Border Collie Hunden
Positiv hundetrening, Klikkertrening, Konkurranse og Alt innen Hund!
Mitt navn er Synne og jeg er personen bak bloggen. Jeg er en 1999 model og driver aktivt med hund og hundetrening. Har drevet med hund i ca 6 år. Jeg er en stolt eier av Nero, han er min første valp og jeg bruker all min tid på han. Hund er det jeg brenner aller mest for her i verden og kan ikke se forran meg et liv uten! Utenfor hund driver jeg med Friluftsliv, Fotografering og litt Fjellklatring.
Nero er en herlig hund og en skikkelig livsnyter! Han er med på alt og takler nye utfordinger lett. Konkurrerer i Lydighet og Agility sammen med han. Ellers så trener vi det aller meste vi kommer over som til nå er: Frisbee, Spor, Feltsøk, Rundering og triks. Kløv og trekkhund er han også. En hund jeg har og enda lærer masse av!
Rex er min gamle Border collie som ble 14 år. Han er desverre død nå, men han var den mest fantastiske hunden jeg noen gang har kjendt ! Han var der heilt siden jeg ble født (han var 1 år gamlere enn meg) så det var utrolig rart å miste han. Han elsket kaniner, å trene triks, gå tur, sove ute i telt, bære kløv, løpe og vere sammen med bestevennen hans Flyksa (samojed tispe). Den siste tiden hostet han veldig mye og spydde opp skum som kom frå lungene. Han hadde problemer med hjertet og når han anstrengte seg kolapset han. Han holdt på å dø rett forran meg, og hjertet banket så hardt at man kunne høre det fra 3 meters avstand! Vi fant ut at det beste var å avlive han. Han var utrolig sprek til å vere 14 år ! Han gikk 1 mil med ein kløv på 2 kg etter han hadde fyllt 14 år uten problem.
Border Collie
ORIGIN: Great Britain
UTILIZATION: The Border Collie is highly intelligent breed, with an instinctive tendency to work and is readily responsive to training. It is keen, alert and eager to please, always ready for work. Although primarly a sheepdog, this versatile breed is very succesful in any job or dog sport, where is mostly at the top.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: The earliest written reference to sheepdogs that were working in a similar manner to modern Border Collie is found in Dr John Caius’s “Treatise on Englishe Dogges” written in 1570. Written proof that this type of dogs existed in mid-1700s is illustration of rough coated Collie, black and white in colour in “The General History of Quadrupeds” by Bewick from 1790. Beside intelligence, Border Collie’s most important characteristic – the power of the eye, according to the writings of James Hogg, was already taken for granted in shepherding scene in the late-1700s. Big influence in development of modern Border Collie had Sheepdog Trials, which started at the end of the 19th century (1st was held in Bala, Wales in 1873). In one of first documented sheepdog trials (Hawick trial in 1883) William Wallace astounded all those present by his outstanding performance as he worked his dog by a mere hiss and by quiet whistle when dog was working at a distance. This set the pattern that is still followed today, more than hundred years later. With the birth of the legendary Old Hemp in 1893 and Old Kep in 1901, the modern Border Collie was firmly established.
GENERAL APPEARANCE: Well proportioned, smooth outline showing quality, gracefulness and perfect balance, combined with sufficient substance to give impression of endurance. Any tendency to coarseness or weediness undesirable.
CHARACTERISTICS: Tenacious, hard-working sheepdog, of great tractability.
TEMPERAMENT: Keen, alert, responsive and intelligent. Neither nervous nor aggressive.
HEAD AND SKULL: Skull fairly broad, occiput not pronounced. Cheeks not full or rounded. Muzzle, tapering to nose, moderately short and strong. Skull and foreface approximately equal in length. Stop very distinct. Nose black, except in brown or chocolate colour when it may be brown, in blues nose should be slate colour. Nostrils well developed.
EYES: Set well apart, oval shaped, of moderated size, brown colour except merles where one or part of one or both may be blue. Expression mild, keen, alert and intelligent.
EARS: Medium size and texture, set well apart. Carried erect or semi-erect and sensitive in use.
MOUTH: Teeth and jaws strong, with a perfect and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
NECK: Of good length, strong and muscular, slightly arched and broadening to shoulders. Topline is level, with slight arch over the loins. Body is athletic in appearance.
FOREQUARTERS: Front legs parallel when viewed from front, pasterns slightly sloping when viewed from the side. Bone strong but not heavy. Shoulders well laid back, elbows close to body.
BODY: Athletic in appearance, ribs well sprung, chest deep and rather broad, loins deep and muscular, but not tucked up. Body slightly longer than height at shoulder.
HINDQUARTERS: Broad, muscular and in profile sloping gracefully to set of tail. Thighs long, deep and muscular with well turned stifles and strong well let down hocks. From hock to ground, hind legs well boned and parallel when viewed from the rear.
FEET: Oval in shape, pads deep, strong and sound, toes arched and close together. Nails short and strong.
TAIL: Moderately long, the bone reaching at least to the hock, set on low, well furnished and with an upward swirl towards the end, completing graceful contour and balance of dog. Tail may be raised in excitement, never carried over back.
GAIT/MOVEMENT: Free, smooth and tireless, with minimum lift of feet, conveying impression of ability to move with great stealth and speed.
In both, topcoat dense, and medium textured, undercoat soft and dense giving good weather resistance. In moderately long coat variety, abundant coat forms mane, breeching and brush. On face, ears, forelegs (except for feather), hindlegs from hock to ground, hair should be short and smooth.
COLOUR: Variety of colours permissible. White should never predominate.
SIZE: Ideal height: dogs 53 cms (21”); bitches slightly less
FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
NB: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Collie
The Collie dog breed is a native of Scotland, mostly of the Highland regions but also bred in the Scottish Lowlands and northern England, where she was used primarily as a herding dog. She is a sensitive and intelligent dog, known for her undying loyalty and amazing ability to foresee her owner’s needs. She is a great family companion, and is still a capable herding dog.
See below for complete Collie characteristics!
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Breed Characteristics:
Contrary to popular belief, small size doesn't necessarily an apartment dog make — plenty of small dogs are too high-energy and yappy for life in a high-rise. Being quiet, low energy, fairly calm indoors, and polite with the other residents, are all good qualities in an apartment dog.
Some dogs are simply easier than others: they take to training better and are fairly easygoing. They're also resilient enough to bounce back from your mistakes or inconsistencies. Dogs who are highly sensitive, independent thinking, or assertive may be harder for a first-time owner to manage. You'll get your best match if you take your dog-owning experience into account as you choose your new pooch.
Some dogs will let a stern reprimand roll off their backs, while others take even a dirty look to heart. Low-sensitivity dogs, also called "easygoing," "tolerant," "resilient," and even "thick-skinned," can better handle a noisy, chaotic household, a louder or more assertive owner, and an inconsistent or variable routine. Do you have young kids, throw lots of dinner parties, play in a garage band, or lead a hectic life? Go with a low-sensitivity dog.
Some breeds bond very closely with their family and are more prone to worry or even panic when left alone by their owner. An anxious dog can be very destructive, barking, whining, chewing, and otherwise causing mayhem. These breeds do best when a family member is home during the day or if you can take the dog to work.
Breeds with very short coats and little or no undercoat or body fat, such as Greyhounds, are vulnerable to the cold. Dogs with a low cold tolerance need to live inside in cool climates and should have a jacket or sweater for chilly walks.
