Border collies are energetic, graceful animals, endowed with high intelligence and amazing performance. Natural intelligence, attractive appearance and relatively small size make them incredibly popular among residents of megacities who dream of acquiring a faithful and tireless companion for long walks, capable of adapting to life in a modern city. Today's publication will provide a brief description of border collies and reviews from owners about such pets.
A little history
Unfortunately, experts do not have accurate information about the origin of these animals. The first mention of similar dogs dates back to 1570. It is known that they were owned by the Vikings who lived on the border of Scotland and Great Britain.
Serious work aimed at developing a new breed began in 1881. It coincided with the creation of a system for evaluating herding dogs. In 1884, among the winners of these competitions was a small yard dog named Old Hamp, who later became the ancestor of modern border collies.
Reviews from owners praising the unpretentiousness and high performance of these dogs contributed to their popularization among farmers. And the interest shown by Queen Victoria helped spread them among ordinary citizens. The breed received official recognition in 1915. And it took another six decades to establish its standard.
Collie - price and how to buy correctly
Before purchasing a puppy, research information about breeders who specialize in this breed. Ask them questions, visit exhibitions, look at the animals and the conditions in which they are kept. When choosing between a male and a female, it is better to rely on your own preferences.
If you have no plans to breed dogs, it is better to opt for a male. They are more independent. Girls, on the other hand, pick up commands faster, are more flexible, and are attached to their family. It is better to buy a puppy at the age of 2-3 months. At this stage, babies are already eating on their own, slowly showing character.
Ask the baby's parents. Mom should not look exhausted, but cheerful, active, and well-groomed. Healthy babies can only be born to strong parents. The baby should be well-fed, playful, and curious. He should not have problems with stool, parasites, or fleas.
If you buy a puppy from a kennel, by this time it should have a brand and a puppy card, which can eventually be exchanged for a pedigree. The coat should be thick, ears and eyes should be clean. The eye color of a Scottish Sheepdog can only be determined at 7-8 weeks of age. Regardless of color, they should be dark, except for marbled blue-eyed individuals.
Carefully examine the puppy you like. His legs should be strong, his neck long, his back level, his tail hanging below the hock. A healthy baby is distinguished by a scissor bite, a developed lower jaw, and slanted eyes.
The price directly depends on the pedigree and class of the puppy, and on where the purchase is made - in a nursery or at home:
- A baby born from titled parents can cost about 100 thousand rubles;
- In a nursery with a passport and pedigree, a puppy will be valued at 45 thousand rubles;
- On the Internet you can find many advertisements with prices of about 20 thousand rubles.
Don't fall in love solely with the beauty of Scottish Shepherds. Try to get to know their inner world to understand that the soul of a pet is much more beautiful than its appearance. With proper training, a collie can be a real treasure. You will not only have a new family member, but also a sympathetic friend, a caring nanny, and an attentive listener.
Description of the breed
Border collies, reviews of which praise not only their working qualities, but also their beautiful exterior, are medium in size. Depending on the sex, the height of an adult varies between 47-53 cm, and the weight does not exceed 20 kg.
On a proportional head with a smoothed nape, a pronounced stop and a slightly narrowed muzzle, there are small oval eyes and triangular, widely spaced ears. Under a harmoniously developed body with a deep chest, sloping croup and oval ribs are straight, strong limbs with oval paws gathered into a ball.
Photo review
In the photo, representatives of this breed may not amaze with their exterior beauty, but they enchant with grace and elegance, a spark of intelligence in the eyes and the modest charm of the highest intelligence.
Coat and color
Reviews from owners and descriptions of the Border Collie breed mention the existence of two varieties of these dogs. They can be short- or long-haired. The first group includes animals with thick, dense hair without decorating hair. The second variety includes dogs with long hair that forms a mane, “pants” and a luxurious dewlap on the tail.
As for the color, it can be almost anything. But sable, marbled, tricolor, red and chocolate-white animals are especially popular.
