The dog Border Collie is one of the most sought-after breeds right now. It seems there is a craze for border collies. Although they are very popular here, the place where they are most common is the United Kingdom. Border collies are very intelligent, energetic, loyal dogs with a great temperament. If you are thinking about adopting one, there are 10 things you need to know first:
1. ORIGIN OF THE BORDER COLLIE
Do you know where this dog breed comes from? Why is it called that? The origin of the border collie is in the border region between England and Scotland. Border means border and collie means useful. The first to call these dogs by this name was James Reid in 1915, the first director of the International Sheep Dog Society. The border collie dog is a descendant of Old Hemp, an ancestor from 1893 who was always the winner in dog competitions. It is a herding dog with Celtic origins, used by shepherds to work in the fields and move sheep flocks.
2. BORDER COLLIE BREED DOGS ARE THE MOST INTELLIGENT IN THE WORLD
According to a 2009 study conducted by the University of British Columbia, the border collie breed tops the ranking of the most intelligent dog breeds. The canine intelligence ranking is calculated based on three aspects: instinctive intelligence, adaptive intelligence, and working and obedience intelligence. The intelligence of these dogs is equivalent to that of a two-year-old child. Border collies recognize up to 200 different words. That is why they are so easy to train, as they understand all commands amazingly well. Repeating a command less than five times is enough for them to understand it, and they are more than obedient: they always obey the first command.
An exceptional case was a female named Chaser, who understood more than a thousand words and recognized 1022 different toys.
3. WHAT IS THE SIZE OF A BORDER COLLIE DOG?
Border collies are medium-sized dogs. Males usually weigh between 13 and 20 kg, and females between 13 and 19 kg. Male height can reach up to 55 cm, while females do not exceed 50 cm. They have an athletic build, broad chest, muscular body... With a sweet expression, their ears are very separated and erect.
4. INEXHAUSTIBLE ENERGY
Border collies, besides being intelligent, are super active dogs that have a lot of energy. If you want a border collie, you have to know that these dogs need to go out three times a day and take long walks. But walking is not enough for them, they need to run to burn off all their energy, which seems endless. If they don't get enough exercise, they get bored and have stress problems, which lead to behavioral issues. They can even suffer from depression if they spend a lot of time alone without anyone entertaining them. The border collie is the perfect dog if you live in a natural environment, in the countryside, and you like to take long walks or even go on hikes.Get ready for your adventures together with our men's clothing or women's clothing, and don't forget one of our backpacks to carry everything you need on your hikes.
5. COUNTLESS COLORS
Border collies can have countless color ranges in their coat, but always over a white layer. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) has recognized the following shades typical of this breed: blue merle, tricolor, lilac, white, sable, golden, chocolate, brown, black… We love the blue merle, we think it has a beautiful and very different appearance.
Of all the border collies, the blue merle border collie is the one that most resembles a wolf. And why this color? This shade originates from the M gene or Merle gene, which carries all the information for the blue color and manages to dilute the black. When this gene is dominant in a dog, the result is this color in its coat, producing irregular spots, stripes, and swirls. The blue merle is a beautiful dog, although it is the least common of the border collies. It also affects their nose and eyes. The blue merle has a pink nose and the eye color is bright, or sometimes, they even have eyes of different colors.
You may not know this, but if two blue merles mate, the puppy born with two copies of the same dominant gene can suffer blindness or deafness, among other health problems.
6. RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER DOGS
The border collie is a very sociable and affectionate dog, even with other unknown dogs. With a calm character, it will never have problems with others. Still, if it is going to live with other dogs, ideally they should live together from birth to avoid possible jealousy. The breeds most similar to the border collie in character, and therefore those it will find easiest to get along with, are the fox terrier, dalmatian, yorkshire terrier, Irish setter, beagle…
7. BORDER COLLIES ARE LOYAL AND GUARDIANS
All dogs are very loyal to their owner. However, this breed is extremely loyal to its master. If you are its owner, it will constantly watch over you and will go to great lengths for you. Given its loyalty, it is the ideal dog for children. That said, for active children who like to move and have time, because for sedentary children it is not the most suitable, as it will get bored.