Dogs with thick, double coats are more vulnerable to overheating. So are breeds with short noses, like Bulldogs or Pugs, since they can't pant as well to cool themselves off. If you want a heat-sensitive breed, the dog will need to stay indoors with you on warm or humid days, and you'll need to be extra cautious about exercising your dog in the heat.
Some breeds are independent and aloof, even if they've been raised by the same person since puppyhood; others bond closely to one person and are indifferent to everyone else; and some shower the whole family with affection. Breed isn't the only factor that goes into affection levels; dogs who were raised inside a home with people around feel more comfortable with humans and bond more easily.
Being gentle with children, sturdy enough to handle the heavy-handed pets and hugs they can dish out, and having a blasé attitude toward running, screaming children are all traits that make a kid-friendly dog. You may be surprised by who's on that list: Fierce-looking Boxers are considered good with children, as are American Staffordshire Terriers (aka pit bulls). Small, delicate, and potentially snappy dogs such as Chihuahuas aren't so family-friendly.
**All dogs are individuals. Our ratings are generalizations, and they're not a guarantee of how any breed or individual dog will behave. Dogs from any breed can be good with children based on their past experiences, training on how to get along with kids, and personality. No matter what the breed or breed type, all dogs have strong jaws, sharp pointy teeth, and may bite in stressful circumstances. Young children and dogs of any breed should always be supervised by an adult and never left alone together, period.
Friendliness toward dogs and friendliness toward humans are two completely different things. Some dogs may attack or try to dominate other dogs even if they're love-bugs with people; others would rather play than fight; and some will turn tail and run. Breed isn't the only factor; dogs who lived with their littermates and mother until at least 6 to 8 weeks of age, and who spent lots of time playing with other dogs during puppyhood, are more likely to have good canine social skills.
Stranger-friendly dogs will greet guests with a wagging tail and a nuzzle; others are shy, indifferent, or even aggressive. However, no matter what the breed, a dog who was exposed to lots of different types, ages, sizes, and shapes of people as a puppy will respond better to strangers as an adult.
If you're going to share your home with a dog, you'll need to deal with some level of dog hair on your clothes and in your house. However, shedding does vary greatly among the breeds: Some dogs shed year-round, some "blow" seasonally -- produce a snowstorm of loose hair -- some do both, and some shed hardly at all. If you're a neatnik you'll need to either pick a low-shedding breed, or relax your standards.
Drool-prone dogs may drape ropes of slobber on your arm and leave big, wet spots on your clothes when they come over to say hello. If you've got a laid-back attitude toward slobber, fine; but if you're a neatnik, you may want to choose a dog who rates low in the drool department.
Some breeds are brush-and-go dogs; others require regular bathing, clipping, and other grooming just to stay clean and healthy. Consider whether you have the time and patience for a dog that needs a lot of grooming, or the money to pay someone else to do it.
Due to poor breeding practices, some breeds are prone to certain genetic health problems, such as hip dysplasia. This doesn't mean that every dog of that breed will develop those diseases; it just means that they're at an increased risk. If you're buying a puppy, it's a good idea to find out which genetic illnesses are common to the breed you're interested in, so you can ask the breeder about the physical health of your potential pup's parents and other relatives.
Some breeds have hearty appetites and tend to put on weight easily. As in humans, being overweight can cause health problems in dogs. If you pick a breed that's prone to packing on pounds, you'll need to limit treats, make sure he gets enough exercise, and measure out his daily kibble in regular meals rather than leaving food out all the time.
Dogs come in all sizes, from the world's smallest pooch, the Chihuahua, to the towering Great Dane, how much space a dog takes up is a key factor in deciding if he is compatible with you and your living space. Large dog breeds might seem overpowering and intimidating but some of them are incredibly sweet! Take a look and find the right large dog for you!
Easy to train dogs are more adept at forming an association between a prompt (such as the word "sit"), an action (sitting), and a consequence (getting a treat) very quickly. Other dogs need more time, patience, and repetition during training. Many breeds are intelligent but approach training with a "What's in it for me?" attitude, in which case you'll need to use rewards and games to teach them to want to comply with your requests.
Dogs who were bred for jobs that require decision making, intelligence, and concentration, such as herding livestock, need to exercise their brains, just as dogs who were bred to run all day need to exercise their bodies. If they don't get the mental stimulation they need, they'll make their own work -- usually with projects you won't like, such as digging and chewing. Obedience training and interactive dog toys are good ways to give a dog a brain workout, as are dog sports and careers, such as agility and search and rescue.
Common in most breeds during puppyhood and in retriever breeds at all ages, mouthiness means a tendency to nip, chew, and play-bite (a soft, fairly painless bite that doesn't puncture the skin). Mouthy dogs are more likely to use their mouths to hold or "herd" their human family members, and they need training to learn that it's fine to gnaw on chew toys, but not on people. Mouthy breeds tend to really enjoy a game of fetch, as well as a good chew on a chew toy that's been stuffed with kibble and treats.
Some breeds sound off more often than others. When choosing a breed, think about how the dog vocalizes — with barks or howls — and how often. If you're considering a hound, would you find their trademark howls musical or maddening? If you're considering a watchdog, will a city full of suspicious "strangers" put him on permanent alert? Will the local wildlife literally drive your dog wild? Do you live in housing with noise restrictions? Do you have neighbors nearby?
Some breeds are more free-spirited than others. Nordic dogs such as Siberian Huskies were bred to range long distances, and given the chance, they'll take off after anything that catches their interest. And many hounds simply must follow their noses, or that bunny that just ran across the path, even if it means leaving you behind.
High-energy dogs are always ready and waiting for action. Originally bred to perform a canine job of some sort, such as retrieving game for hunters or herding livestock, they have the stamina to put in a full workday. They need a significant amount of exercise and mental stimulation, and they're more likely to spend time jumping, playing, and investigating any new sights and smells. Low-energy dogs are the canine equivalent of a couch potato, content to doze the day away. When picking a breed, consider your own activity level and lifestyle, and think about whether you'll find a frisky, energetic dog invigorating or annoying.
A vigorous dog may or may not be high-energy, but everything he does, he does with vigor: he strains on the leash (until you train him not to), tries to plow through obstacles, and even eats and drinks with great big gulps. These dynamos need lots of training to learn good manners, and may not be the best fit for a home with young kids or someone who's elderly or frail. A low-vigor dog, on the other hand, has a more subdued approach to life.
Some breeds do fine with a slow evening stroll around the block. Others need daily, vigorous exercise -- especially those that were originally bred for physically demanding jobs, such as herding or hunting. Without enough exercise, these breeds may put on weight and vent their pent-up energy in ways you don't like, such as barking, chewing, and digging. Breeds that need a lot of exercise are good for outdoorsy, active people, or those interested in training their dog to compete in a high-energy dog sport, such as agility.
Some dogs are perpetual puppies -- always begging for a game -- while others are more serious and sedate. Although a playful pup sounds endearing, consider how many games of fetch or tag you want to play each day, and whether you have kids or other dogs who can stand in as playmates for the dog.
Vital Stats:
Height: 1 foot, 10 inches to 2 feet, 2 inches tall at the shoulder
Weight: 50 to 70 pounds
Life Span: 10 to 14 years
In the 1950s television series Lassie, you knew that the Collie would come to the rescue, whether Timmy was trapped in an abandoned mine or had fallen into a well. After all, the star of this long-running show wasn't just any dog. She was Lassie, a Collie dog.
To be sure, the adventures of Timmy and Lassie are fun to watch. But they're fiction — aren't they?
