The Border Collie
Tuesday, October 17th, 2006 by Mike Cronk
Basics
Country of origin: England
Group: Herding
Lifespan: 12-15 years
Grooming: Brush at home weekly
Height: 18-22”
Weight: 35-55 lbs.
Archived from “The Paw Report:” Issue #4, October
AKC Rank 2006: 56
The Border Collie
The Border Collie is considered the finest sheepherding dog in the world and after seeing them perform at the local Fiber Festival I am a believer. It is amazing to watch those dogs herd through a series of pastures and gates commanded solely by the call of a whistle. It’s not unusual to see them winning Frisbee contests as well due to their keen eyesight and athleticism.
Most of the Border Collies we have met in the shop convey the high intelligence necessary to perform so precisely and they’re friendly as well! Their pleasant disposition is great for a family but keep in mind that they are high energy dogs that must be exercized regularly—long and hard. If you like to jog every day to keep fit, love hiking and being outside a lot then a Border Collie will be ideal.
Border Collies can have a thick undercoat that cannot be ignored. In addition to a good brushing at least once a week, bring your dog in to us every eight weeks for the feathering to be trimmed and so we can attack those thick areas (neck, tail, haunches) with thinning tools and really get out that undercoat.
Many of our customers prefer to keep their Border Collies cut short (1/4-1/2”) and usually get this clip four times a year. This certainly allows the farm dog ease of maintenance! Overall, this breed gets an enthusiastic “thumbs up” from us.
