Border Collie

The supreme sheep herding dog, the Border Collie lives to work. This is the dog for the athletic person who is ready to engage a dog in directed activities. His intense concentration, deep desire to please, as well as speed and intelligence give the breed the edge in just about any job he undertakes.

Information you should know before owning a Border Collie

In temperament, the Border Collie is highly intelligent, alert and responsive. It must be biddable, or receptive to training. To its friends, it is affectionate; to strangers, sensibly reserved. Its ability and eagerness to learn are legendary. Intelligence is its hallmark. The Border Collie is one of the breeds that exemplifies the work ethic.

Border Collie puppies have a short, soft, dense, water-resistant coat that becomes the undercoat in adult dogs

The exact origins of the domestic dog are locked in time and subject to speculation, but it is clear that after the development of dogs used by man to hunt, sheepdogs of various kinds were created worldwide to protect the flocks. Since Biblical times, flocks of goats, sheep, and cattle were the measure of individual wealth. Consequently, the development of a reliable dog to drive and protect these flocks was a primary concern. Sheepdogs of all breeds are noted for their sagacity, intelligence, and trainability. Rather than savage a flock as a wild dog would, sheepdogs willingly protect it. And it is this active ability of the dog to serve and respond to a master's bidding which clearly demarcates C. familiaris from any of the wild canids. These are the traits of workability which were selected for in the development of the various sheepdog breeds.

The craft of tending sheep was introduced to the British Isles by the Romans. Various Celtic clans soon created their own varieties of sheepdogs to work these flocks. These dogs became associated with their regions and were later known as Welsh Sheepdogs, Northern Sheepdogs, Highland Collies, Scotch Collies, and so on. While the antecedents of the Border Collie developed throughout the British Isles, its Scottish heritage is evident in the Scottish dialect word, "collie," used to describe these dogs. Thomas Bewick's wood engravings in The History of Quadrupeds, a pre-1800 work, resemble both the smooth and rough varieties of today's breed.

In 1860, classes for "Scotch Sheep Dogs" were offered at the Birmingham Dog Society the second dog show ever held in England. On a trip to Balmoral a short time later, Queen Victioria saw her first Collie and became an active enthusiast of the breed. It is at this point that the divergence between our modern Collie and the traditional shepherd's dog began. However, today's Border Collie has remained a true working animal with very little change from the original type.

Credit is given to Mr. R.J. Lloyd Price for the institution of sheepdog trials. In 1876, he brought 100 wild Welsh sheep to the Alexandra Palace in London for a demonstration. Three sheep were picked out of the flock, which had been guided to a remote corner of the park, and were carried to a far hill and released. The sheepdogs' responsibilities were to fold the sheep into a small pen in the middle of the park. An account in the Live Stock Journal described the astonishment of the spectators at the intelligence of the dogs whose only assistance was in the form of hand signals and whistles from their masters. It is this astonishing ability which serious Border Collie breeders wish to retain in the breed, above all else.

Recognized worldwide as the premier sheepherding dog, known for its obedience, trainability and natural appearance, the Border Collie was given Herding Group designation and became eligible for full recognition status on October 1, 1995.

Is this a vulnerable breed? Yes, No	No
What size is this dog? Small, Medium, Large	Medium
How much excercise is required? 30 mins a day, 1 hour a day, Over 2 hours a day	Over 2 hours a day
How long is this dog's coat? Short, Medium, Long	Medium
How much grooming is required? Once a week, More than once a week, Every day	More than once a week
Does this dog shed? Does shed, Does not shed	Does shed
What area is this dog best suited to? Town, Country, Either	Country
What size house is required for this breed? Flat/Apartment, Small House, Large House	Small House
What size of garden is required? Small Garden, Large Garden, No Garden	Large garden

	General Appearance Well proportioned, smooth outline showing quality, gracefulness and perfect balance, combined with sufficient substance to give impression of endurance. Any tendency to coarseness or weediness undesirable.
	Characteristics Tenacious, hard-working sheep dog, of great tractability.
	Temperament Keen, alert, responsive and intelligent. Neither nervous nor aggressive.
	Eyes Set wide apart, oval-shaped, of moderate size, brown in colour except in merles where one or both or part of one or both may be blue. Expression mild, keen, alert and intelligent.
	Mouth Teeth and jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
	Neck Of good length, strong and muscular, slightly arched and broadening to shoulders.
	Forequarters Front legs parallel when viewed from front, pasterns slightly sloping when viewed from side. Bone strong but not heavy. Shoulders well laid back, elbows close to body.
	Body Athletic in appearance, ribs well sprung, chest deep and rather broad, loins deep and muscular, but not tucked up. Body slightly longer than height at shoulder.
	Hindquarters Broad, muscular, in profile sloping gracefully to set on of tail. Thighs long, deep and muscular with well turned stifles and strong well let down hocks. From hock to ground, hindlegs well boned and parallel when viewed from rear.
	Feet Oval, pads deep, strong and sound, toes arched and close together. Nails short and strong.
	Tail Moderately long, the bone reaching at least to hock, set on low, well furnished and with an upward swirl towards the end, completing graceful contour and balance of dog. Tail may be raised in excitement, never carried over back.
	Gait / Movement Well proportioned, smooth outline showing quality, gracefulness and perfect balance, combined with sufficient substance to give impression of endurance. Any tendency to coarseness or weediness undesirable.
	Coat Two varieties: 1) Moderately long; 2) Smooth. In both, topcoat dense and medium textured, undercoat soft and dense giving good weather resistance. In moderately long-coated variety, abundant coat forms mane, breeching and brush. On face, ears, forelegs (except for feather), hindlegs from hock to ground, hair should be short and smooth.
	Colour Variety of colours permissible. White should never predominate.
	Size Ideal height: dogs: 53 cms (21 ins); bitches slightly less.