Well, according to those who know and love the Collie breed, the fictional accounts of television Lassie aren't too far off the mark. The real-life Collie is an extremely intelligent, sensitive dog who is known for her uncanny ability to know when something is wrong. True stories abound about this breed coming to the rescue of people and animals.
Heroics aside, the Collie is a medium-size (50 to 70 pounds) dog, easy to train, devoted to and protective of her family, and friendly with people outside the family circle as well. Known for being playful and gentle, she makes an excellent companion for children.
Although the Collie is good-natured and friendly, she can be suspicious of strangers, especially if they approach the children in her family. She's a good watchdog — she will bark — but she is not aggressive.
The beautiful Collie has two distinct looks: full coat (known as the Rough variety) and short coat (known as the Smooth variety). The television star was a Rough Collie, as was the star of the 1943 movie Lassie Come Home, which inspired the television series.
Today, the Collie is more likely to be a pampered pet than an all-around farm dog. She adapts well to a variety of home environments, as long as she has plenty of daily exercise. She enjoys relaxing around the house with her family, as well as running and playing outside with the kids. Her herding instincts are still strong, so it's not unusual for the Collie to gather children and pets, chase cars, and bark.
In addition to her herding ability, the loyal Collie excels as an assistance or therapy dog. She also does well at such canine sports as herding trials, agility, obedience, and lure coursing.
The movie and the television series made the Collie a popular dog in the United States. Unfortunately, her extreme popularity leaves her open to the bane of all favorite breeds: unscrupulous people who breed with no regard for temperament, health, or conformation.
As a result, some Collies have serious health and temperament problems. If you are considering a Collie, you must be extremely careful from whom you purchase or adopt a puppy. Buy only from a reputable breeder. Never buy a puppy from an irresponsible breeder, puppy mill, or pet store. Reputable breeders breed with temperament in mind and perform various health tests to ensure that their breeding dogs don't pass on a predisposition to genetic diseases.
Highlights
- The Collie is usually quiet unless she has a reason to bark. However, if she is left alone too often or if she is bored, she will bark excessively.
- Both varieties need grooming, but the Rough Collie especially needs regular brushing to keep her coat clean and free of tangles.
- Many Collies are sensitive to medications including ivermectin, the drug used in heartworm preventives. Be sure to talk with your veterinarian before giving your Collie a heartworm preventive or any other drug.
- Be careful from whom you acquire a Collie. The Collie's popularity has given rise to unethical breeders acting with no regard for temperament, health, or conformation. To get a healthy dog, never buy a puppy from an irresponsible breeder, puppy mill, or pet store. Look for a reputable breeder who tests her breeding dogs to make sure they're free of genetic diseases that they might pass onto the puppies, and that they have sound temperaments.
The Collie is a native of Scotland, primarily from the Highland regions. She has been called Collis, Colley, Coally, and Coaly, names that probably derive from col or coll, the Anglo-Saxon word for black. Some historians think, however, that the name comes from the colley, the Scottish black-faced sheep, that the Collie dog used to guard.
Original Collies were closer in size and shape to today's Border Collies, and they were predominantly black. Herding ability was more important than appearance, so the dogs varied a great deal in looks.
Stone Age nomads brought dogs to what is now Southern England, and from these came a hardy, intelligent dog used to herd sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs. Some historians say that the Collie's particular ancestors were brought to the British Isles by Roman conquerors, some two thousand years ago.
Queen Victoria is credited with saving Collies from obscurity. In 1860, she visited her Scotland estate and fell in love with the good looks and gentle temperament of the Collies she saw. She brought some back to England, and thus began the first Collie fad.
It wasn't long before the dogs were shown and bred for good looks rather than working ability. They first were exhibited in 1860 at a dog show in Birmingham, England, in the generic class known as "Scotch Sheep-Dogs."
One Collie, named Old Cockie, who was born in 1867, is credited with the characteristic type of the Rough Collie known today, and she is believed to be responsible for introducing sable coat color to the breed.
In 1879, the first Collie was imported to the United States. The Collie Club of America was formed on August 26, 1886, which makes it one of the oldest canine specialty clubs.
Males stand 24 to 26 inches tall; females are 22 to 24 inches tall. Collies weigh 50 to 70 pounds.
Personality
The well-bred Collie is sweet, friendly, and gentle. She is a family dog and enjoys being part of all household activities. Especially fond of kids, she enjoys playing with them and protectively watching over them.
If those qualities weren't positive enough, the Collie tops them with her intelligence and loyalty. This dog is smart and learns quickly.
And her devotion? She would probably swim through shark-infested waters to save her owner (just like Lassie).
Temperament is affected by a number of factors, including heredity, training, and socialization. Puppies with nice temperaments are curious and playful, willing to approach people and be held by them. Choose the middle-of-the-road puppy, not the one who's beating up his littermates or the one who's hiding in the corner.
Always meet at least one of the parents — usually the mother is the one who's available — to ensure that they have nice temperaments that you're comfortable with. Meeting siblings or other relatives of the parents is also helpful for evaluating what a puppy will be like when he grows up.
Like every dog, the Collie needs early socialization — exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences — when they're young. Socialization helps ensure that your Collie puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.
Enrolling him in a puppy kindergarten class is a great start. Inviting visitors over regularly, and taking him to busy parks, stores that allow dogs, and on leisurely strolls to meet neighbors will also help him polish his social skills.
Collies are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they're prone to certain health conditions. Not all Collies will get any or all of these diseases, but it's important to be aware of them if you're considering this breed.
If you're buying a puppy, find a good breeder who will show you health clearances for both your puppy's parents. Health clearances prove that a dog has been tested for and cleared of a particular condition. In Collies, you should expect to see health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for hip dysplasia (with a score of fair or better), elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and von Willebrand's disease; from Auburn University for thrombopathia; and from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) certifying that eyes are normal. You can confirm health clearances by checking the OFA web site (offa.org).
- Dermatomyositis: An inherited autoimmune skin disorder, this malady causes lesions and muscle problems. Studies indicate that perhaps 70 percent of Collies (both Rough and Smooth) could be carriers. Research currently is being conducted to identify the genes that carry this disease.
- Collie Nose: Also known as nasal solar dermatitis, this is a condition in which the skin of nose peels, oozes, and may lose color. If left untreated, it can be painful or develop into cancer. Collie nose is managed by limiting exposure to sunlight, using sunscreen, or tattooing with black ink to protect against harmful rays.
- Collie Eye Anomaly: This inherited condition can sometimes lead to blindness. The condition causes changes and abnormalities in the eye. These changes can include choroidal hypoplasia, an abnormal development of the choroid (an inner coat of the eyeball); coloboma, a defect in the optic disc; staphyloma, a thinning of the sclera (the white outer coat of the eyeball); and retinal detachment. Collie eye anomaly usually occurs by the time the dog is two years old. There is no treatment for the condition.
- Progressive Retinal atrophy (PRA): This is a family of eye diseases that involves the gradual deterioration of the retina. Early in the disease, dogs become night-blind. As the disease progresses, they also lose their daytime vision. Many dogs adapt well to limited or complete vision loss, as long as their surroundings remain the same.
- Nodular Granulomatous Episclerokeratitis (NGE): Also called nodular fascitis, fibrous histiocytoma, or Collie granuloma, this condition is thought to be an immune disorder. It eventually causes damage to the cornea. Many Collies with Collie nose also have NGE. Treatment includes anti-inflammatory and/or immunosuppressive medications.
- Hip Dysplasia: This is an abnormal formation of the hip socket that can cause pain and lameness. Dogs with hip dysplasia should not be bred. If you're buying a puppy, ask the breeder for proof that the parents have been tested for hip dysplasia and are free of problems.
