Border Collie Information

It is our greatest hope that, by education and proper choices, rescue organizations will someday become obsolete.

We supply this information to help people make an intelligent and informed choice before they buy this breed.

The Border Collie - What You Need To Know About This Breed

Border Collies are much more work than many other breeds. While Border collies are very intelligent, they also require a larger time and energy commitment from their owners. Many Border Collies end up in shelters, humane societies and rescue organizations when their owners decide that they are just too much trouble to have around because they require so much exercise, attention and training/mental stimulation. Please read on before you decide that a Border Collie is the breed for you!

What kind of pet does a Border Collie make?

As a general rule, Border Collies are not a good pet for a typical pet owner. Border Collies are usually very intense workaholics. They are happiest when they have a job to do, whether that job is herding, obedience, agility or any of the other active occupations and dog sports they excel at. If these dogs are not given a "job" to do, they are very likely to become extremely destructive.  Hanging out around an apartment or just being the guard dog isn't a job for a Border Collie!

Border Collies won't usually exercise on their own. Most require their human counterparts to participate in their exercise programs. Merely putting a Border Collie into a fenced area as a form of exercise will NOT be enough for them. These dogs need to be physically and mentally challenged, and if you cannot provide that for them, they'll do it themselves - at the expense of your lawn, furniture, walls, whatever looks tempting to dig or chew on. They are extremely quick, high energy, busy dogs and they must have plenty of exercise. They were bred for endurance; a working Border Collie is able to run as much as 100 miles a day in sometimes difficult terrain, then go out and do it again the next day. A one or two mile run is barely a warm-up for many Border Collies. People without the time to give a dog plenty of vigorous physical and mental exercise every day would be well advised to find a different breed. A bored Border Collie can become neurotic and destructive.

What is it like living with a herding dog?

Be sure you know what you're getting into if you think you want a Border Collie. Border Collies have been bred for hundreds of years to hone and refine a very strong instinct to herd sheep. Border Collies will herd everything that moves: livestock, birds, other dogs, cats, children and even bugs. Many people have absolutely no patience with the way the herding instinct displays itself and operates in a family situation. Border Collies run hard, they will chase children (sometimes nipping them to try to control the movement as they would on stock), they throw toys at you non-stop, they are continually underfoot trying to herd, they chase lights and shadows, they love to chew and dig, they mature slowly, and on and on. Many young Border Collies are tragically killed each year chasing cars - they will run in front of the moving vehicle trying to herd it.

These are more the rule than the exception. However, there are Border Collies born with little to no herding instinct, or an extremely soft disposition. These types of dogs make excellent pets.

Are Border Collies intelligent?

Border Collies are very intelligent dogs and learn fast (ever heard the line "once is a habit for a Border Collie." before?). This is actually a problem at times because they will learn things that the owner didn't intend for them to learn. Some of these newly learned behavior patterns can be difficult to "unteach". Their intelligence is one of the reasons they tend to get bored, and into trouble, easily. But them it's also one of the reasons they excel in all venues.

What kind of escape artists are they?

Border Collies are extremely agile dogs and can jump/climb a six foot fence if they decide there's something more interesting on the other side. They are also good diggers and chewers, so if they can't jump a fence, they might try to dig out under it or chew through it. And don't forget their intelligence, some Border Collies are great at opening doors and latches!

Is a Border Collie the right dog for you?

The people who make the most satisfied Border Collie owners are people who:
  enjoy spending alot of time with their dogs
  are willing and able to make the commitment to exercise and train in some way every day
  are very active, enjoy jogging, hiking, taking long walks with their dogs
  who don't mind living with a busy dog, even after alot of exercise, even if they are tired from a long day at work
  and, most importantly who have a real job for these dogs to do, whether it's at herding, dogs sports, whatever.

If you have decided that the Border Collie is the breed for you, you them have to decide if you want to go to a breeder or to a rescue organizations. Either way, there are lots of great dogs looking for you!!