INTRODUCTION
I have been the proud owner of Border Collies (BC's) now for 14 years. One thing that I truly love about this breed is how different they can be, both in appearance and personality, even when they come from the same lines and/or litters.
If you go back to my 'home' page and click on 'Fetch the Tails a Waggin' gang', you will be introduced to my 'K9 kids'. Elmo and Ditto both had the same mom, but different dads. Elmo was our first BC...he was sable and white and was with us until he was 13 years old. Ditto was our second BC...she was black and white. She is still with us and will be 13 years old this year. Zen was our third BC and was with us for eight years. He was red (or chocolate) and white, with one brown eye and one blue eye. Then there was Echo, she was our fourth BC, she was a tricolor and was with us for two and a half years. In February 2008, we got our fifth BC...her name is Charlee and she is a white and black split-face.
I was also lucky enough to be involved with a BC group, which I started 10 years ago. There were about 20 - 25 BC's that get together once a week. A few are related and most are from the Alberta area. Again, it always amazes me how different they all can be. Some have herding instincts, some are frisbee experts, some are ball nuts, and some just chase the others - but they all are bundles of energy and look forward to seeing their friends every week.
Socialization and activity are the two major important keys of successfully raising a happy and healthy BC. Start socializing as soon as your puppy's vaccines are complete, this will help prevent him from becoming timid and/or aggressive towards other dogs and people. And make sure you keep this practice up throughout his life with training classes and/or group get togethers, like mine. Activity is very important too, because a bored BC is usually a destructive one. However, make sure you don't do too many jumping exercises (agility, flyball, frisbee) until he is a least a year old - let's make sure those growing bones are good and strong.
By the first century B.C., Border Collies were widely used as an all-purpose farm dog. There are several theories as to the origins of the word 'collie'...in ancient Celtic languages, 'collie' is very similar to one word that means 'black' and another that means 'faithful'. In one Celtic dialect , the word 'useful' is quite equivalent to 'collie'...most Border Collies could qualify for any, if not all, of the above. At first, the term 'colley' was used to indicate any dog working livestock.
For many years, only the word 'collie' was used to describe the Border Collie. Then the term 'border' was added to indicate that this was the collie from the borders between Scotland and England. Earlier names that were used to differentiate the Border Collie from the Rough Collie (Lassie) were farm collie, Scotch Collie, Welsh Collie or English Collie. Many shepherds were under the impression that the Border Collie was most oftened used in England, Scotland or Wales, however, they were actually used throughout all of Great Britain. Border Collie became the official breed name in 1915, when the secretary of the International Sheepdog Society, James Reid, added the word 'Border' to the registration forms...yet despite his attempts to accurately identify the Border Collie, the occassional farmer or shepherd continues to use the old naming system.
Having a BC can be like having an extra shadow. They will follow you anywhere they can and sometimes be underfoot. It's almost like they are always watching you (like you were their stock), and will rush in front of you if they think there is something about to happen. Be careful though, don't let him think he has too much control, because they can become very dominant and territorial.
Border Collies are a highly intelligent breed. They are quick to learn new and interesting things. My dogs ring a bell (which hangs by the door) when they need to go out, they can open doors and drawers, and Ditto can count. I have even met a BC that can open the fridge and bring a beer to it's owner. REALLY.
One of the most fascinating characteristics of the BC is its stamina. It has always amazed me how it doesn't seem to matter how often or how long you spend releasing energy, the BC keeps going, and going, and going - just like the 'energizer bunny'. They were definitely bred for endurance.
I highly recommended that you and your BC become actively involved in different types of sports, such as agility and flyball...these will both allow your BC to burn off some of that excess energy, as well as, to stimulate their minds. We are also seeing more and more BC's getting involved with tracking, working with the blind, and entertaining the elderly in hospitals and nursing homes through an organization called PALS. These all should help you and your BC have a long and happy life together.
It has been my experience that maturity seems to vary. Most information that I have read on this topic, say that the BC remains in the 'puppy stage' until at least two to three years of age. Two of my BC's seem to be on either end of the spectrum. Elmo was still very much a puppy at heart up until the day he left us and was still quite young looking, but Ditto, on the other hand, was very mature at six months and is already starting to look older - remember, these two are from the same lines. So, you shouldn't necessarily expect your BC to act mature and dignified at three or four years of age.