- Allergies: Quite common is dogs, there are three main types of allergies: food allergies, which are treated by eliminating certain foods from the dog's diet; contact allergies, which are caused by a reaction to a topical substance such as bedding, flea powders, dog shampoos, and other chemicals; and inhalant allergies, which are caused by airborne allergens such as pollen, dust, and mildew. Treatment varies according to the cause and may include dietary restrictions, medications, and environmental changes.
- Drug Sensitivity: The Collie is known to react to such drugs as ivermectin (found in heartworm control medication), anesthesia, and insecticides. Consult with your veterinarian before giving your Collie any medication or using flea or tick control products.
The Collie lives comfortably in the city or the country, as long as she has enough exercise. A brisk, daily walk and yard play are sufficient. Mostly, she wants to be with her family, meaning she is not a candidate for a backyard lifestyle.
If left alone for too long, she tends to bark excessively. While some barking is normal in this herding breed — that's how she warned the shepherd of wolves — she will bark her head off when she's bored, lonely, or otherwise frustrated. Excessive barking can be avoided by letting the Collie join in all family activities, and by keeping her mentally challenged with ongoing obedience training or dog sports.
Training the Collie is a breeze, but — like any dog — she needs early socialization to prevent her from becoming timid. She also benefits from obedience training; a "Quiet" command should be a part of every Collie's training program.
Recommended daily amount: 2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
NOTE: How much your adult dog eats depends on his size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level. Dogs are individuals, just like people, and they don't all need the same amount of food. It almost goes without saying that a highly active dog will need more than a couch potato dog. The quality of dog food you buy also makes a difference — the better the dog food, the further it will go toward nourishing your dog and the less of it you'll need to shake into your dog's bowl.
Coat Color And Grooming
The Collie has two coat types: Rough (long hair) and Smooth (short hair). The Rough Collie has an abundant, straight outer coat that is harsh to the touch, and a soft, furry undercoat that is so thick it's difficult to see the skin when you part the hair. The Smooth Collie has a short, dense, flat outer coat with a thick undercoat. Both varieties shed moderately.
The Collie comes in four colors: sable (think Lassie), tricolor (black with white markings and tan shadings), blue merle (silvery blue and black), and white (predominately white with markings).
The amount of grooming necessary for the Collie depends on the variety. Overall, the Collie is a clean dog, with minimal doggie odor. The long, full coat of the Rough Collie needs thorough brushing twice a week (even more frequently to keep her looking Lassie-like). Brushing once a week is sufficient for the Smooth Collie.
Bathe as needed, usually every six to eight weeks. Many owners opt to pay a professional groomer to brush and bathe their Collie, especially the Rough variety, because the coat is so thick. Novice owners may find brushing challenging, though practice and instruction from a Collie breeder or skilled groomer can keep this from becoming a discouraging chore.
Trim the Collie's nails once a month, and check the ears once a week for dirt, redness, or a bad odor that can indicate an infection. Also wipe them out weekly with a cotton ball dampened with gentle, pH-balanced ear cleaner to prevent problems.
Brush your Collie's teeth at least two or three times a week to remove tartar buildup and the bacteria that lurk inside it. Daily brushing is even better if you want to prevent gum disease and bad breath.
Begin accustoming your Collie to being brushed and examined when he's a puppy. Handle his paws frequently — dogs are touchy about their feet — and look inside his mouth. Make grooming a positive experience filled with praise and rewards, and you'll lay the groundwork for easy veterinary exams and other handling when he's an adult.
As you groom, check for sores, rashes, or signs of infection such as redness, tenderness, or inflammation on the skin, in the nose, mouth, and eyes, and on the feet. Eyes should be clear, with no redness or discharge. Your careful weekly exam will help you spot potential health problems early.
Children And Other Pets
The playful Collie is known for her love of children, even those she wasn't raised with. She's highly protective of the kids in her family, watching over them and keeping them safe from danger, just like Lassie did for Timmy.
As with every breed, you should always teach children how to approach and touch dogs, and always supervise any interactions between dogs and young children to prevent any biting or ear or tail pulling on the part of either party. Teach your child never to approach any dog while he's eating or sleeping or to try to take the dog's food away. No dog, no matter how friendly, should ever be left unsupervised with a child.
The Collie is also protective of and gentle with other pets in her family. She's an affectionate, tender guardian, willing to watch over baby rabbits, chicks, or goats.
Rescue Groups
Collies are often purchased without any clear understanding of what goes into owning one. There are many Collies in need of adoption and or fostering. There are a number of rescues that we have not listed. If you don't see a rescue listed for your area, contact the national breed club or a local breed club and they can point you toward a Collie rescue.
Breed Organizations
Below are breed clubs, organizations, and associations where you can find additional information about the Collie.
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Collie
MENTALITET
Den skotske hyrdehund er Storbritanniens klassiske fårehund, som i årenes løb har udviklet sig til en ypperlig selskabshund. Collien er kontaktsøgende, lærevillig og nem at omgås. Den er især venlig og beskyttende over for familiens børn. Den kan have tilbøjelighed til at blive forskrækket fx over høje lyde.
En collie behøver et godt socialt liv med tæt kontakt til familien. Den bør aktiveres og få lov til at møde mange nye udfordringer lige fra hvalp. Legelysten er stor, også når den bliver ældre.
AKTIVITETSNIVEAU OG HANDLERADIUS
En collie har brug for en del motion som ung, men tilpasser sig efterhånden helt efter omgivelserne. Sætter livet igennem pris på at løse opgaver. Den er samarbejdsvillig, tager gerne mod anvisninger og holder sig som regel i nærheden af sine mennesker.
PELS OG PLEJE
Den store, glansfulde pels fælder mindre, end man umiddelbart skulle forvente, og den er smuk, når den er velplejet. Pelsen kræver dog en omhyggelig børstning og frisering mindst en gang om ugen for ikke at filtre, og man kan roligt sætte en times tid af til arbejdet.
TIPS OG TRICKS TIL INDLÆRING OG HÅNDTERING
Nogle collier er følsomme og bliver let forskrækkede for høje lyde, glatte gulve eller andre hunde, som opfører sig voldsomt. Socialiser hunden omhyggeligt. Træn blidt med rigelig belønning og uden at presse. Træn øvelser, der skaber tillid.
Hanner 56-61 cm. Tæver 51-56 cm.
Zobel, trefarvet eller blue merle med hvide aftegninger. Den hvide farve må dog ikke være dominerende.
OPRINDELSE
Den langhårede collie kom til Skotland med fårene, og den har været avlet målrettet på udseendet siden midten af 1800-tallet. Dens popularitet eksploderede, da dronning Victoria anskaffede racen omkring 1880. Under de to verdenskrige gjorde adskillige collier god nytte som sanitets- og ordonnanshunde. Det næste store popularitetsboom kom i 1960'erne, da Hollywood begyndte at producere Lassie-filmene. Det betød et tilbageslag for collien mentalt, som først nu er ved at være genoprettet.
INTERNATIONALT RACENAVN
Collie HVALPE TIL SALG
VISER 0 ANNONCER
Herunder finder du en oversigt over aktuelle kuld af racen Collie, der pt. er til salg.
Husk også at læse guiden til, hvad du skal være opmærksom på, inden du køber hund.
Hund collie
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THE PROGENITOR OF THE BORDER COLLIE BREED
He flashed like a meteor across the sheepdog horizon.
There never was such an outstanding personality.
