subject: About Border Collies [print this page] The popular Border Collie has been called the "workaholic" of the dog world. These dogs are always busy, always looking for a job to do. They never rest on their laurels! With a Border Collie there must always be a new mountain to climb.
The Border Collie was once called the Scotch Sheep Dog. They developed in the "borders" or border counties between Scotland and England as outstanding sheepdogs, able to control a flock of sheep by merely staring at them or stalking them. A Border Collie can use his intense gaze or "eye" to herd large flocks.
Highly intelligent and trainable, working Border Collies are often trained to respond to the shepherd's whistles to move a flock various ways. They can also be trained to move sheep according to a shepherd's hand signals. Border Collies today have adapted this same trainability and now excel at obedience, agility, rally and every other dog sport. Their ability to read people and situations is outstanding.
Queen Victoria, an avid dog lover, helped make the Scotch Sheep Dog popular. She was a frequent visitor to Scotland, possibly feeling some tie to her own family's connections there. Catching sight of a Scotch Sheep Dog she became an active enthusiast of the dogs. Prior to this time these Scottish dogs were not held in very high esteem outside Scotland. The English, in general, looked down upon and despised all things Scottish and considered the Scots and their dogs to be thugs. Queen Victoria's patronage elevated the sheepdogs and made them popular -- and set off a craze for all things Scottish.
From the earliest times Scottish shepherds selected dogs for breeding that were highly "biddable" -- that is, dogs that had a strong desire to please and which were easy to train. Over hundreds of years the shepherds developed the Border Collie to be smart, trainable, rugged and intense. These are dogs that can virtually work for themselves in figuring things out.
The Border Collie is frequently mentioned as the most intelligent of all dog breeds. Time after time on dog intelligence tests the Border Collie comes out on top. This may be due to the fact that Border Collies learn fast and do have a strong desire to please. One famous Border Collie named Rico, who lives in Germany, knows over 200 words (most of them the names for his toys). Rico can remember the word for something more than a month after being told it, even when he is not asked about it during the weeks in between. Researchers studying Rico's learning ability estimated that Rico had the learning ability of a 2-3 year-old child. When asked to bring something by using a word that Rico didn't know, Rico could go to his toys, find the new object and bring it back. Researchers concluded that Rico was displaying logic, something that had not been shown in dogs before.
Today the Border Collie still participates in herding and sheepdog trials. Sheepdog trials began in 1876 and are followed by many ardent enthusiasts.
The Border Collie has been relatively late in joining kennel clubs with many breeders preferring to continue breeding dogs for herding alone. The breed was first registered with the AKC in 1995.
The intelligence and energy of the Border Collie mean that they are not the dog for everyone. They do not do well unless they can have lots of exercise and they need a job to do or at least a sport or activity to pursue, preferably one that they can participate in with their owner. These dogs need training in order to be happy. There are no lazy Border Collies or Border Collie couch potatoes. If you plan to get a Border Collie you should plan to be active with him.
