Dog Breed of the Week: Border Collie
Wednesday July 1, 2009
The Border Collie is one of the most intelligent and agile of all dogs. Sadly, this breed is often misunderstood - some think it is hyperactive, destructive and difficult to train. The truth is quite the opposite. The Border Collie, or BC is among the easiest dogs to train if you know what you are doing. If not, you will have a dog with so much pent up energy, that he must find another way to release it (perhaps by ripping up your couch or running off through the neighborhood). The key to keeping a BC happy is to give him a job to do. "Eager to please" hardly describes the dynamic BC. These dogs are driven! Plus, they make affectionate and loyal companions.
Border Collies are often seen as champion disc dogs, agility competitors and herders. Why? Because the combination of their smarts and fervor is the perfect recipe for success in dog sports. BCs are naturally athletic, agile and brainy. If you get a Border Collie and treat him right, you will have a canine soul-mate for life. BCs bond very closely with their humans, especially if they participate in activities together.
Are you enamored with the amazing Border Collie? Tell us about yours, and submit your photos!
Photo by Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
When my Dad was in his late 60s and had a hard time getting around (arthritis) he happened to hear of a young BC whom the owners were going to put down because it had been injured as a young puppy and never seemed to be going to recover. He took it, held it a lot, paid a lot of attention to it, and at about 2 1/2 years old it was finally fit and frisky. It took all the kids in the neighborhood to match “Sam’s” (short for “Samantha”) energy and watching them was high entertainment for Dad. After dark she would be in the house “watching over” Dad and she slept every night in the doorway of his bedroom.
I grew up with a Border Collie, named Rip, and he was the best dog ever. He was loyal to all of us family members and was the smartest & sweetest dog I’ve ever known. My Dad rescued him from a farmer who was going to put him down for not herding the sheet correctly. Whatever that meant. Lucky us – when Rip arrived at our house. I still miss him.
We’ve had our boy Tator (short for couch potato) for six fantastic years. He’s so smart, he even seems to learn things without trying to train him. We saw him on petfinder.com at a nearby shelter, he jumped into my arms immediately and that was it. He’s very friendly, great with kids and very faithful and loveable. The best dog we could ever hope for!
After reading the other comments I had to comment on my “Buddy” Buddy was given to us as a puppy. He was a sweet little Red & White BC. The first night he cried for his litter mates and I sat and held and rocked him most of the night. I guess that was the night we bonded. He is the greatest dog ever. We live on a farm and he is with me every second of the day. He rides with me to check the cattle and is trained to help me in what ever way he can. One day I was going to check on a sick cow and Buddy was riding on the back of the truck. I was involved in a head on collision. I was not hurt and neither was Buddy. He was thrown off the back of the truck and landed in a pasture. He was immediately by my side with his head under my arm. He would not leave my side even as the paramedics checked me over. A neighbor had pick him up and take him home. I remember him looking back at me and he gave me a whine as he was put into the neighbors truck. He is older now and seems to have pain in his hips (vet says due to the accident). He still does what he can and he will sit and look into my eyes with his that without saying a word tells me how much he loves me. We have litters of pups from Buddy, but none will ever be the same! What a breed and what a “Buddy”
Thanks for sharing your stories about your BC’s. I’ve enjoyed reading them. I’ve never owned a BC. My last two pound rescued dogs have been RT’s (Rat Terriers). But the Border Collie sure sounds like a terrific dog! It would probably get along with my busy RT. If I put suction cups on her feet I think she would climb the walls and walk on the ceiling! She is also the cuddliest girl. I found her on Petfinder.com and she was shipped to me in Alaska from Oklahoma.
When I was a teenager and young adult I lived with my parents. We had lots of land. One day, a bc with no collor or ID tags wandered into our yard and just stayed. We had just lost our beloved Missy, a poodle-beagle mix who we’d had for sixteen years and I was heartbroken. My parents swore they’d never get another dog. But since she was staying in the yard, we started feeding her and letting her in at night, then during the day and gradualy we knew she had picked us and she helpped me heal from my grief over Missy.
We had Butterscotch for a long time. For a while we were concerned because our neighbor, a farmer, claimed that she was killing his chickens. We knew that if it was true, once they start doing that it’s hard to stop them. WE hated to do it but we built a fence in the yard. She didn’t like it but adapted and we still took walks with her in the woods and to the pond where she loved to swim. Like every dog we’d had since I was two or three and had my first, a boxer, this bc would herd me around and make sure I stayed safe. She knew I was blind. She was so funny. She slept at the side of my bed. When she decided it was bedtime, she’d nudge me then herd me over to the bedroom and put her nose on the bed. We didn’t formally train her but she learned a lot. It’s too bad she couldn’t have been a guide dog. But when I got my first, she accepted the dog.
Finally, she got cancer and it got the better of her. I had to go and get her put to sleep. None of the family would go in with me so I and the vet cried. But I kept petting her as she quietly slipped away. Now I know she is running around happily over the rainbow bridge and has probably found some puppies or other needy dogs to mother.
I agree with you that people misunderstood Border Collie which I think is the most intelligent dog I have seen my friend brought one Border Collie and he trained him in few day his dog learned the trick which other dog had problem.so from my concern I totally agree to the fact that Border Collie is the one the best dog breed!!!