Sheepdogs--My Faithfulful Friends,
to obtain a permanent symbol of recognition, respect, and thanks
for the contribution made by Adam Telfer and Old Hemp to the legacy of Border Collie
in the form of a plaque or similar memorial
in the village of Cambo, Northumberland, the birthplace of Old Hemp.
(Photo from Key Dogs From the Border Collie Family, Volume II.)
A century ago many of the [working collies] were hard, powerful rather unfriendly dogs, difficult to control and rough with the stock, but their keen handling instinct, their concentration and great power over the sheep or cattle were such useful assets that it seemed worth trying to find a milder natured type of working collie to cross with these hard dogs.
One shepherd who took a keen interest in breeding and training sheepdogs was the Northumbrian, Adam Telfer, and he succeeded in finding the right blend of the two types of dog. The result was a canine genius called Hemp. who died in 1903 having sired over 200 puppies and founded the modern breed of Border Collie.
Old Hemp is considered the progenitor of the Border Collie breed. The reason he isn't number 1 in the stud book of the International Sheep Dog Society is that he was added after the book began and early numbers were already given out. Grew goes on to say that Adam Telfer "was not just a great breeder, he was also an expert trainer and handler, and seemed to have a great understanding of his dogs and their behavior." Telfer won the International Championship twice, once with Sweep (21), a grandson of Old Hemp, who himself won the International twice, in 1910 with Telfer and 1912 with Thomas Armstrong. In fact, Grew tells us, "Of the first 29 winners of the International Championships after 1906, all, with only one or two exceptions, carried the blood of Hemp on one or both sides of [their] breeding."
The Telfer family were all involved in sheepdogs and sheepdog trialling. Walter, Adam's father, won the first sheepdog trial held in England in 1876. Adam was born in 1859 in Redesdale, Northumberland and was a hired shepherd and later a farmer. His sons, Adam, Walter, and Jack were also shepherds or farmers, and Adam Telfer, Jr. was also a sheepdog triallist.
Nothing is said about a trialling career for Hemp, though Telfer must have trialed with him, for where else might other handlers have seen him and admired his herding skills? Halsall says:
None who saw him [work] ever forgot him. Almost faultless in [his] work. he was born with such knowledge of his craft that he never required training and went to his work naturally. He ambled after sheep when only six weeks old.
Hemp obviously came too soon for the Nationals and International, as the ISDS was not formed until 1906, three years after Hemp's death; but much is said about his working capability and his ability to pass it on to his descentants.
Halsall calls Hemp a "sheepdog genius" who became the premiere stud dog in the Borders, but he goes on to say that without Telfer, a man dedicated to the improvement of the working collie and one who knew how to go about it, there would have been no Hemp and consequently none of his progeny. It was Hemp's progeny that went on to affect the breed for generations in Britain as well as abroad, through his grandsons, Sweep (21) and Herdman's Tommy (16).
Although the generations have diluted the effect of Old Hemp's genes on the much larger population of Border Collies being born today, Old Hemp, a shining example of the breed, will always be remembered as the father of the Border Collie breed.
To learn more about these "key dogs of the Border Collie family" and their legacy, I recommend the following books:
Barbara Carpenter, The Blue Riband of the Heather--The Supreme Champions 1906-1995, Farming Press, 1989 and 1996.
Barbara Carpenter, National Sheepdog Champions of Britain and Ireland 1922-1993, Farming Press, 1994.
Sheila Grew, Key Dogs of the Border Collie Family, Volumes I & II, Payn Essex Ltd., 1981 & 1985.
Eric Halsall, Sheepdogs--My Faithful Friends, Farming Press, 1996.
Eric Halsall, Sheepdog Trials, Patrick Stevens, 1982.
John Herries McCulloch, Sheep Dogs and Their Masters, The Moray Press, 1938, and in a new edition by Toft East Publishing, 1994.
John Herries McCulloch, Border Collie Studies, WSN, originally 1951
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Border Collie Hunden
Positiv hundetrening, Klikkertrening, Konkurranse og Alt innen Hund!
Hundetrening
Jeg trener Positivt og er en typisk pølsetante. Det inkluderer ingen straff eller hard fysisk håndtering. Jeg har ingen tro på de tradisjonelle metodene. Man får ikke en lydig hund av å korrigere den og påføre den smerte eller ubehagelige situasjoner. Da får du en redd hund og det er det. Du skaffer deg hund for en grunn, og visst en ikke tar seg tid til å trene den så får man la vere! Jeg lærte om Positiv trening på Canis.no sitt Forum. Der har jeg tilbrangt mange år med diskusjoner. Jeg meldte meg inn der når jeg var 11 år ca og lærte MYE!
Mitt hundehold inneholder mestring, tillit, glede og samspill. Hunden min skal høre på meg fordi den vil, ikke fordi den må. Positiv trening er fantastisk, man får et godt forhold til hunden og en lykkelig hund.
Legg Cesar Millan på hylla, klikk deg inn på Canis.no, kjøp noen bøker og lær 🙂
- 100% Positiv Problemløsning– av Arne Aarrestad og Siri Linnerud
- På talefot med hunden– av Turid Rugaas
- Lydighetstrening i teori og praksis– Canis
- Klikkertrening for din hund– Canis
- Valpesosialisering– Gry Løberg
- Ikke skyt hunden– Karen Pryor
- Hundens språk og adferd- en illustrerende håndbok– Barbara Handelman
- Kulturkollisjonen mellom hund og menneske– Jean Donaldson
Om spørsmål kommenter under 🙂 
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jeg er også medlem av Canis 😉
vi var på valpekurs og lærte mye om posetiv behandlin av hund 😀
Samme her 🙂 Postivit er bra 😀
Hører hunden når du bruker klikker
Ja, men man bruker dt kun for å gjøre st lettere å markere rett adferd om du skjønner. Det er lettere for hunden å skjønne hva den får belønning for 😊
Hvor er kløven til Nero fra ?:)er du fornøyd, eventuelt pris ??;)
Jeg fikk den i bursdagsgave for mange mange år siden 😊 Jeg er egentlig veldig fornøyd! Den har holdt i mange år og ser like ny ut 😊 Men om du skal bruke kløv der hunden skal bære mye osv så ville jeg heller kjøpt laikakløven eller noe 😊
Animal Planet
Collie Guide
Herding Dog Breeds
Collies are the Girl Scouts of the canine world — they're intelligent, resourceful, and intensely loyal. So loyal, in fact, that a Collie once traveled from Indiana all the way to Oregon (over 3,000 miles!) to find her family. And if you own a television, this breed probably looks familiar. Timmy's Collie and best friend, Lassie, is one of the most famous dogs in the world.
Breed's Original Pastime: Herding
Average Lifespan: 8-12 years
Bark Factor: I love to talk!
Energy level A sprinter
Exercise needs 30-45 minutes per day
Playfullness and Games A few times per day would be divine
Attachment to People Give me some love when you get home, maybe we'll snuggle later
Behavior with Other Dogs Ok with early socialization and consistent training.
Behavior with Other Small Pets I'm usually friendly, as long as we're supervised
Behavior Toward Strangers I may be shy at first
Trainability It's fun, but I may lose focus
Watchdog ability I know all that's going on, all the time
Protection ability I can be somewhat protective
Grooming needs Daily brushing and probably frequent professional grooming
Cold tolerance I just love winter and snow
Heat tolerance A warm day can be fun, but not too hot please.
