2009
Border Collie Wall Calendar
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Your Online Guide To Everything Border Collies
Breed Brief -
History - Appearance -
Temperament - Exercise -
Grooming - Training - Health
Is Breed Right For Me? -
Breeders/Puppies For Sale - Dog Names -
Pictures - Further Info -
Clubs/Rescues
Example of a handsome
Border Collie dog.
Common Misspellings for Border Collies
Bordercollees,
Border Collies,
Border-Collies,
Border Collies,
Border Colleys,
Border Collees,
Bordercollies,
Bordercolleys
Alternate Names For Border Collies
Origin: UK
Height: 18-22 inches at
the shoulder
Weight: 50-65 pounds
Exercise Needs: High
Grooming Needs: Medium
Life Expectancy: 12-13
years
Good With Kids: Older
children
Trainability: Moderate
An obvious descendant of the now-extinct Cumberland Sheepdog, the
Border Collie made his first appearance during the late nineteenth
century. Old Hemp was whelped in September of 1893 and, due to
his strong herding style, was used as a stud dog by many shepherds
of the time. A majority of his puppies showed this same bold
herding style and, in time, it would develop into the style that we
currently recognize as typical Border Collie behavior. While
his lifespan was rather short (Old Hemp died in May of 1901, just
shy of 8 years), every Border Collie in existence today can trace
his line back to this one distinctive dog.
Originally known simply as Collies or Collie dogs, their names would vary and
change until 1915, when the UK Secretary of the International Sheep Dog Society,
James Reid, would refer to them as the Border Collie. This was done so
that one might differentiate between them and another older working dog of
different type, which was also being referred to as the Collie. Before
long, the name Border Collie would become a household word amongst many sheep
herding homes throughout the world.
Few people fail to recognize the unique appearance of the Border
Collie, even if they do not know the name or origins of this fascinating breed.
Standing 18-22 inches at the shoulder and weighing anywhere from 30-60 pounds,
the Border Collie is covered with what is commonly seen as a medium-length coat
of vivid black and white. The truth of the matter is that not all Border
Collies are this distinctive black and white coloring; while piebald is
certainly the most common, your Border Collie puppy can be piebald, tri-colored
or even solid in color. Additionally, they not only come in black and
white, but can be red and white, merle, and a plethora of other colors, and
their coat can vary between short and medium scruff in length. Whatever
your preference, chances are that there are Border Collie puppies out there that
fit your exact desires.
The Border Collie is widely considered to be the most intelligent breed of
dog in the world and, for the right home, they are said to be excellent
companions as well as exceptional working dogs. Quick to learn new tricks
and usually very eager, these beautiful collies are people pleasers who love to
interact with humans. Of course, while this may make them seem the ideal
family dog, careful consideration must still be given before bringing a Border
Collie puppy into your home.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember, when considering a Border
Collie dog as a family pet, is their naturally-bred tendency to herd.
While some people may think it cute or amusing, the herding tendency is actually
a natural hunting technique employed by wolves in the wild. The only
difference is that the killing instinct has been bred out of most Collie dogs
(please note that we say 'most' because rogue Collies have sometimes been known
to turn on and kill the sheep that they're supposed to be herding).
Due to this strong herding tendency, Border Collies are ill-suited companions
for younger children, since small children can easily become frightened when the
Collie tries to "herd" them and the noise and quick movements of the child can
often be interpreted by the Collie as bad sheep behavior, encouraging the dog to
put said child in his place.
Equally important to remember is that the Border Collie can also be a very
excitable breed of dog. If not properly trained and allowed to grow bored,
these beautiful dogs can often develop various neurotic or destructive
behaviorisms. This is not a breed of dog that will contentedly lay around
the house and allow himself to be forgotten. A Border Collie needs regular
mental stimulation, as well as physical exercise, in order to keep him from
getting bored and frustrated with his living arrangements.
If you're looking for a calm and quiet dog that will be content to laze about
on the sofa with you all night, please look elsewhere. The Border Collie
is a working dog and, boy, does he love to work! Mind you, the Border
Collies' idea of work may vary from dog to dog, but it's not out of line to say
that this is a canine that is always on the go or, at the very least plotting,
planning and scheduling what he's going to do the next opportunity he gets to
work.
Border Collies are notoriously active, bordering on hyper. Always
watching over suspected "sheep," he is ready to leap to work at a moment's
notice and has been bred for grueling hours of tracking and trailing after
sheep, as well as making those short bursts of explosive speed that are needed
to keep the flock together in one area. Because of this, Border Collies
require a great deal of exercise and prefer fenced-in enclosures so that they
have the opportunity to run and race in a blur of motion. Border Collies
make excellent Frisbee dogs and excel at flyball and agility courses because of
their intelligence and high activity.
