Border Collie
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General Description
The Border Collie is a medium-sized dog that resembles a lightweight Australian Shepherd. The body of this breed is just longer than its height at the withers. The breed’s skull is comparatively broad and features a distinctly marked stop. Their tapered muzzle features a black nose. The breed’s eyes are oval in shape and almost always dark brown in color. Occasionally, Border Collies with merle coats have blue eyes. The tail of the Border Collie extends to the hock and is sometimes raised when the dog is excited. There are two types of coats for the Border Collie. The first coat is coarse, thick, straight, and approximately 3 inches in length. The second variety of coat is sleek, glossy, and approximately 1 inch in length. The Border Collie’s coat exists in a range of colors including white, tri-color, black & gray, red & white, and all black. On the longer-haired Border Collie, the tail will be bushy and there will be a mane present around the neck. Hair around the face is always short. Because Border Collies are predominantly bred for working purposes, there are some variances in certain physical aspects of this breed.Know something we don't? Add it here
Character
The Border Collie is a highly intelligent and perceptive working breed They are easy to train and they excel at obedience and agility. They seek approval and are sensitive. This breed is very high energy and enjoys plenty of vigorous activity. They have great stamina and approach activities with great enthusiasm. They are good-natured and get along well with other dogs and children. It’s important for this breed to receive enough exercise so that they don’t become bored, destructive, or aggressive towards other dogs of the same sex. Border Collies can be trained to interact well with other pets, but they generally shouldn’t be left unattended with small, non-canine pets. To avoid the onset of shyness, Border Collies should be properly socialized from an early age. This breed is a perfectionist and has a passionate drive to succeed. They are not a good choice for owners that don’t have a lot of time and energy to give to their pets. Border Collies can become neurotic if left unattended for long periods of time, and they are too high energy and intelligent to be left without a task to perform. Because of their natural herding instincts, the Border Collie can have a propensity to be snappish with children and strangers. This breed will do best with an experienced dog owner. The dominance level of dogs within this breed varies greatly.In lists of dog breeds showing which breeds are most intelligent or most willing to be trained, the Border Collie almost always makes the top three.
Size
18 – 22 inches
Weight
27 – 45 pounds
General Health
The Border Collie is a comparatively healthy breed, but some are prone to hip dysplasia. The breed is also prone to PRA and an eye disease called Collie Eye Anomaly. Epilepsy, deafness, and allergies to fleas are occasionally present in Border Collies. This breed typically lives for 12 to 15 years. They average 6 puppies per litter.
History
The Border Collie is a descendant of old British droving breeds and certain types of spaniels. The breed originated along the Scottish/English border, in a place called Northumberland. The Border Collie has a number of natural talents and is an outstanding herding dog. Because of their ability to train so remarkably easy, the Border Collie has been heavily utilized as a detection dog and guide dog. This breed excels in obedience and agility.
Maintenance
Especially with the longer-haired variety of the Border Collie, regular grooming attention is needed. Regular combing and brushing will help to keep the coat in pristine condition. During shedding season, extra care should be given to the soft, dense undercoat. A bath should be given only as necessary. The ears and coat of this breed should be checked regularly for ticks. Border Collies are average shedders.
Ideal Environment
Border Collies have incredible stamina and energy levels, and they need plenty of daily activity. Providing exercise for this breed is helpful, but it’s equally as important for the Border Collie to have a job to perform. This breed isn’t suited for life in a small household or apartment. They are very active indoors and are most content to live in a home with acreage.
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Ask a QuestionBorder Collie Q&A
Do all border collies have really long fur? Not counting the smooth-coat collies. My mum doesn't want us to get one because she thinks their long fur would be a problem with grooming and shedding. Is this true?
For the most part, yes. They have a thick undercoat and then long wavey and eventually shaggy overcoat (by dead of winter). But it can be trimmed down to the undercoat for a "summer haircut". Makes the dog look "funny" for about 3 months before the hair starts to outgrow the undercoat
The natural shedding usually starts around late June/early July. But if you give it a summer haircut, get it in early May, so by the time October rolls around they have their winter coat well on its way to flilling out.
Are the long haired variety soft to the touch to stroke, assuming dog is properly groomed?
Personally I love the look of german shepherd also but their coat isnt the most pleasant to stroke.
Absolutely. The long wavey hair is very soft to the touch even for older dogs. My 8 year old Border Collie mix has a lovely coat of hair at medium length. Gets a little coarser as he gets his full winter coat, but for the most part, it soft through-out most of the year.
i have a long haired border collie and is fur is lovely to stroke.
I have a Border Collie, and he is so soft, even when he gets dirty.
Our Border Collie's eyes (he is hallf Americam Eskimo) do not reflect light at night as our Labrador's do. Why?
Dogs have what is known as a reflecting tapetum located behind the retina in the eyes which captures light and reflects it back at the retina giving the eyes a second chance to capture any available light especially in dim lighting conditions. This is what causes dog's eyes to glow. Husky-type dogs, especially those with blue eyes, may not have a reflecting tapetum so their eyes do not glow when illuminated. This is thought to be an accidental occurence resulting from selective breeding. In northern regions where these dogs were bred to work the ground is covered with snow most of the year which provides reflected ground light.
Me and my sister really want to get a border collie, we live in a fairly big house but we have hardly any grass, we live right next to a beach and are down the road from a park. Our mum thinks that it won't be enough room. Is she right? If we were to take the dog for a walk/run everyday would this be enough exercise?
Border Collies need running room, otherwise they get bored, lay around and become lazy. For years we had our Border Collie on a 20' leash wire attached to a run wire that allow the leash to slide down for about another 20', so he had pretty decent running radius. But he became frustrated. So this year we built a wood plank pickett fence around the yard, giving him about a half acre to run around in freely, and he loved it at first, but became confused quickly as we had fenced off a part of the area he was used to being in while he was on his wire. And he thought he was supposed to come into the house when off his wire, so he spent several times tearing through our screened-in patio trying to get in. To try to help solve this problem, we ended up getting a new German Sheppard puppy mix to give him some company. It's worked to a point so far. The problem is that border collies are almost too smart for their own good.
if you are thinking of getting a border collie, running him or her down the beach for 2 hours a day is fine.
I have a border collie and i run him down the beach for 2 to 3 hours a day and he is fine, my vet said he is thriving.
Just becareful that if you get one he or she does not suffer from heat stroke.
if you have done your research,then you know that border collies need plenty of exercise as they are bred for sheep hurding.but if your that close to the beach and you take the dog out morning and evening for hour or so then it should not be a problem.when we take our collie to the beach,then as soon as she see`s the sea,she runs of like a looney.and when we reach the sea we find her playing with her ball and trying to throw it into the sea.so make sure that they get plenty of exercise and all should be fine
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Rating:
Border collie
Brilliant as a working dog or pet. They are great with children so ideal for family. very loyal and make a great friend.
Pros: loyal, intelligent (sometimes!) and a very good companion
Cons: Because they are farm dogs, they have the tendancy to roll in unsavory things like poo and dead sheep.
Good Dogs!
I really love this breed of dog. They're loveable and have great temperments. I reccomend this dog for a pet. They're good with children as well so this would be a dog to look at when looking for a dog for your children. Very smart dog!
Pros: Very very energetic and friendly. Great temperment and obident.
Cons: I wear out faster than my dog. Tries to herd my other dogs if not trained for herding to begin with. Hardheaded