Related Breeds
Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Sheepdog
Belgian Tervuren
Border Collie
Bouvier des Flandres
Canaan Dog
Most Popular Dog Breeds
Alaskan Malamute
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Bearded Collie
- Height: 20-26 inches
- Weight: 40-60 lb
- Lifespan: 12-14 years
- Group: AKC Herding
- Best Suited For: Families with children, active singles and seniors, houses with yards, farms
- Temperament: Independent, enthusiastic, intelligent, obedient
- Comparable Breeds: Briard, Old English Sheepdog
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Bearded Collie Basics
Great Scot! The Bearded Collie is one of Scotland furriest and loyal imports. Cheerful and happy-go-lucky, the Beardie, as this breed is affectionately called, is affectionate, playful and lively. A wonderful playmate for children and a friend for life, the Bearded Collie loves to be near its family. Smart, strong and focused, this breed is still a staple on Great Britain farms as it puts in a solid day’s work and never complains (he works for treats and belly rubs!).
One of the things you’ll notice about the Beardie is that it has a bounce in its step, which can no doubt be attributed to its exuberant and high-energy personality. But even though this dog is bubbly and boisterous, it can also be stubborn and strong-willed as well. Read on to learn if the Bearded Collie is the right fit for your lifestyle.
Cheerful and happy-go-lucky, the Beardie, as this breed is affectionately called, is affectionate, playful and lively.
One of Britain’s oldest dog breeds, the Bearded Collie became popular in Scotland at the end of the Victorian era. Valued as both working and competition show dogs, the Beardie was also known as the Highland Collie, the Hairy Mou’ed Collie, the Mountain Collie and the Hairy Mountain Dog.
Food / Diet
If you’re feeding your Bearded Collie a store-bought dry kibble, always go for a high-quality brand or food. If you are making the food yourself, be careful of adding too much protein. This can cause allergic symptoms. The proper amount should fall between 18 and 25 percent protein. Be aware of other ingredients in your dog food of choice. Avoid wheat, soybean and preservatives, and never feed your dog table scrapes.
A wonderful playmate for children and a friend for life, the Bearded Collie loves to be near its family.
Like most herding breeds, the Bearded Collie is quite trainable. This dog needs performance-based tasks, and loves any kind of obedience, agility, herding and utility training. Sporting an enthusiastic personality, you can take your Beardie out of the field and put it in the show ring as well. But owners should be aware that the Bearded Collie has an independent streak that can make training a challenge at times. But remember, this is a great way to bond with your dog and burn off excess energy. Because this breed gets bored easily, you’ll need to change your training tasks in order to make these sessions interesting.
A Bearded Collie will stand about 20 to 26 inches and weight anywhere between 40 to 60 pounds.
Temperament / Behavior
A happy breed, the Bearded Collie comes complete with an inquisitive personality. This breed loves its family without being possessive or protective. You’ll find this dog to be attentive and self-confident, as well as happy-go-lucky. The Beardie is a natural herder, and will not only herd animals, but people as well. Even though this breed is famous for being a noisy barker, the Beardie doesn’t make a good watchdog. The Bearded Collie shouldn’t be shy or aggressive. For the best training results, you’ll need to be a firm leader, and always provide plenty of opportunities for exercise to ensure a stable dog.
Common Health Problems
Although the Bearded Collie is a healthy breed, some problems owners may be faced with may include Addison’s disease, allergies, autoimmune disorders, cerebrovascular disease, congenital elbow luxation, eye issues, hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism.
Life Expectancy
The Bearded Collie has an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years.
Exercise Requirements
This is a herding dog, so the Bearded Collie needs to be active. It’s what the breed was developed to do, so they need to be put to work. Because it needs to be kept busy, this breed wouldn’t be the best choice for an apartment – the Beardie would do best in a large yard or even in a farming environment.
Smart and energetic, you’ll want to keep your Bearded Collie happy by keeping it busy. There are plenty of ways to do that. This breed loves the outdoors, so brink it along on a long walk, jog, hike or bike ride. Or take training up a notch and get your dog into agility competitions. Or put your Bearded Collie to work in a way that benefits the community and train it as a therapy dog, a job well suited from this breed. The Beardie has had much success in hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.
A happy breed, the Bearded Collie comes complete with an inquisitive personality.
The American Kennel Association says this about the breed: “With an aura of strength and agility, the Bearded Collie was bred for centuries as a companion and servant of man. Collie is the generic Scottish word for dogs that herd sheep, and the Beardie’s long, lean body and agile movement make him well-suited to that task.” The AKC first recognized this breed in 1976.
The Bearded Collie’s fur was developed to protect them from Scotland’s harsh weather. Parted down their back, this dog’s fur falls at the same length on both sides. In terms of colors, Bearded Collies have black, blue, brown or fawn, along with white markings. As the dog gets older, the Bearded Collie’s coat can lighten, but only if it has a “fading” gene.
Look at all that long hair – you know that your Bearded Collie is going to need a lot of upkeep to keep it looking its best. You’ll need to brush it at least once a week (for up to an hour) in order to keep tangles and mats at bay. You may want to consider using a conditioning spray to keep fur manageable between brushing sessions. If this seems like too much work, you can always keep your Beardie’s fur trimmed to a manageable length. An average shedder, the Bearded Collies will shed year round, but during the change of seasons, its coat will shed more.
Cute little bundles of fur, Bearded Collie puppies grow up fast. With its long coat, you’ll need to start brushing early, as this breed loses its puppy coats between the ages of 9 and 18 months.
Photo credit: Eric Isselee/Shutterstock
Border Collie – a problem dog!?
Due to many requests and the success of our original article about the border collie, we have decided to provide an English translation online.
A transfixed gaze, the body tense, the tail tucked with concentration, he slowly creeps on – always keeping his eyes firmly on the sheep. On a whistle command, he turns away and runs a wide arc only to lie down on a second whistle. Never losing concentration – never really looking away, on another whistle he continues creeping forward again. Now the sheep start running and the Border Collie follows them in a firm, solid and determined manner until the sheep are with the shepherd.
How fascinating it is to see a Border Collie at work! One quickly realises just how special these dogs are. Unfortunately, only few people stop to think about what it really means to keep a Border Collie. Of course, people will inform themselves and try to be as fully prepared as possible – yet, it often goes wrong. Why?
A fascinating sight: The Border Collie is driving the sheep toward the herder.
The Border Collie has a strong “will to please” which is the basis for its ability to interact so closely with the shepherd. Its athletic build, delicate and sensitive nature and, of course, the pleasant appearance makes the Border Collie very attractive also for non-shepherds.
A Border Collie doing the obedience test: in this image it retrieves a piece of metal.
This dog breed will frequently be seen in dog sport events, where they show considerable performance. Whether agility, obedience or traditional dog training competitions – wherever the Border Collie participates will it be found in the upper rankings. This, of course, makes it even more desirable. He seems to be a guaranty for success, and since he is easy to train, Border Collies are a popular choice.
If, however, you take a look around the help-pages for dogs, especially for Border Collies, you will quickly realise that many of them are being given away. A common reason for this are its „excessive demands“ often associated with bite accidents.
There aren’t many people who haven’t met a “crazy” Border Collie yet. You can see them in competitions once and again: barking dogs that are taken out of the box before the start, race through the course yapping and then quickly disappear in their boxes again.
What’s the problem with Border Collies?
The Border Collie is a sheepdog. Used to herding sheep on the vast plains of England but usually not accustomed to the presence of human beings, they take flight easily. No other dog can do this job as well as a Border Collie, they have been bred for this task.