Unlike other Collie dogs, the Border Collie
possesses a coat that is relatively easy to care
for - a weekly comb-through can help to prevent
the formation of snarls and mats, as well as
giving your beloved pet the hands-on attention
that he craves. The ears also need attention;
they should be inspected regularly for dirt,
mites and yeast, and then cleansed thoroughly
with an ear cleanser made
especially for dogs. Nails should be
trimmed, as needed, as well.
Training Border Collie puppies can be considered very easy or a terrific
challenge, depending on the amount of time that you have to devote to the task,
as well as your level of patience. Highly intelligent and eager to learn,
the Border Collie puppy is an alert and willing pupil that often seems to lap up
any opportunity to learn. Many Border owners will attest that their
Collies can learn new commands within 2-3 tries and they rarely forget tricks,
once they are learned. However, there can also be a downfall to this:
While the Border Collie learns at an amazing rate, he doesn't just learn -
he absorbs. If he is taught with a hand signal or his owner has
a certain type of body language s/he applies when using the command, your Collie
may be confused or think he's learning another new trick, should that body
language change or should someone else offer the dog that same command. In
order to prevent confusion, it's very important to be consistent when teaching
your dog commands, as well as to ensure only one person is training him at a
time.
Like many breeds of dogs
today, Border Collies can
be prone to a number of hereditary health
problems. That is why choosing a responsible
breeder from which to purchase your Border
Collie puppy is of the utmost importance.
Responsible Border Collie
breeders will be well educated about the
breed and carefully screen their breeding
dogs for disorders that can affect these
dogs.
Health concerns in the breed
include:
The Border Collie is a wonderful pet and
companion animal for the right home. Quick
and eager to learn, very dedicated and loyal,
they love to spend time with their human pack
and will often guard the house against
intruders.
While the Border Collie may sound ideal, always
remember that they are not well-suited in a home
with small children or in a sedentary home where
they are not allowed ample opportunity to run.
For best results, consider enrolling your
four-legged friend in some obedience or Frisbee
events to help him burn off excess energy.
Now that you have decided that the Border Collie is the right breed
for you, it's time to start the process of finding a responsible
Border Collie breeder from which to buy a healthy, well-socialized
puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good breeders - and bad
breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first Border Collie puppy
you find at the cheapest price available! To buy a puppy from a
responsible Border Collie breeder, you may need to pay more and wait
longer. The additional money and waiting time will be well worth it.
Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper ad, pet store or "backyard
breeder", and you'll likely also purchase a great deal of additional
expense and heartache, since you will likely end up falling in love
with a puppy with health and behavioral problems that will likely
need special care, plenty of veterinary visits, regular medication -
or even euthanasia. But do your homework and find a responsible,
caring Border Collie breeder who home-raises their puppies with
love, screens their breeding dogs for health problems, offers a
health guarantee and post sale support, and who genuinely loves the
Border Collie breed and is in it for the love of the breed, rather
than profit, and you can be fairly well assured of getting a
healthy, happy, long lived and affectionate family companion that
will provide you and your family with many years of joy, laughter
and companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Border
Collie puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many
sites now online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for
puppy mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear
of these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the
breeders whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
Choosing a name for your Border Collie puppy can be a daunting
task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot
of thought and research to find just the right name for your
Border Collie. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a
few days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you
decide on just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of
humor? A serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side?
A strange love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Border Collie
puppy over the first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue
about what type of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog
names and pet names web sites on the internet. Some are wonderful
information resources, while others, unfortunately, are just
"garbage" sites set up with the sole purpose of cashing in on
visitor hits for this popular subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Border Collie puppy. These sites offer inventive,
unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
Border Collies are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at
Border Collie pictures, you can usually gain more insight into
what these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help
you decide if you really want to become an Border Collie owner.
The following sites below offer pictures of Border Collie dogs,
Border Collie puppy photos, funny Border Collie photos and
more. Enjoy!
There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Border Collie dog breed. We've compiled a list of
Border Collie information sites to assist you in quickly locating
quality information about the Border Collie dog breed, while
avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor
attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general.
If you know of an Border Collie information site that offers
unique, quality information and photos of the Border Collie
breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief description so
that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our list below.
Border Collie clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn
even more about the Border Collie dog breed, help you locate a
responsible Border Collie breeder, or help you find an Border
Collie dog or puppy in need of a second chance for a loving,
forever home. We've compiled the following list of Border Collie
clubs and Border Collie rescues web sites for your convenience:
- Border
Collie Club of Great Britain - Promoting responsible
breeding, working and showing. Features event listings,
club news and publications. Membership information
available.
- Border
Collie Society of America (BCSA) - Promotes
responsible breeding, ownership, health, awards and
events. Activity education including herding, obedience,
agility, tracking, companion dogs, flyball and therapy.
- United States
Border Collie Club - Features USBCC, USBCHA, and
ABCA information. Also includes message boards,
activities and veterinary advice.
- United States
Border Collie Handler's Association - News and
events, club history, membership, and member
information, dog profiles and photographs. Crawford,
Texas.
Border Collie Appearance
