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What was the Border Collie originally bred for?
The
Border Collie is a working breed and in the past the majority of
the dogs lived on farms. Every Border Collie is the inheritor of
decades of selective breeding for the ability to control livestock
sometimes without the farmer even being there to supervise.
Other jobs well performed, in England - mountain rescue work, in
Canada - detecting gas leaks in the new gas pipelines, in Australia
- customs and bomb detection dogs. They are also trained as Pets
for therapy dogs, tracking lost persons and have the natural
ability to compete and compete well in obedience, agility, jumping
and endurance trials.
Is
the Border Collie a big dog?
A
Border Collie is classed as a medium sized dog and generally grows
to between (48 - 53 cm) 19 - 21 inches tall, a female can grow to
between (46 - 51 cm) 18 - 20 inches tall. A healthy dog depending
on bone and musculation, can weigh anywhere between 20 - 25 kgs,
a female from 15 kgs upwards.
How
old do Border Collies live to?
From
our experience, 13 to 14 years is a fair time to share with us,
though we have had some dogs that lived to 16 - 17 years. Remember,
it is the quality of life that we share with our dogs that is more
important, so before getting any breed of dog ask your self, "Will
I make a suitable dog owner?" not will a dog be a suitable
pet for me.
Do
Border Collies make a good family pet?
The
Border Collie was originally bred to work with a single master,
locked away when not at work, trained only by one person and any
other company away from the livestock was probably another dog.
Times have changed where now the dog interacts with all family members,
the dog is expected to work loyally with all handlers whether family
or other.
Though the pack mentality has been bred out of this
breed hundreds of years ago, the basic instinct of the dog is still
to pick out a dominant person in the family and be answerable to
that person though not always obedient with that person. At the
same time the dog will also work out who hands out the rewards,
who will be more likely to walk or play with them, who owns those
car keys, basically who will interact with them and be the most
fun to be with.
From our experience the environment in which
the dog grows dictates how the dog will grow, allow your Border
Collie to be an active part of your family and they will make a
very good family pet.
Are
Border Collies good with children?
Generally,
YES, as with all dogs, good training, common sense and time together
will help to make your potential Border Collie a wonderful new member
of your household. As a young pup/dog, the Border Collie tends to
focus on and wants to participate in any activity going on around
it, this is normally where the children are very important, as an
active dog they tend to reflect the energy of the children around
them. Importantly, if you treat/rear your Border Collie the same
way as your treat/bring up your children, they should all grow up
properly, healthily and together.
Healthy puppies enjoy playing
with children, provided the children are kind. As part of the bonding
process, teach your children how to groom the pup, carry it correctly,
how to lift and put the little pup down and how to help prepare
its regular meals. The pup must never be allowed to become exhausted
or overexited, the pup will need a period of deep sleep after each
play session and children must be taught to respect this.
Is
the Border Collie an active breed?
If
you keep a Border Collie as a pet or companion, it will be a lively
dog and will probaly have more energy than you, so you can give
it as much exercise as you like. There is no minimun amount
of exercise with this breed, the Border Collie is adaptable and
provided that you take interest in your dog and understand the sort
of instincts that drive it, it will live happily whether in country
or town.
Importantly, the Border Collie perhaps more so than
most breeds has a keen desire for human company.
At
what age do Border Collies settle?
The
first 18 - 24 months of age for a Border Collie, is like a
child growing to 18 years of age. There is a lot to learn and the
Border Collie will learn quickly, there is a lot to participate
in and it is difficult preventing a Border Collie from joining in.
There is so much to see and so much to do, but unlike the 18 year
old youth, the Border Collie has to fit it into a short life time,
with some training your Border Collie will grow up with some control
and not as a delinquent.
I have found that our Border Collies
have matured mentally, faster, through involving our dog in more
activities where they have human involvement, whether chasing a
football or frisby, obedience/agility/jumping or herding or simply
being by our sides during that long walk.
Importantly, let your
Border Collie enjoy it's childhood, it is a very important part
of it's lifetime and a time of learning.
How
much exercise will my Border Collie need?
The
Border Collies life style tends to dictates its needs and it needs
a lot of physical and mental exercise, each being as important as
the other. As an active, athletic, mobile dog they are happier when
they have something to do, be it anything from herding sheep, agility
trials to obedience trials, long runs or following you on a long
bike ride.
Like us, the Border Collie needs to be physically
exercised every day, ideally at least for 1 hour, use your imagination
and they will find a way to participate. Share your exercise with
them, this can be a walk, a swim, chasing the ball, anything, provided
you are giving the dog physical and mental stimulation.