The Border Collie has been selected because of certain qualities which make it the perfect dog for working with livestock. These qualities, however, may be cause for trouble when Border Collies are kept a family dogs. So, what are the characteristics that make it a problem prone dog? Why is it, that they soon become too difficult for the average dog owner to deal with? Why do these dogs so often end up in animal emergency centres because of bite accidents, when the Border Collie is actually known for its friendly nature?
The Border Collie is a work dog.
Many people know that a Border Collie needs to be challenged and it is very common for Border Collie owners to hear comments like „Gotta work him a lot, don’t you?” or „This one will only get tired if you keep it busy all day long!” But by assuming that the Border Collie needs a lot of activity, people already make the first mistake. Starting out with this assumption in mind, disaster is inevitable.
Of course, a working dog needs a „job“. It needs a task that challenges it but this does not mean that the dog requires permanent attention!
A shepherd uses his dog when he needs it. In winter, when the sheep are in the barn or in spring, when they get lambs, the shepherd will certainly not set up an ‚agility course‘ in order to keep the dog busy. The dog has to work when it is needed – and when there is no work to do, it leads a joyful and “unemployed” live for weeks on end. A situation which actually doesn’t cause the dog any problems at all.
The extensive activity programme some in this country feel inclined to submit their four-legged companions to, is downright deadly for these dogs.
Two times a week agility training, then lunging, then dummy work, not to forged the weekly obedience training and last but not least long walks. Not only is this too much for other dogs, it’s far too much for the Border Collie. In terms of activity, the Border Collie needs challenging tasks – and in between a lot of rest. When working with the shepherd, he herds – that’s all he does. And this is the criteria one should follow when organising your dog’s training programm.
The Border Collie hunts!
„But it’s a herding dog!“ will spring to your mind immediately. Of course, the Border Collie is a herding dog, but herding behaviour is nothing other than hunting behaviour.
You won’t find a wolf keeping a few sheep for eating one now and again. The wolf hunts its prey. For herding dogs, breeders have taken advantage of this hunting behaviour while merely suppressing certain behavioural sequences. The “attack and kill” instinct has been eliminated by selective breeding whereas the remaining hunting sequences have been emphasised.
As a result, the Border Collie not only stalks and courses. It makes a wide circle around its ‚prey‘ so as to remain unnoticed, then runs to a point situated – from the shepherds view – at 12 o’clock approximately and herds the animals towards the shepherd, who will finish the hunt. The Border Collie hunts in collaboration with its owner.
The problem, however, arises when the human doesn’t want this hunt while the dog pursues its genetically determined program. And when the dog thinks it has to hunt down and herd some children towards its owner, the situation can quickly become dangerous.
Border Collies are very sensitive to visual and acoustic stimuli
For the ‚job‘ it is important that the dog sees a sheep escaping in the distance. It is also important that he can hear its owner’s whistle from far away. The Border Collie needs to see the smallest changes in the sheep-herd and react immediately. Accordingly, it reacts a lot faster to visual (motion) and auditory stimuli than other dogs.
This can quickly turn into a problem in everyday life. Of course, a Border Collie doesn’t know that that’s actually a sheep moving in the far distance. It reacts to the movement in the distance. If there happens to be a jogger on the horizon, the dog reacts to the runner. On New Year’s Eve with all the noise-makers, the Border Collie will probably go mad because it is so sensitive to these stimuli.
Situations like these can be difficult to handle for the average dog owner. Before you even realize that there is a banging noise somewhere or something is moving in far the distance, like a Jogger for example, a prefect ‚prey‘, the dog has already disappeared… which leads us to the next point:
The Border Collie is very excitable
The Border Collie needs to be able to react very quickly. As said before, he must react immediately to the slightest stimuli, this gets him from naught to sixty in no time. When a sheep breaks away from the group, the dog doesn’t have time to think about whether or not it should really bring back the sheep or if it is going to be in danger by doing so. It must retrieve the runaway right away, without any fuss and without evaluating the risks beforehand.
In everyday life, this is difficult because the dog also responds to all stimuli. If there is a car passing by, the Border Collie doesn’t think about the dangers. Instead it perceives a fast moving stimulus to which it reacts with hunting behaviour – not leaving enough time for the owner to counteract quickly. The dog is off, chasing after the car as fast as lightning and this can result in death for the dog and in a dangerous situation for the occupants.
The Border Collie isn’t calm by definition – he has yet to learn to be calm
Many of the Border Collies that are still working with sheep in the traditional way, spend the rest of their lives in a a dog kennel in the yard or in the barn. If there’s any work to do, the shepherd gets the dog and when there’s nothing to do, the dog stays in the kennel. When working, however, the dog has to give it all.
The shepherd cannot afford to lose a sheep because his dog is exhausted. When at work, the Border Collie often goes beyond its own limits and it has to rest when the job is done.
In everyday life this means that the Border Collie hardly shows any signs when things are getting a bit too much for it. No matter how worn-out the dog is – it will continue. Border Collies don’t have an emergency stop button, that’s the way they were bred. And so it may happen that after hours of ball games, you dog still doesn’t seem to get tired – because it rather drops dead than stops by itself. Therefore, it is the owner who has to take the relevant decisions. The dog can’t afford it. Calmness is something that these dogs still have to learn.
The Border Collie is sensitive
For effectively controlling a dog with so much ‚drive‘ even over great distances, a substantial amount of sensitivity from the dog towards its handler is necessary. Border Collies are very ‚impressionable‘, they react with delicacy to the slightest signs from their owners.
In everyday life a ‚firm hand‘ can do more harm than good. To severely chastise your dog in a fit of rage can render it very insecure – if it doesn’t make it panic altogether. The Border Collie reacts to violence with fear and loss of confidence. What doesn’t necessarily impress other dogs, sits particularly deep with a Border Collie.
The Border Collie is a quick learner
Now, anyone thinking that they have to treat their dog with velvet gloves, is forgetting that these dogs are extremely intelligent, they learn quickly. As a work dog that has to collaborate with people, the Border Collie comprehends very quickly what it is expected to do.
But, of course, this concept doesn’t only apply to the desired behavioural patterns – it works just as well for non-desired conduct.
While you can be tolerant to some extend with other dogs, you do not have this option with a Border Collie. He immediately detects every weakness and learns from it. This dog draws its own conclusions and then consequently uses the newly learned behaviour.
The Border Collie doesn’t need many repetitions – sometimes one is enough to turn the dog into a little tyrant, mercilessly pursuing its strategy. If you allow such a dog to have his own way let’s say with a tense leash only once (for getting to the a smelly fence post for example), it has learned the lesson ‚leash pulling = success‘.
Once the dog has discovered that it can avoid unpleasant situation with bared teeth, it will quickly apply this behaviour policy to all similar situations. If it has learned that by barking it can get rid of the stupid dog next door, as a consequence it is going to do so with all other dogs as well.
Because of its intelligence, the Border Collie will never get tired of trying out new strategies. Especially during the first years of life, dog holders should not allow their dogs to go through this negative learning experience. This requires a certain amount of knowledge about dog keeping and dog education.
The Border Collie is capable of asserting itself
Anyone who has ever seen an ewe defend her lamb or a ram defend his ‚chicks‘ will understand why a Border Collie needs to be assertive.
Who said that a Border Collie would never bite? With its gaze (also called the ‚eye) and its body language it takes advantage of the sheep’s vanishing point. Their reaction to such a threat is flight. If, however, the Border Collie doesn’t manage to succeed, the sheep will fight back – instead of fleeing they’ll attack.
Under threat, an ewe tends to defend her lamb. Now is the time when the Border Collie has to be assertive to get the sheep to run into de given direction. And biting might be a necessary tool for this purpose.