It has a very advanced instinct for guiding and is always alert, which makes it an ideal dog for herding and as a guardian. It is not aggressive at all, but if it senses any strange presence, it will quickly alert its owner.
8. A SPECIAL GAZE
The most distinctive feature of the border collie is its gaze. It has a very deep and penetrating look. Most have light brown, caramel-colored eyes, although it is very common to see a border collie with blue eyes. Have you ever seen a dog with one eye of each color? In this breed, heterochromia is very common, with one brown eye and one blue eye.
There is a disease that, due to its characteristic eyes, they have a high probability of developing. We explain it in the next section.
9. COMMON HEALTH AND DISEASES
This breed is quite prone to hereditary diseases. Before adopting a dog, it is advisable to perform specific tests for diagnosis. We list the most common diseases:
- MDR1
The MDR1 gene produces the P-glycoprotein, responsible for regulating the absorption and elimination of drug substances. When the gene mutates, certain drug substances accumulate in the brain and other organs, becoming toxic and causing neurological damage, coma, and even death. Unfortunately, collies are quite prone to this mutation.
- CEA (Collie Eye Anomaly)
Technically known as choroidal hypoplasia (CH), CEA is a hereditary disease, an eye disorder that causes the choroid not to develop properly. The choroid is a layer of tissue beneath the retina. Symptoms can vary within the same breed but usually manifest as vision problems and, in some cases, lead to blindness. The collie can be free of CEA, affected, or a carrier. Carriers do not suffer from the disease but transmit the defective allele to 50% of their offspring.
- DENTAL HYPOMINERALIZATION (RAINE SYNDROME)
A disorder in tooth development consisting of significant dental wear, with a light brown color and swollen gums. Symptoms appear from a very young age. Its inheritance is the same as CEA.
10. TYPES OF COAT IN BORDER COLLIES
Border collies can have short and smooth hair or, on the contrary, thick and long hair. But these differences go beyond the physical; keep them in mind because they greatly influence their care. On one hand, the short-haired border collie is much easier to care for, since with these characteristics, its coat does not collect the same dirt or water as if it had long hair. It is much more comfortable to dry, its hair does not tangle, nor does mud accumulate. On the other hand, the long-haired collie, due to its Nordic ancestry, can have excessively long hair on the chest, legs, and belly. Sometimes, it is practically impossible to groom. These different types of coats can be distinguished at five weeks of age.
If you finally decide to care for one of these dogs, you will be delighted, as they are dogs that will make you have a great time and will take care of you at all times. They are the loyalty and protection that a family needs.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
- WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE ADOPTING A BORDER COLLIE?
It is a fantastic dog, it will always accompany you and is very protective. It learns everything very quickly, as it is tremendously intelligent. That said, you have to know that it has a lot of energy, so if you lead a sedentary lifestyle or have little time, this dog is not for you.
- HOW DO I KNOW IF A BORDER COLLIE IS PUREBRED?
Although mixing different dog breeds is very common, if you want to know if it is purebred, it won't be difficult. The border collie has specific characteristics that you can easily recognize. First, look at its appearance. A genuine border collie will measure about 53 cm and weigh 20 kilos, the coat is usually long, although it can also be short, its eyes will be well separated and usually brown (or one or both blue), the ears will be erect, and its body will be athletic. On the other hand, observe its behavior: a genuine one will always want to be in nature and move around. If you add to all this having all the certificates in order from the breeder or the person who has a litter of this dog, you will be sure whether it is a purebred border collie or not.
- WHAT IS THE BORDER COLLIE'S CHARACTER LIKE?
Border collies are super sociable, docile, and affectionate dogs.
- IS THE BORDER COLLIE AN INTELLIGENT DOG?
The border collie is considered the most intelligent dog breed in the world, based on three types of intelligence: instinctive intelligence, adaptive intelligence, and work and obedience intelligence.
- HOW MANY TYPES OF BORDER COLLIE ARE THERE?
Depending on their coat, there are two types of border collie: smooth and short-haired border collie or long and rough-haired border collie. These differences significantly affect their care.
