends! Wrong! Although there are exceptions, the Border Collie is generally not a social dog with his fellow dogs.
As I said, what he wants is to work with you. Playing with other dogs running around in circles is a waste of time for him. Even worse, he could become completely overexcited by the incessant movement and develop inappropriate behavior.
Of course, this is only a generalization, as some adult dogs of this breed like to play with their peers.
Impatient, he will not accept any lack of politeness from other members of the dog population and will put back in his place dogs that he considers invasive, overly excited or whose company he does not enjoy. Problems of canine reactivity are common in the breed for all these reasons.
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| Photo by: Lifeonwhite |
Border Collie puppies are among the cutest. But beware of impulse purchases! This is NOT a dog for everyone. Especially not as a first dog. Have you ever known one that you loved? This is indeed a fantastic breed. But beware! The absolutely great dog you saw was the result of excellent training and a lot of daily physical and mental exercise to get there. Are you ready to put all that work into it and perhaps achieve the same result?
Funny facts about Border Collie!
The qualities of the Border Collie as a herding dog are also its worst faults. Many people are completely overwhelmed, as their dog chases everything that moves, trying to round up children, other dogs, cars, bicycles, runners, cats, etc. Is your dog staring at the balls with an addictive look on his face? Nibbling at his ankles? Does he suddenly freeze when excited? Congratulations, he’s a Border!
In the right hands, a Border Collie is one of the most charming dogs on the planet. A Border Collie is a friend for life who will never let you down. Summer or winter, rain, wind, heatwave, he will always be at your side, ready for a walk or to go to work and will love nothing more, when the evening comes, than to snuggle on the couch next to you and have his head scratched.