TOP nicknames
The puppy receives a breeding name along with registration documents, but it is usually not used in everyday life. A Border Collie's pet name should be short, easy to remember, and not suggestive of commands or people's names.
When choosing a nickname, owners often focus on the English-Scottish origin of this breed, its guardian qualities and appearance. They also use the first and last names of famous people, politicians and pop culture stars.
Examples of nicknames for male dogs:
- Brooklyn;
- Wellington;
- Tristan;
- Camelot;
- Arthur;
- Holmes;
- Greenwich;
- Buckingham;
- MacLeod;
- Duncan.
Examples of nicknames for bitches:
- Sheltie;
- Shelley;
- Victoria;
- Ginger;
- Minerva;
- Ellie;
- Medea;
- Hetty;
- Wendy;
- Rhonda.
Character
Representatives of this breed have gained fame as active, cheerful dogs with high intelligence. Scientists have found that their level of development is comparable to three-year-old children. Reviews of border collies confirm that they easily remember different words.
These animals are endowed with a receptive and vulnerable disposition. They are very patient and easily find a common language with children. However, practice has shown that their owners can only be balanced and reasonable people leading an active lifestyle. After all, a smart and cunning dog will quickly find a way to manipulate its soft and weak-willed owner.
Maintenance and care
If you believe the reviews, border collies are unpretentious and highly adaptive dogs that can live in city apartments and private cottages. Caring for them does not take much time and boils down to regular combing of the coat, trimming the nails, and cleaning the teeth and ears.
Since Border Collies have a naturally active temperament, they need to be able to release their pent-up energy. To do this, they need to be trained and regularly walked in parks or special areas. The lack of mental and physical activity leaves an imprint on the dog’s psyche and negatively affects its behavior. A poorly walked Border dog becomes nervous, uncontrollable and even aggressive. He may start damaging furniture and barking constantly.
Choosing a puppy
Photo: david reid
Previously, British farmers were very reluctant to part with border collie puppies. And nowadays, English breeders will only sell a puppy if you have sheep, goats or other animals in need of a shepherd. Now you can buy them in our country, and they are in no way inferior to foreign ones. They are kept mainly by athletes. The demand for the breed is great, despite the considerable price.
The choice of puppy depends on how the dog will be used. If you plan to participate in exhibitions and shows, take a calm one. For sports and work, choose an active and energetic puppy.
In Great Britain, where they love to divide everything into castes and classes, there are show border dogs (those who are members of the dog show community - the kennel club) and working dogs. And if it is easy for a “hard worker” to obtain a Kennel Club certificate, then for a handsome dog from an exhibition it is very difficult to obtain a breed certificate - he will have to pass a difficult aptitude exam at the International Cattle Dog Association
When choosing a dog, take an interest in the medical records of the father and mother to see if they have any “breed” diseases. Find out more about how to choose the right puppy from our article.
Feeding recommendations
As befits working dogs, Border Collies are unpretentious when it comes to food. They will eat both dry and natural food with the same appetite. Owners who have opted for ready-made industrial diets should buy premium or super-premium products that do not contain preservatives, dyes or grains.
Those who plan to give their border dog natural food need to remember that the basis of such nutrition should be raw, frozen meat. In addition, vegetables, cereals, offal, low-fat sea fish, eggs and fermented milk should be included in the dog’s menu. It is strictly forbidden to feed the dog chocolate, long bones, smoked meats, pickles, sweets and baked goods. Also, river fish, exotic fruits, legumes and sausages should be permanently removed from his diet.
What to feed
How to care for a border collie is a burning question for a beginner. The answer lies not only in proper grooming, bathing, and nail trimming. You will have to follow a proper diet. First, you will need to decide on the type of food your dog will eat – dry or natural food. Initially, decide what to feed your Border Collie puppies; your choice will determine the animal’s diet throughout its life.
The Border Collie's menu is not much different from that of its relatives. It’s difficult to say which is better – dry food or natural dishes; each has its pros and cons. Please note that mixing dry food with natural food is not recommended! In spring and autumn, a complex of special vitamins is included in the dog’s menu.
