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Description of the Border Collie
Border Collies should be selectively bred for intelligence and working ability. To herd sheep on the mountains and moorlands of the British Isles, a Border from the shepherd. He must control his predatory instincts so he protects the sheep instead of killing them for food---as a wolf must do for survival. He also needs to nip or grip, at times, to control and move his sheep. He needs the stamina to work in heat or cold, to dart up and down steep hills, and to ignore minor injuries in the course of a workday. He also must be bred with a desire to work with, and subordinate to, his human companion, regardless of whether he is at a great distance or striving to save a newborn lamb.
A Border Collie can be anywhere from 25 pounds to 65 pounds. The coat can be rough (long coat), semi-rough, or smooth (short-haired). The coat colors vary. The typical colors are black & white, but Border Collies are also red & white, tri-colored (brown, black & white), liver, blue merle, red merle, yellow, or white with small amounts of brown, black, or red. Freckling on the muzzle and legs is common. The eye colors range from amber to dark brown and sometimes blue.
The ear carriage can be pricked, semi-erect, dropped, or a combination. The bone structure ranges from lightweight and graceful to heavy-boned and majestic.
In herding, Border Collies circle and stalk the object of interest.The herding pose is head and forelegs lowered, eyes intense, tail down with bottom third of tail upturned.
They can become focused on any moving object, even tiny insects. It is the attitude toward life and work, not looks, that distinguishes a dog as being a Border Collie. Work is an attitude, not necessarily a specific task. Obedience competitions, agility contests, Frisbee events, flyball, visits to nursing homes, throwing a tennis ball in the backyard all can be considered work by your Border Collie. Observe the dog; if his body position is in a working pose, then he considers that particular task to be work. Add Sits, Downs, Waits, and That'll do's into the routine as added mental stimulation.
Unlike some breeds, Border Collies love to learn new things throughout their lives. When it comes to Border Collies, you can teach an old dog new tricks! However, there is a downside to this attitude. Never teach a Border Collie something you don't want to live with for the rest of his life.
That "cute" puppy trick can be extremely irritating or even dangerous when your darling little puppy becomes a workaholic 50 pound adult.
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