Border Collie

Physical exercise alone is not sufficient for this very intelligent and highly energetic dog. They want to work and must do so with body and mind as one, carrying out different tasks. Fast and agile, these lively little dogs have boundless energy and thrive on hard work and play. They should also be taken on a long, brisk daily walk. They are a delight to see streaking after a ball or bringing straying sheep back to the fold.

Moderate Maintenance: The Border Collie has a double coat that comes in two types. One is short and smooth, sometimes with a bit of feathering on the front legs. The other, known as a rough coat, is medium to long with hair that is flat or slightly wavy. Either way, expect to brush a Border Collie once or twice a week to remove dead hair and keep shedding to a minimum.

Hypoallergenic: NoThe natural life span of the Border Collie is between 10 and 14 years, with an average lifespan of 12 years. The median longevities of breeds of similar size are usually 12 to 13 years. Leading causes of death are cancer (23.6%), old age (17.9%) and cerebral vascular afflictions (9.4%).

Ranking: #1 Full Ranking ListConsidered highly intelligent, extremely energetic, acrobatic and athletic, they frequently compete with great success in sheepdog trials and dog sports. They are often cited as the most intelligent of all domestic dogs. Border Collies continue to be employed in their traditional work of herding livestock throughout the world.

Easy Training: The Border Collie's tremendous intelligence and desire to please make training fairly simple. Border Collies are sensitive and live for their master’s praise. They are very obedient and agile, able to be taught a great variety of tricks. They are eager to learn and play sports and games.

This is a medium dog of strong bone, slightly longer than it is tall, combining grace, agility, substance and stamina. Its trot is smooth, ground-covering and tireless, moving with stealth and strength. It is able to change speed and direction suddenly. Border collies must be able to display incredible agility even after working for long periods. The coat can be either smooth or rough. The smooth coat is short all over the body; the rough coat is medium to long in length and flat to slightly wavy in texture. Its expression is intelligent, alert, eager and full of interest, a reflection of its temperament.

The Border Collie is a bundle of mental and physical energy awaiting its chance to be unleashed on the world. Among the most intelligent and obedient of breeds, it is nonetheless a disastrous house dog if it is not given a challenging job every day. Given sufficient exercise, it is a dependable and loyal companion. It is intent on whatever it does and tends to stare, which can be unnerving to other animals. It also likes to chase other animals. It is reserved, even protective, toward strangers.

The ‘Border’ in ‘Border Collie’ refers to the breed’s origins on the borders of England and Scotland. In 1873, the first sheepdog trials were held in Britain to test a variety of sheepherding breeds with different behavioral and physical characteristics. One entrant, Hemp, impressed all with his ability to manipulate sheep through his intense glare rather than with constant barking. Hemp went on to sire many pups, becoming the father of the modern Border Collie. By 1906, the first standard for Border Collies was written, which emphasized behavioral abilities over appearance. Border Collies were imported to America in the twentieth century, where they became popular working dogs and pets. Their speed and stamina makes them top competitors in dog sports such as Flyball and Frisbee. Famous Border Collies include the title character from ‘Nop’s Trials’ and Rico, a Border Collie who was trained to identify over 250 objects by name.