It is highly not recommended to switch from one food to another. Try to control the quality of the food your breed consumes. If you have any difficulties, contact your veterinarian. Some people, answering the question of what to feed a border collie, are categorically against dry food, but sometimes decent food will allow you to completely maintain the balance of necessary vitamins and minerals for healthy coat growth, the main asset of the breed.
We emphasize that preparing proper nutrition for the breed is problematic and takes a lot of time. In winter, it is difficult to purchase the necessary products. On the other hand, healthy food from a professional manufacturer is not cheap. Make your choice before buying a puppy; remember, the Border Collie dog breed is sensitive to nutrition and will not always agree with the proposed diet.
Health and life expectancy
Despite good genetics, there is a list of diseases to which Border Collies are predisposed. According to veterinarians, representatives of this breed are often diagnosed with retinal atrophy and lens displacement. They also have back and joint problems, obesity, hypothyroidism, congenital deafness and Batten disease.
With proper care, these dogs can live 10-17 years. To extend the relatively short life of your four-legged pet, you need to provide him with proper nutrition, as well as dosed physical and mental exercise. For the same reasons, you should not neglect annual vaccination, regular antiparasitic treatments and routine examinations by a veterinarian.
Flaws
When describing the advantages of the Border Collie, you should pay attention to the disadvantages. It is recommended for all potential owners to inquire about the presence of negative traits of the desired pet.
- Need for training . If the owner has no desire to get a hyperactive wind-up toy instead of a friend, who absolutely does not listen to commands and does not understand orders, then he will definitely have to train the pet.
- Lots of time to care . Training and daily procedures to maintain appearance are time-consuming events. In addition, you will need a long walk.
- Demanding wool . Collies come in long-haired and smooth-haired varieties. Both require daily brushing of the coat.
- Costs for food and veterinary procedures . Such an intelligent pet requires considerable expenses for the purchase of food. Collies will only eat premium food. More precisely, they will eat anything, but will remain healthy only if they are purchased correctly. Cheap food will harm the body.
- Excessive independence . It is difficult to convince even an obedient and trained dog of the need to measure the boundaries of the territory possible for jogging. Therefore, there are frequent cases when representatives of this breed run away. At best, the escape will be short-lived and the dog will return soon. At worst, you can lose your dog forever. Based on this, you should take your pet for a walk on a leash, which will cause additional problems (choice of product, fit).
Border Collie: reviews
People in whose homes representatives of this breed live claim that these are very intelligent and hardy dogs, suitable for the role of a companion. They are incredibly affectionate, sociable and not at all aggressive. If you wish, you can not only walk around city parks with them, but also practice agility or dog frisbee.
At the same time, experienced owners draw the attention of beginners to the fact that these dogs are endowed with pronounced working qualities and can begin to “herd” those around them. Therefore, they need to be weaned from this habit from an early age.
Training
According to FCI documents, young dogs are trained from eight months to two to three years. But raising a pet and accustoming it to the rules of life in the house is necessary from the first days. Border Collies are very intelligent, and the basis for a successful interaction must be trust and respect, which must be earned in the eyes of the dog. They do not have a tendency to dominate, but they are cunning, smart and can learn to manipulate a good-natured owner. On the other hand, it is important not to go too far - this breed does not tolerate violence.
Even before the puppy can walk outside, he can be taught the commands: “Come”, “Sit”, “Ugh”. From the first outings, you can practice the commands “Nearby” and “Walk”. For a child, it is better to combine learning with active games, which will allow him not only to use up excess energy, but also to get used to interacting with people.
This breed is highly trainable and has excellent memory. According to some studies, it only takes them a few minutes to remember a command. There are cases where these dogs accumulate a vocabulary comparable to that of a kindergarten child. But, despite the generally recognized high intelligence, non-aggressive and docile nature, border collies need professional training.
Hyper-reactivity requires discipline and constant work, which can only be provided by quality training from a dog handler. Sign up for basic courses that will allow your pet to gain basic skills, and the owner to learn how to work with a dog correctly.
