The Border Collie – Family Dog

Nothing is more important to the Border Collie than the task assigned to it in the house, in the yard, or in the field. Until the 20th century, the dogs were selected for breeding solely on the basis of their abilities as herding dogs and therefore have a great natural will to work. If you would like to train a collie puppy to be an obedient helper and companion in the house, note the following tips and information.

The Appearance of the Border Collie: Fluffy Shepherd Dogs with Individual Coat Markings

Like all European shepherd dogs, the medium-sized Border Collies appear slightly elongated and are very athletic. The German FCI breed standard stipulates an ideal height at the withers of 53 cm, bitches should be slightly smaller. American and British breed standards give ideal heights at the withers as between 48 and 56 cm for males and 46 to 53 cm for females. At 15 to 20 kilograms, they are quite slim for their height. They differ from other long-haired shepherd dogs such as the Rough Collie mainly in their coat structure and the distribution of the spotting.

Characteristics of the Border Collie in detail

• The head is relatively broad and ends in a medium-length snout that tapers significantly towards the tip of the nose. The scissor bite is strong and straight and, in contrast to the rest of the body, the face is only covered with short hair, so that the facial expressions are clearly recognizable.
• The color of the turned-up nose is matched the basic color of the dog. It is usually black, slate in blue dogs, and brown in chocolate Collies.
• The oval-shaped eyes are wide apart and brown in color. Dogs with merle coloring are allowed in the dog breed and have blue-colored eyes on one or both sides.
• The triangular ears can be erect or folded forward.
• The chest is deep and the ribs are not barrel-shaped. The neck and chest are well feathered and therefore appear very voluminous. Shoulders and hips are narrow but very well muscled. The hind legs are slightly angled. The sides and belly are well feathered, as are the backs of the legs.
• Depending on their mood, the Border Collie carries its long, hairy tail hanging down or over its back. When it hangs down, the soft hair almost reaches the floor.

Coat coloration of the Border Collie

• Single-colored Border Collies are rare. Most dogs have white markings on the muzzle, bridge of the nose, throat, neck, underbody, and paws. Tricolor puppies are also more common.
• Light brown to reddish-tan markings also occurs (eyebrows, muzzle, back of legs, transitions between ground color and white).
• Ground color Black: Black or blue piebald, rarely also brindle.
• Basic color brown/red: chocolate brown, red or golden piebald, rarely also lilac (lightened red).
• Merle coloring: Is not excluded from breeding, red merle, black merle (blue merle) or chocolate merle dogs are sometimes deliberately bred. However, two Merle carriers should never be mated, as this greatly increases the likelihood of deafness.

Distinction from other shepherd dogs

• Australian Shepherds and Border Collies have a lot in common. The best way to tell them apart is by their ears: Border Collies have slightly thicker and stiffer ears; in Aussies, the thin ear lobes usually fold forward.
• Shetland Sheepdogs (Shelties) have fluffy fur and a narrower muzzle that tapers even more clearly than that of the Border Collie.
• Rough Collies have thick and very fluffy fur all over their neck, chest, and neck area.

The History of the Border Collie: A Progenitor for Thousands of Dogs

The Border Collie in its current form has only been deliberately bred since the end of the 19th century. A very hard-working male from the Anglo-Scottish border, Auld Hemp is believed to be the forefather of the breed – nearly all Border Collies today are linked to the original breed line and are descended from one of the 200 puppies Auld Hemp sired over the course of his life. Sheepdogs have been used since the 15th century. Even today, breeding dogs do so-called sheepdog trails to prove their suitability for work.

Interesting facts about the origin

• The origins of the term Collie have not been clearly elucidated. It is possible that the word comes from Scottish or Celtic (translated as “useful”).
• European shepherd dogs have accompanied their owners since the beginning of the domestication of herd animals. They specialize in herding large flocks of sheep.
• The animals have only been selected for their coat color since the beginning of the 20th century. All coat colors are acceptable for breeding; in the foreground is still the great intellect and the willingness to learn of the dogs.

Nature and Character: is the Border Collie a Problem Dog or a Family Type?

Border collies are considered excellent family dogs that supposedly need to be kept busy all the time. In fact, they behave in a typical manner for herding dogs and are only conditionally suitable for family keep. Healthy dogs with a meaningful tasks are ready for action on command: They can go from resting phases to action-packed play units within a very short time. Although Border Collies are considered to be very obedient, willing to learn, and easy to train, they often develop undesirable behaviors such as biting, destructiveness in the house, constant barking, or aggressiveness towards other animals if they are not trained correctly.

Properties at a glance

• Unaffected by wind, rain, or snow.
• Vulnerable to heat.
• Strong herding instinct (also guards children or other dogs).
• Very intelligent.
• Dogs remember drastic experiences (successes or failures) over a long period of time.
• Mistakes in education are therefore fatal!
• Is sensitive to frustration and aggression.

The Border Collie’s urge to herd

The assumption that family-owned Border Collies need challenging all-day activities is not entirely correct. An overwhelmed border collie can cause just as much trouble like a dog that is constantly bored and doesn’t get a meaningful job. The herding dogs are used to not having a task for days or weeks. The shepherd fetches his dog when he needs it. It is important that your Border Collie gets the opportunity to live out its protective and herding instinct. The dogs master mantrailing, training as a protection dog, sheepdog trials, and dog courses with flying colors. Make sure that you don’t ask too much of your dog and assign him a subject area in which he can let off steam.