In the hands of an average dog holder, this can turn into an explosive situation. Border Collies are friendly towards people but they also make use of their teeth if they consider it to be necessary. Since they are very intelligent and quickly perceive every mistake their owners make, they will also do this in other situations.
If a Border Collie has set its mind on hiding the bone from its owner, it will bite. It will also show its position when it thinks it cannot allow the person outside to come any closer. And in case it considers it necessary to ‚bring back‘ the child, it’ll do that as well.
The Border Collie has to make its own decisions
Once the dog has received the order to herd the sheep toward the herder, so it will do. But, if a sheep tries to escape, the dog has do react quickly, bring back the sheep to the herd and then continue with the original task. A certain amount of ‚intelligent disobedience‘ is therefore necessary in this kind of dog.
This behaviour can turn out to be rather difficult in every day life. Especially if you keep in mind everything that has been mentioned before. When a Border Collie thinks it has a task to do, it makes its own decisions – against its owner if necessary. Wanting to solve a single problem is to no avail here. Instead, you need to carefully consider the whole way of dealing with the dog because its tendency of taking the initiative when reacting to situations can never be suppressed.
Finally a few words to retrieve-game enthusiasts
There is no substitute for the herd we cannot offer the Border Collie and there is nothing unlike sheep. An equivalent activity to herding simply doesn’t exist, balls don’t react the same way a sheep would.
Because of its hunting instinct, the Border Collie loves to run after the prey. Retrieve-games trigger its chasing instinct which releases certain stress hormones in the dogs body. These hormones dispel just as quickly as they are released.
So, if you continue throwing the ball over and over again, the dog only gets more and more stressed. As a result you get a ‚ball-junkie‘ which can only think of getting the next ’shot‘. Since these dogs have learned to surrender to this sensation without restraint, they react to all other stimuli, which set off this same sensation, with their hunting behaviour. A point to be considered, since this can get very dangerous.
Just imagine some children playing with sticks and your dog uncontrolled and uncontrollable wants to bring the sticks back…
Not to mention the bad influence a permanent stress-situation like this can have on the dog’s psyche and health in the long term. It’s OK to play the retrieve-game every now and again but it has to be done in a very controlled manner. If the dog turns into a ‚ball-junkie‘ something has gone wrong and the use of this toy needs to be reconsidered.
Is the Border Collie a family dog?
Of course, the Border Collie is also ‚just a dog‘ who thinks, learns and acts as dogs do. It does, however, come with some characteristics and behaviour patterns typical for this breed which should be considered before deciding on whether or not to get one.
The difficulty lies not so much in keeping the dog busy and active but in educating it correctly while always reminding yourself that you are dealing with a highly specialised work dog. Therefore, instead of asking yourself “Will I be able to keep the dog busy?” the crucial question should rather be “Am I capable of educating such a dog and do I really know how to handle it?” Most of the times it’s not a problem of keeping the dog busy but of incompetent owners who don’t know how to interact with their dogs in the appropriate way.
The characteristics typical in this breed might cause trouble in everyday life, when you want to keep them as a family dog and companion. In this sense, the Border Collie is a problem dog to a certain extend.
Those who ‚only‘ want to have a nice dog, easy to educate and fit for a bit of sport too, should go for a different type of dog. For such a use, other breeds are a lot more suitable.
But those who want a dog they can work with, a dog that challenges them, who enjoy this kind of intelligence in a dog and who have enough experience and know-how not to make mistakes – or at least know how to correct them – and who have furthermore enough knowledge about how to avoid undesirable attitudes and also know how to canalise them, who can offer their dog security, peace and consistency, those will get a wonderful dog they can keep as a family dog which is willing to walk through fire with them.
The diversity of Border Collies – closing words about the features
The Border Collie as a breed has the good fortune of possessing a large genetic variety which shows in its appearance and nature. Nowadays there is a special breeding-line of Border Collie ‚show-dogs‚ which are particularly sold as family dogs.
In this case it’s the appearance that counts for the selection, not the work. On the other hand there are certified work dogs, bred for their utility, not for their looks. These dogs should really only go to owners who actually need them for herding. As already mentioned before, the strong inbred herding-instinct in these dogs cannot be replaced by any other activity.
If dogs cannot live according to their instincts, they usually develop abnormal behaviour such as extremely possessive attitudes, the ‚herding‘ of people and other dogs, the ‚herding‘ of toys, chasing cars and so on. There is no use in closing your eyes to the situation, the underlying problem continues boiling as if it was a pressure cooker and disaster is unavoidable.
Of course, when a work dog is only selected because of appearance without considering the original use of the breed, the question arises, to what extend this dog is still authentic. The Border Collie’s character is intrinsically tied to its utility. By leaving out the utility, typical characteristics for the breed may also disappear.
Here one has to consider that a typical Border Collie out the working line will never be happy with a non-shepherd and will probably end up with the above mentioned issues. You cannot make the instinct go away by training or exercise, it’s part of their nature.
Herding behaviour, as found in Border Collies, is extremely complex and it is also a very complex inheritance. There are always exceptions to the rule; a dog out of the working line might be completely useless or lose interest in sheep altogether. But the same is true for show dogs, every once in a while one will feel the need for herding.
Apart from the show-line and the working-line there are many other breeding-lines, for example selecting for sport dogs, work dogs apt for families, work dogs apt for shows and many more.
In order to increase the likelihood of finding ‚the right dog”, a breeder should be chosen with care. Do not hesitate to question him thoroughly about his dogs and his breeding-ambitions. The parents are just as important as the progenitors. Therefore it is indispensable to see certificates showing the dog’s ancestors. We strongly advise you not to get a Border Collie directly from a farm because these dogs most certainly descent from work dogs. On the other hand, breeders who offer “family dogs without herding instinct” are not very reliable either. A selection made over centuries cannot be eliminated within a few generations.
Rescuing a dog in need of a new home is a good alternative. This Border Collie has also found a new home with another family.
Another alternative is a non-border, an adult dog that has been tested with sheep and whose nature and attitudes can already be seen. Whereas getting a puppy might turnout to be like opening Pandora’s box, an adult dog is a lot safer.
No matter what your decision is – it is important to consider the nature of this breed and ask yourself sincerely, if you are really up to the task. Border Collies are no “easy dogs”. They are work dogs and they should be regarded as such.
Certain behaviour-patterns and characteristics are part of the package, as well as the amount of activity needed. If you are not sure you can cope with it, you should go for another dog.
The Border Collie lives in the extremes. It can convert from a cosy sofa dog into an efficient and assertive work dog in milliseconds. People who can appreciate and handle these qualities will get a friendly family dog, easy to keep and willing to give it all in sports or at work.
Everyone else might end up stuck with a problem dog, one that will act up and tyrannise the whole family. This is the reason why it is so important to really question yourself thoroughly and chose your dog with care. Only with capable dog holders will a Border Collie develop its full potential.
Writer and editor: Nina Dany / Translation: Martina
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- Schlagworte
- Border Collie
- Dogs
- Education
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1 Kommentar
Sehr guter und gedankenreicher Artikel. Als Halter eines Borders habe ich vieles wiedererkannt, obwohl für nach meinen Erfahrungen wurden die negativen Aspekte zu stark herausgeholt und die enorme Flexibilität und Anpassungsfähigkeit der Rasse nicht genug gewürdigt.
NB. Dies wurde auf einem iPad geschrieben und ich habe aus Versehen (dicke Finger eigentlich) nur 2 Sterne vergeben. 5 wären richtig. Sorry, aber eine Korrektur war nicht möglich.
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