As you can see from my five, BC's come in a variety of coat colors. The traditional coloration is black and white (with some pattern variations), however, we are now seeing more other colors...such as tri-color (black, white and tan), sable and white (black tips on a light background), red (chocolate) and white (dark and light variations), red and blue merles (dark blotches of color on a lighter background of the same color), and predominately white. If you would like a more detailed description on the different colors or to view more photo's, please check out the Collie Corner
website.There are three coat types: smooth, medium, and rough. Smooth coats are short in length with some feathering on the legs and a fuller mane. Medium coats are medium in length with noticable feathering on the forelegs and the hind legs. Rough coats are longer in length with lots of fullness and profuse feathering on the forelegs and hind legs. All three types are double coated - the top coat is dense and of medium texture and the undercoat is soft and dense for good weather resistance. Medium and rough coats tend to get wavy in some BC's as they get older.
Eye color is usually brown (varying from dark to light, depending on coat color), however, I have seen a few blue eyed BC's, as well as the extremely rare one with one brown and one blue (my boy, Zen). BC's are known for their 'hypnotic eye' which is said to mesmerize sheep.
Border Collies tend to have broad skulls, although I am seeing more small skulls in the breed, with ears erect or tipped over. They are considered a medium size dog with a shoulder height of about 18 - 23 inches for males and a bit smaller for females. Their weight averages between 35 - 50 lbs, with some as small as 25 lbs and as large as 65 lbs. This breed often looks like it's in a crouched position, with their forequarters lower than their hindquarters.
The BC can survive an urban lifestyle quite well, as long as he has plenty to keep him busy. To occupy the BC's time and body is not always enough; you have to satisfy his mind as well. Have him figure out things for you; like put a treat under a box and tell him to find it or put a ball in a drawer and tell him to search (trust me, he'll get it - no matter what it takes).
Border Collies can make great watchdogs and can be very affectionate towards family, friends, and other pets - especially if you teach them young. They love to play fetch with a ball or frisbee, and can learn more tricks than the average dog - more BC's are being seen on t.v. commercials now a days.
However, if you leave a BC on his own too often without activity, you could end up with an escape artist; chasing cars or frolicking children, all without hostile intent but with an natural drive to herd. This compulsion can be the death of some BC's, especially if he runs into the street or nips a child. Unlike other breeds that are active outside and quiet inside, the BC can be a household busybody, into anything and everything, sometimes ending into destruction.
Along with plenty of exercise, the BC needs grooming about once a week, to keep his coat looking and feeling good (especially during the shedding season), this along with weekly nail and teeth care will keep your BC happy and healthy for a long life. He will also need lots of socialization to help prevent dominance or shyness problems, and training to direct his high energy levels and enthusiasm.
Border Collies that are well-bred are among the healthier breeds, however, hip dysplasia (HD)(dislocation of the hips), progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)(blindness), and Collie eye anomaly (CEA)(may cause blindness) can be a problem. BC's being used for breeding should be x-rayed for HD and have annual eye checks for PRA and CEA. Always ask for health certificates when buying a puppy or dog.
Hip Dysplasia is a fairly new problem in the breed, and because both my boys are inflicted with this disease, I have done extensive research to help myself understand it better. Elmo developed HD from a fall when he was a puppy...at a very young age we could see that he seemed very stiff in his hind legs, so we decided to have him x-rayed and sure enough, he was diagnosed with mild to moderate HD (with arthritic tendancies) in both hips. Zen, on the other hand, along with all his brothers and sisters were born with the disease...at four months old, they were diagnosed with severe HD in both hips. It turned out that his mom had HD, which is a perfect example of why it is important to do lots and lots of research before purchasing any purebred...I had done research on the breeders, but obviously not enough.
Although Elmo has HD, he lives a very active and healthy life. Up until the winter of 2005, Zen also lived a very active and healthly life. I chose to go the homepathic way, by giving them a Glucosamine supplement, however, there are also three surgical options available; first is the total hip replacement, second is the Triple Pelvic Osteotomy...this is where the pelvis is broken in three places and realigned to make the femur (thigh) head fit into the joint better, and third is the Femoral Head Ostectomy...this is where the head of the femur (thigh) bone is surgically removed, allowing the muscle and tendon to take over the job of the ball and joint.
Border Collies can also be prone to epilepsy, a neurological seizure disorder. To date there is no test available for this, however, if you are dealing with an ethical breeder, they should not have a problem discussing this with you.
Some BC's can be sensitive to barbiturate-based anaesthetics, this is because of their low body fat. Make sure before any procedures needing anaesthetics, you discuss the options with your vet.
Well that is all the information that I have for now...I am continually adding new things, so keep checkin' back. All the information on this page is based on my research and experience with BC's (specifically) over the past 14 years, along with my experiences (both personal and professional) with animal husbandry over the past 25 years...if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to e-mail me. Thanks and enjoy,
