Border Collie
#25
Wamiz's Top Breed

Seemingly the most intelligent dog of his species, the Border Collie is made for working, whether on a farm, through educational tasks or canine sports. Resilient, intelligent and willing, he would make the perfect pet for energetic and available owners who are able to cater to his number of physical and mental needs. A very sensitive dog, he is well matched with owners who are concerned with the physical and mental wellbeing of their animals.
Key facts about the Border Collie
Origins and history
The Border Collie’s history is perhaps the strangest in all of the dog world. He is an ancient breed, as proved by quotes from the 17th century that refer to this dog by his current name, during a time period in which “breeds” did not exceed according to its current definition. In reality, “Border Collie” has quite a general meaning; the word “collie” refers to all Scottish sheepdogs, while the term “border” refers to the “borders”, a large geographical zone located at the border between Scotland and England. What’s extraordinary is that, at the beginning of the century when the need for working dogs in England came about, all the Border shepherds had almost identical dogs, which is what we call a “type” in the dog world. However, the shepherds never instigated a breeding process, as they were only interested in getting the work done. Therefore, the breed wasn’t officially recognised until 1982, making him one of the oldest official breeds, but also one of the newest known to us.
FCI breed nomenclature
FCI Group
Group 1 - Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs)
Section
Section 1 : Sheepdogs
Physical characteristics of the Border Collie
Adult size
Female : Between 19 and 20 in
Male : Between 20 and 22 in
Weight
Female : Between 33 and 44 lb
Male : Between 33 and 44 lb
Coat colour
All colours and shades are accepted according to this sheepdog’s official standards. For the majority of dogs of this breed, the coat is black and white. However, it is also not uncommon to see three-toned coats, blue merle, red merle or red and white coats.
However, white will never be the predominant colour.
Type of coat
There are two varieties: medium-haired and long-haired Border Collies.
His outer coat is dense, while the undercoat is also dense but soft.
Eye colour
While his eyes are generally brown, they can also be blue, particolour and even odd.
Description
The Border Collie is a well-proportioned and balanced dog. Boasting a resilient frame, this dog is born to be at the side of farmers and their herds. His impressive physical and mental abilities allow him to excel in a number of canine activities, such as agility and obedience training, racing and treibball.
Good to know
The Border Collie is the only dog that is a member of the KC based on his herding abilities, as opposed to physical features.
The Border Collie is often mixed with other breeds resulting in gorgeous and athletic breeds. Discover 6 of the most popular Border Collie cross.