Border Collie

 
Energy
5/5
Activity
5/5
Affection
3/5
Training
5/5
Friendship with other dogs
3/5
Friendship with strangers
2/5
Watch dog
4/5
Guard dog
3/5
Grooming
3/5
Origin: Great Britain
Height: 17.55 - 21.84 inch
Weight: 39.6 - 48.4 lbs

Breed history:

The Border Collie is an old breed raised in Great Britain from the time of the Roman Empire. They got their name from the region "Border" where they were raised to guard sheep.

Description:

 It's a medium-sized, slender, muscular dog, longer rather than taller. It has a flat,strong skull, the same size as the muzzle with a pointy nose. The ears are medium-sized, worn low, raised or semi-raised. The eyes are oval, medium-sized, brown, blue or partially blue. The tail of medium length is kept low both on standby and when active. The coat is double, with an long, soft outer layer, it has a mane and a white-spotted forehead. The fur can be of different colours, mostly black and white, with the white never being dominant.

Personality:

 It is considered one of the most talented, intelligent and creative sheep dogs. It has a lot of energy, it works hard and learns very fast. It doesn’t excel in relationships with other dogs or animals, sometimes they can be impulsive. They are relatively friendly with children, but they have the tendency to herd them like sheep when they don’t have enough activity. They are cautious with strangers, but affectionate and friendly with the family.

Grooming:

 It needs weekly combing and brushing to keep the coat neat and pleasant. It requires socializing, training and exercise. They are predisposed to a hereditary ilness called Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and the symptoms appear only between the ages of 3 - 5 years.

Living conditions:

 It needs a lot of exercise, and organized activity. The owner must have time to take care of him. If the dog doesn’t get enough exercise it will nervous and can cause indoor damage.

Training:

  It is a breed well-known for its intelligence and desire to please its master and for learning easily. Through training and exercise it can achieve high competitive levels in different sports like: agility, flyball, sheep herding contests and training.

Usefulness:

It is an excellent dog for watching sheep flocks but also a contendent in sportive races.

Related dog breeds