Border Collie

What is a Border Collie?

A medium-sized herding dog of 14-20kg from the Anglo-Scottish borders, bred for one purpose: controlling sheep at distance, using eye and stalk rather than force. It is the most capable working dog there is, and that capability is not switched off by moving it into a living room.

History and origins

The modern breed traces largely to a single dog, Old Hemp, born 1893 in Northumberland, who worked silently with intense "eye" and sired around 200 offspring. The Kennel Club only recognised the breed in 1976 - late, and controversial among working breeders, who continue to register with the International Sheep Dog Society instead.

Appearance and size

46-56cm. Rough or smooth coat. Black and white is classic but the breed comes in red and white, tricolour, blue merle, red merle, sable, and lilac. Form follows function and there is more variation in type than in most KC breeds, especially between ISDS working lines and show lines.

Temperament and personality

Intense, sensitive and endlessly focused. They bond hard to one or two people. Many are reserved with strangers and noise-sensitive - fireworks, traffic and household appliances can all become problems. They are not naturally relaxed dogs; teaching a collie to switch off is an actual training goal, not an assumption.

Intelligence and trainability

Unmatched. They learn cues in single-figure repetitions and generalise well. This is a double-edged trait: a collie will learn your routine, anticipate it, and start performing behaviour chains you never taught. Give it structure - obedience, agility, flyball, scentwork, herding or trick training - and it will be a superb companion.

Children and other pets

The herding instinct is the issue. Circling, staring and heel-nipping directed at running children is normal collie behaviour and unacceptable household behaviour, and it needs managing from the start. They live well with other dogs and can be trusted with cats they were raised with.

Health problems

• Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) - DNA test, both parents.
• Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (CL) - fatal neurological disease; DNA test.
• Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome (TNS) - DNA test.
• MDR1 drug sensitivity - DNA test; affects response to common veterinary drugs.
• Hip dysplasia - scores on both parents.
• Merle-to-merle breeding causes deafness and blindness and must not be done.

Otherwise a hardy, long-lived breed. Epilepsy occurs at a low rate.

Daily care routine

Two hours or more of exercise plus at least thirty minutes of structured mental work, every day, including bad-weather days. Enforced rest is as important - a collie will not stop on its own, and overtired collies become reactive.

Grooming and coat care

Rough coats: brush two or three times a week, daily in moult. Smooths: weekly. Check behind the ears and the trousers for mats. No clipping.

Exercise needs

Two to three hours, with variety. Avoid making it all repetitive ball-chasing - Border Collies are the breed most likely to develop genuine obsessive behaviour around a thrown ball, and it is very hard to undo.

Feeding and diet

Two meals, £30-£50 a month. Active dogs need more; be careful not to over-feed a collie that has had a quiet week.

Price

£600-£1,500. ISDS-registered working-bred puppies from proven parents are often at the lower end and are frequently the better dogs. Setup £300-£500; ongoing £70-£120 a month.

Buying advice

Be honest about your life first. If nobody is home during the day, or if you want a dog that will settle after a walk, this is not the breed. If you are still reading: ask for CEA, CL, TNS and MDR1 DNA results and hip scores, ask what the parents work at, and meet the mother in her normal environment.