Border Collies - Brief Summary Part I

When I tell people I have two border collies, I am often met with puzzled looks by those unfamiliar with this breed of dogs. Often, I resort to telling them "you know, those frisbee dogs you see in television ads and in movies." This typically clears up their confusion a bit, but its certainly NOT an adequate description of what a border collie is and what they do! The history of the breed - Border Collies originated on the Scottish/English border. They are the result of breeding old UK droving breeds with some spaniel in the mix. They were specifically bred to be outstanding herders and hardy, agile, untiring sheepdogs capable of mastering any herd. The famous 'Border Collie Stare' is a an eye that can hypnotize cattle. He crouches down and mesmerizes the animals with its intense stare. This comes from their wolf DNA. These dogs are in fact one of the closest, genetically speaking, canine relatives of the wolf. Wolves use the stare to isolate a member of the pack they are going to attack. The border collie's herding instinct are a modification of this instinct. Considered one of the most trainable breeds of dog, Border Collies have also served as narcotics and bomb detection dogs and are a frequent high performer in obedience, agility, Frisbee trials, police work, search & rescue, Flyball, performing tricks and competitive obedience. Some Border Collies have been trained very successfully as blind guide dogs. The following definition of what a border coller is comes courtesy of DogBreedInfo.Com: "What is a border collie? Well, lets define it. Border Collies are a medium sized (usually 35-55 lbs) high energy dogs. They look similar to Australian shepherds, but are not as well built and have long - not bobbed- tails. Border Collie are reknowned amongst dog lovers for their intelligence and responsiveness. Their reputation for excellence at obedience, agility, fetching, and Frisbee preceeds them. These dogs demand praise, as they are sensitive yet very trainable. The energey and stamina levels of a border collie will astonish you. Border collies' bodies are slightly longer than the height at the withers. A fairly wide skull, their muzzle tapers to a black nose. Typically, border collie ears are halfway perked up. The oval eyes are usually dark brown, but merles may have 1+ blue eyes. Their tail reaches at least to the hock and is sometimes raised when the dog is excited, but is never carried over the back. There are two varieties of Border Collie: one with coarse hair (thick, straight, about 3 inches long), and one with sleek hair (about 1 inch long. The coat colors come in black and white, tri-color, red & white, black & gray, and all black. The longer haired variety should have a mane and tail brush. The hair on the face, ears and front legs is always short and sleek. Since Border Collies are bred for working ability and intelligence rather than for physical beauty, conformation varies widely. This is a great bone of contention with many long time border collie owners and enthusiasts, many of whom were dismayed at the American Kennel Club's decision to recognize the border collie in the 1990s, for fear that breeding for aesthetics will destroy the genetics that make these dogs so special to begin with.