History and Origins
– Descended from landrace collies found in the British Isles
– Name ‘border collie’ comes from its probable place of origin along the Anglo-Scottish border
– Mention of the collie type appeared in the late 19th century
– The word ‘collie’ has its origin in the Scots language and is thought to come from the old Celtic word for useful
– Many border collies today can be traced back to a dog known as Old Hemp
– Old Hemp was a tricolour dog born in Northumberland, England in September 1893
– Bred by Adam Telfer, Old Hemp was a quiet and powerful dog that sheep responded easily to
– Many shepherds used him for stud and his working style became the Border Collie style
– Old Hemp is believed to have sired as many as 200 pups
– Wiston Cap, a dog portrayed in the International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS) badge, has a bloodline that can be seen in most bloodlines of the modern-day collie
– Wiston Cap sired three Supreme Champions and is the grand-sire of three others
– J. M. Wilson’s Cap occurs 16 times within seven generations in his pedigree
– Collies were introduced to New Zealand and Australia as early as the 1850s
– James Lilico of Christchurch, New Zealand, imported working dogs from the UK
– Hindhope Jed, born in Scotland in 1895, was imported to New Zealand and Australia and enjoyed considerable success at sheepdog trials in Australia
Description and Temperament
– Border Collies are medium-sized dogs with a moderate amount of coat
– They have a double coat that varies from smooth to rough
– The breed appears in various colors and patterns, including black and white, liver and white, and red tricolour
– Eye color varies from brown to green, and heterochromia (differing eye colors) can occur
– Appearance is considered irrelevant by the American Border Collie Association, focusing more on attitude and ability
– Border Collies require more daily physical exercise and mental stimulation than many other breeds
– They are considered the most intelligent dog breed and rank 1st in Stanley Coren’s ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’
– Border Collies are demanding, playful, and energetic
– They thrive in households that can provide plenty of play and exercise
– Without proper stimulation, they may develop problematic behaviors such as chewing and herding tendencies
Health and Common Health Problems
– The natural life span of the border collie is between 12 and 15 years, with an average lifespan of 12 years and the ability to live up to 18 years
– Leading causes of death are cancer (23.6%), old age (17.9%), and cerebral vascular afflictions (9.4%)
– Other conditions that occur more frequently in Border Collies than other breeds include Collie eye anomaly, hip dysplasia, epilepsy, hearing loss, and elbow dysplasia
– Collie eye anomaly (CEA) and epilepsy are considered the primary genetic diseases of concern in the breed
– CEA is a congenital, inherited eye disease that sometimes affects border collies, but it is generally a mild disease and rarely significantly impairs vision
– Other eye conditions such as PRA can cause border collies to lose almost all of their vision at night and progress into complete daytime blindness
– Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia may occur in the breed
– Border collies can experience hearing loss, both congenital and adult-onset
– Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is a rare but serious disease that is limited to show border collies
– TNS (Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome) is a hereditary disease in which affected puppies have an impaired immune system and eventually die from infections they cannot fight
– Other diseases found less commonly in Border Collies include juvenile cataracts, osteochondritis, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and canine cyclic neutropenia
– Carpal soft-tissue injury is also known to occur
– Border Collie Collapse, a syndrome of exercise-induced collapse, has been described in Border Collies in various regions
Breed Standards and Registries
– There are two types of tests or standards to determine the breeding quality of a Border Collie: the ISDS sheepdog trial and appearance
– The ISDS sheepdog trial involves collecting groups of livestock and moving them quietly around a course
– Appearance standards define how the Border Collie should look in ring or bench shows
– In New Zealand and Australia, the breed standard has produced a dog with a long double coat, a soft dark eye, and a gentle and friendly temperament
– Breed standards state that the Border Collie should have a slightly curved tail, a lush coat, good expression in its eyes, and be intelligent and energetic
– Registries for Border Collies include the International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS) and the Kennel Club in the UK, the American Border Collie Association (ABCA) and National Border Collie Association (NBCA) in the US, the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) in Australia, the Canadian Border Collie Association in Canada, the South African Sheepdog Association in South Africa, and the Border Collie Dernegi in Turkey
Activities and Livestock Work
– Border collies excel in dog agility competitions due to their speed, agility, and stamina
– They perform well in competitive obedience competitions
– Border collies have the ability to showcase their skills in showmanship events
– They dominate in flyball competitions
– Border collies have a highly developed sense of smell and are easily motivated tracking dogs
– They are used to herd a variety of animals, including sheep, cattle, poultry, pigs, and ostriches
– Border collies are also employed to remove unwanted wild birds from various areas
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_collie