Origins
The Border Collie is a working and herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. It was specifically bred for intelligence and obedience. It is also thought that the word 'collie' comes from the old Celtic word for useful.
Lifestyle
The Border Collie is a highly intelligent working dog, whose job has been and still is, as a working sheepdog in the hills and mountains. He seems to have endless stamina, is loyal and faithful and able to think for himself when necessary. These qualities have also made him and excellent mountain rescue dog. He needs to live in a house with a large garden, ideally with proximity to the open countryside. He needs to be trained and given challenges to make him happy. He sheds his coat which needs careful and regular grooming. The Border Collie needs an owner who is willing to give him the time and challenges he needs, and has the energy to match his dog.
Notable
Rico, who was studied for recognising up to 200 objects by name. Another Border Collie, Betsy, was found to have a vocabulary of over 300 words.
As of 2010, the Border Collie Chaser has a vocabulary of 1022 words and is able to recognise objects by the groups they belong to.
Shep, who was the long-term companion to John Noakes of the BBC's Blue Peter and Meg, companion of Matt Baker, former presenter of the same show.
Striker, who is the current Guinness World Record holder for "Fastest Car Window Opened by a Dog" at 11.34 seconds.
Jean, also known as the Vitagraph Dog, who was the first canine movie star (owned and trained by Laurence Trimble)
Rex and Fly were two Border Collies that appeared in the Academy Award-winning 1995 film, Babe and, partially, in the sequel Babe: Pig in the City.
Bandit, the stray Scottish Border Collie from TV series Little House on the Prairie was Laura Ingalls' second dog on the show.
Lifespan
The natural life span of the Border Collie is between 10 and 14 years, with an average lifespan of 12 years. Leading causes of death are cancer (23.6%), old age (17.9%) and cerebral vascular afflictions (9.4%).
Health
Collie eye anomaly (CEA) and epilepsy are considered the primary genetic diseases of concern in the breed at this time.
If you're thinking about purchasing a Border Collie Puppy always ask the breeder about the medical history of the parents, grandparents and great grandparents. You are also advised to buy from a breeder who follows the Dog Breeding Reform Group’s (DBRG) Standard for Dog Breeding: www.dogbreedingreformgroup.uk/the-standard-for-dog-breeding.html or the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeders Scheme.
Ideal Weight
Female: 12-19kg
Male: 14-20kg