Importantly,
don’t forget that ‘down’ time is just as important as ‘up time’,
give yourself time to relax and rest and enjoy each others company
after each exercise period.
Do
Border Collies become destructive if left alone?
We
all tend to find other things to amuse us when life around us becomes
boring, if the only time you spend with your dog is while feeding
and cleaning their kennel, that leaves a lot of the day (roughly
23.5 hours) for the dog to become bored. Spend more time with them
and importantly include a little bit of training, make it enjoyable
and you both will want to do it more often.
What was once cute
as a puppy, has a tendency to become destructive as an older dog.
Do not play tug-o-war with the pup using and old pair of shoes,
feather duster, broom or mop or article of clothing etc, then get
annoyed when, as an older dog, the dog buries your good shoes, pull
clothing off the line or destroys your new broom.
Like all breeds
of dogs, the Border Collie has a very good nose for trouble, but
unfortunately the first time that they dig up your beautiful roses
or new fruit trees, they did not know that it was wrong. No body
told them that it was wrong, did they?
Importantly, if one of
our children did something wrong for the first time, we would take
them aside and explain why it is wrong, a little more difficult
with your dog, because they don't relate the punishment you just
dealt out for something they did hours before.
All
of my family works, is a Border Collie still the breed for me?
If
all your family works, is any dog the right dog for you. YES. Provided
you give your dog the stimulation it needs when you are not there
and plenty of attention when you arrive home. Border Collies need
to be mentally active as well as physically active, if you don’t
give them something to do, they will find their own entertainment.
This might be digging a hole deep to China, herding your neighbours
cat and/or neighbours, working out how to unlatch the gate and introducing
themselves to the neighbourhood or chasing and barking at the birds
as they fly past. There are an infinite number of ways to keep your
dogs mind active during your time away, you just have to think like
your dog! Maybe a companion dog is a way of relieving boredom or
simply plenty of interactive toys to keep your dog interested until
you arrive home.
Importantly, give them your time when you get
home, even having the luxury of lying at your feet is important
to your dog.
How
important are obedience classes?
All
dogs including your Border Collie needs basic obedience and this
can start at home. Most training at home is simply relating words/commands
with actions, the dog already knows how to sit, lie down, jump etc.
You simply say the word "sit" every time the dog sits,
"stand" when the dog stands, "no" when the dog
does something wrong, "where's your lead" or "find
the car keys" when you want to go somewhere and this is normally
enforced through rewards.
Basic training is essentially about
teaching your puppy to be considerate and obedient, to come immediately
when called and to have acceptable manners when at home or out and
about. Play is an important aspect of introducing obedience and
tricks to young dogs and dogs like children find it easier
to learn if learning is made easy and enjoyable.
The benefits
of obedience classes vary as a form of mental stimulation to form
of socialisation with other dogs and people, it also gives your
Border Collie the opportunity to show off his family to other dogs.
Obedience classes also teaches you and your family how to control
your dog and what responsibilities you have or we expect from you
and your dog. Importantly, it is always nice to think that
we, not the dog is in charge, sometimes.
How
often do I groom my Border Collie?
The
Border Collie comes in many coat types, but most are double coated
and have medium length hair. They generally require grooming with
a slicker brush and comb regularly and if you have the time, 2 -3
times a week for 10 mins each time to keep the coat in good condition.
Pay particular attention to the tail, behind the ears and the pants,
these areas mat easily and are havens for burrs and grass seeds,
knots can appear under the arm pits, in the area of the groin and
always behind the ears.
Shorter coated dogs require less grooming,
but it still needs to be done on a regular basis for a healthy coat.
During shedding your Border Collie, regardless of coat type will
require almost daily grooming to remove the dead coat. Bathing your
Border Collie every 4 weeks in summer and 6 weeks in winter will
help keep odours and dirt to a minimum.
Whenever your dog has
been in an environment where it may have been exposed to grass seeds,
please check the feet (between the toes) feathering on the legs
and coat under the belly for seeds. Grass seeds can work their way
under the skin and cause infections in a short period of time.
Don’t forget to worm your dog every 3 months, flea treat and heartworm
treat every month and vaccinate every year.
Important, know
where your nearest Vet is, ALWAYS, prevention is always better than
cure.
Where
are the good puppies sold?
Make
sure that you start in the right place by obtaining addresses of
reputable breeders through the different breed clubs in your state
or country. The
price of a Border Collie puppy varies, but generally don’t expect
to pay less than $400.00, more for a show quality dog.
Ensure that breeder vaccinates (7th week), worms (fortnightly),
microchips the pups before purchase, that the breeder, parent dogs
and pups are registered with a canine association of that state
or country.
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