06 Jul Interesting facts about the Border Collie breed

In 2020, the border collie was chosen as the most intelligent dog breed in the world; This beautiful dog is brilliant and energetic. He’s a famous family dog, too. But keeping the Border Collie breed requires special conditions and isn’t suitable for everyone. In this article, we’ll introduce this breed and tell you for whom keeping this dog is more convenient. So stay tuned.

History of the Border Collie breed

The Border Collie breed was used for shepherding and taking care of herds. He was kept as a herding dog in the UK many years ago. At that time, these dogs were considered a valuable asset for protecting the herd. So, people tried to create the best shepherd dogs by combining different breeds. It’s interesting to know that people gave the names of these dogs based on the region where they were born, such as Welsh Shepherd, Northern Shepherd, Highland Collie and Scotch Collie. The border collie was born in the 18th century in the border region of England and Scotland, and that is why he’s called border collie. The word (Collie) in Scottish accent and dialect means herding and shepherd dog.

In the 19th century, the Border Collie breed became extremely popular among the English nobility and was used to guard and take care of the herd. Currently, the Border Collie is still used as a working dog and shepherd due to his high capabilities; But he has also become very popular as a pet dog. Due to his high intelligence and good trainability, the Border Collie dog is used in police missions, bomb detection, and rescue. In addition, if this dog is given the necessary training, he can be instrumental as a guide dog for blind people. In 1995, the Border Collie breed was recognized by the Kennel Club of America in the Herding Dogs category.

The behaviour of the Border Collie breed

This breed is brilliant, alert, energetic and active. Border collies learn very quickly because of their high intelligence. The big challenge for their owners is that they always have to teach them new things and keep their minds active. A Border Collie dog can’t always sit on the sofa! Don’t forget that this breed was originally a shepherd dog and was busy running and caring for sheep all day. He needs relatively high mobility and physical activity, and most of all, a job. So not only is his physical energy being discharged but also he’s mentally entertained and busy!

If they don’t exercise enough, they get tired and bored. They may have behavioural problems such as barking, digging holes, and following cars, animals, and even children (reminiscent of the shepherd days). This dog says give me something, and I will take care of it! Therefore, besides being a good guard dog, he greatly desires to care for and protect small children! You can turn your Border Collie into a dutiful and kind guard dog or even a babysitter with proper training.

The appearance of the Border Collie dog

The Border Collie is a medium-sized dog with a well-proportioned body. While being a robust dog, he has very high agility and speed of action. The height of the male dog is between 48-56 cm, and the female dog is 46-53 cm. The weight of a male dog is 14020 kg, and a female dog is 46-53 kg.

Hair care

The beautiful and multicoloured hair of this breed doesn’t need much care. Border collies have a double-layered coat: the outer coat, which is semi-long and relatively rough and thick, and the lower coat, which is shorter and softer. Both layers are very dense and thick and protect the dog against weather changes. Brushing his coat with a suitable brush 1-2 times a week can help maintain the health and beauty of the dog’s hair and remove knots and dust. This dog has severe hair loss twice a year. During this period, daily brushing can prevent hair loss at home.

Keeping in the apartment

It isn’t recommended to keep this energetic and active dog in the apartment; Because he has high energy and needs a lot of activity and jumping. In addition, imprisoning this dog in a small backyard isn’t moral. The best living environment for him is a large yard, the possibility of running, and relatively high physical activity in the open space. Of course, this beautiful dog can be kept in the apartment only if the owner spends enough time with his dog, takes him out for a walk, and runs daily.

The best nutrition and diet

This dog is very energetic and active and must get his daily energy from his food; So, so it’s necessary to give him high-quality and nutritious food. The daily food for a Border Collie dog depends on factors such as weight, age, health status and activity level. It’s better to consult a veterinarian in this case. But generally, 1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry dog ​​food daily suits him. It’s recommended to give this food in two meals. If you like to make homemade food for your dog, be aware that you must balance its quantity and ingredients. Otherwise, the food is not only not enough and valuable for him but will cause many health problems in the long run.

Border Collie racial diseases

The Border Collie breed is generally considered a strong and healthy breed, But this breed is also susceptible to some diseases. Providing proper maintenance conditions, adequate nutrition, awareness of the signs and symptoms of dog diseases, and regular vet checks and examinations can help prevent these diseases. Some common diseases in this breed are:

• Epilepsy and convulsions
• Eye problems such as retinal atrophy
• Diabetes
• Hip dysplasia or dislocation of the hip joint
• Urinary incontinence
• Allergies and sensitivities

Border Collie dog training

The most intelligent dog in the world certainly has no problem understanding what you mean, and that’s why he’s very trainable. They say that this dog is so intelligent that even with the slightest gesture of his owner, hand movement, whistling or even raising an eyebrow, he understands what he means and does it quickly. At the same time, this dog is happy to satisfy his owner, making his training easier. But like all intelligent dogs, training a Border Collie can be challenging for beginners and inexperienced people. If this dog doesn’t have an experienced owner, he may use his intelligence against you and become stubborn. So, it’s necessary to start training the dog from the day he enters the house, and first of all, teach him to obey.

The best way to train a Border Collie is to use encouragement and positive affirmation; Do not use corporal punishment, yelling and fighting in training this dog (or any other dog) in any way! The border collie is an energetic and playful breed and quickly becomes friends with everyone; Of course, on the condition that you socialize it well from a young age and introduce it to other dogs and animals, strangers and different environments as much as you can. Border collies were herding dogs, and to take care of the herd, they had to watch out for danger and threats. For this reason, this dog may instinctively be a little pessimistic towards other animals and even strangers; But by socializing, you can teach him good and friendly behaviour.

Border Collie’s relationship with children and other animals

Border Collie is a perfect family dog, Of course, because he has been well-educated and socialized since childhood. Due to herding instinct, this dog has a good relationship with children and can take care of them. From the point of view of the Border Collie, children are like little lambs without wool! So if he sees the children running away from him, he feels obliged to go after them and bring them back. Now, if you have trained your dog correctly, this sense of shepherding will turn into care and nursing; But if he doesn’t have good training, he might think that the child is running away and try to protect them by barking and following the children (even biting them sometimes)! Border Collies could have a good relationship with other animals if they grew up together since childhood.

To wrap up

Border collies love to run, and the best situation for them is if their owner gives them a specific job and task, such as taking care of the herd or even playing fetch and returning the ball to you! Although the Border Collie dog is adaptable, he’s more suitable for areas where, in addition to a large yard, there’s access to open space and nature so that he can run around. Of course, only a large living environment and a yard aren’t enough for him, and the owner needs to spend enough time with his dog and use different activities and games to release his physical and mental energy. To have a healthy and lively dog, you need to pay attention to nutrition, movement, health, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs, so they count the moments for the next session.