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Border Collie - "Sheepdog"
Published: 07/21/2011 by Kennel Corner
Breed Guide
Height
Dogs - 53cm
Bitches - slightly less
Exersise Requirement
Considerable
Grooming
Minimal
Average Lifespan
12-14 years
Appearance of the Border Collie
Border Collies have a fairly broad face with a strong, short muzzle. They have beautiful, big oval eyes, which are usually brown but can be striking blue in Merle coloured dogs.
The most common Border Collie is black and white, although they also come in red and white, blue merle and a wide variation of colours in between. Their coats can be long or short but atr dense in both cases.
Border Collies look like true athletes; strong and agile - they are so active that it's rare to see an overweight Border Collie!!
Temperament of the Border Collie
Border collies are extremely intelligent and are the true work-a-holics of the dog world!!
They are extremely loyal to their trusted family group but generally form an unbreakable bond with their master; no dog can make its master feel more important and loved than a Border Collie; once you have their trust its hard tp break!
They are great fun for older kids as they will play Frisbee or ball; they have endless energy and the kids will tire long before a Border Collie would!
Their intelligence does not make them ideal pets for most people; they need significant amounts of exercise and if they are not given a job to do to keep their mind active, they can become destructive and stressed.
Agility, Flyball and Obedience competitions are dominated by Border Collies because of their energy and intelligence. Some of these competitions run classes called ABC classes (Anything But Collies) to give some of the other breeds a chance!!
Grooming a Border Collie
A quick groom once or twice a week (perhaps more at shedding time), should keep a Border Collie’s dense coat in lovely, shiny condition.
Border Collie Exercise Requirements
Border Collies require significant amounts of physical and mental exercise; they will walk and run for hours and will still want to play ball when you get home! They excel in agility, flyball and obedience because of their boundless energy and intelligence.
They will make themselves busy around the house; performing tricks and fetching and carrying newpapers and post. But if you don’t give these dogs mental workouts and things to do, they will find things for themselves, like emptying bins and generally being destructive!
Not a dog for the feint hearted!!
Border Collie Health Problems
Border Collies are one of the healthiest and hardiest dogs and do not tend to suffer illness often. Some Border Collies suffer from allergies and deafness is known to affect the breed occasionally.
