Border Collie
Description: The Border Collie is a medium-sized dog with a body longer than it is tall. There are two varieties of Border Collie: one with coarse hair, and one with sleek hair. The coarse-haired variety has a mane and a tail brush. For both the varieties, the hair on the face, ears, and front legs is always short and sleek.
The head of the Border Collie is fairly wide, with a distinct stop. The nose is black and the ears, set high on the head, are usually half-perked. The eyes are dark brown, except in merles where the eyes can be blue. The teeth forms a scissors bite.
Dynamics: The Border Collie is an intelligent and energetic dog. It can be easily trained and is highly talented in obedience competitions, agility, and Frisbee. It is generally a happy and contented dog, though it may get aggressive with other male dogs. Most of the time, it gets along well with other breeds, though. The Border Collie is also good with children and other household pets. It has to be socialized well since puppyhood to help overcome shyness.
The Border Collie is serious in its work and is very eager to please. It is intelligent and active enough to do have extensive daily exercises and some work to do. Attention must be given to the Border Collie because bad behavior may arise when it gets bored and has nothing to do. It may be snappish and nip at the heels of people, due to its herding instincts. There may also be a time when it would challenge an owner’s authority. This breed can become dominant, although not every Border Collie has this problem.
Breed Group: Herding
Weight: males 30-45 lbs (14-20 kg), females 27-42 lbs (12-19 kg)
Height: males 19-22 inches (48-56 cm), females 18-21 inches (46-53 cm)
Color: The coat of the Border Collie can be black and white, tricolor, red and white, black and gray, or all black. White is not the main color.
Country of Origin: The Border Collie comes from Northumberland, on the Scottish and English border. It is descended from old British herding breeds and some spaniel.
Grooming: In grooming the Border Collie, regular combing and brushing is needed to keep its coat shining. Bathe or dry shampoo only when needed. The coat and the ears has to be checked regularly for ticks.
Activities: The Border Collie needs both exercise and work in its daily life. Work and physical exercises come natural to them. Herding is a natural hobby for this breed. The Border Collie has a habit of crouching down and almost hypnotizing the herded animals with their stare. This breed is also used for bomb and narcotics detection, competitions and performances, police work, search and rescue, and as guide dogs for the blind and handicapped.
Other Info: The Border Collie has a life expectancy of 12-15 years. It a generally healthy breed but are still prone to hip dysplasia, PRA, and Collie Eye Anomaly (an eye disease common to Collies). It may also be allergic to fleas and prone to epilepsy and deafness. The Border Collie is not suitable for apartment life. This is a very active and workaholic breed that it needs a lot of space and area to spend its energy on.
