The Amazing Border Collie

This is my Bella Blu a Border Collie / Australian Shepherd mix that was bred to be a dual purpose working dog. They are also known as a 50 mile a day dog, and believe me, they at the least need 45. These two breeds are extremely popular because of their looks and being super smart. The problem is with brains comes emotions and these dogs have been bred over thousands of years to be task driven working dogs. When not active they tend to have emotional issues that lead to behavioral issues. Please think twice before owning one if you live in a suburban area as they can’t get enough action and go crazy. I see too many of these types of herding dogs in shelters as people do not want or simply can’t take the time required for dogs like this.

I would not trade a thing but it is a lot more work than having your average dog. – Eli Enki

Facts about Border Collies, the smartest dog breed

#1 — Romans brought sheepdogs to Great Britain

The first civilization to master the art of herding and raising sheep was the Roman Empire. Bringing shepherds and sheep to the British Isles, they set the foundation for an established wool industry. Because lot’s of the sheepdogs couldn’t stand the cold weather, Celtics started to breed their own. They were smaller and more agile. The Name ‘collies’ was derived from the ancient Celtic word colley, which means faithful or useful.

#2 — Their name comes from the region they lived in

The ‘border’ in their name comes from the fact that they were initially bred on the border of Scotland. It’s believed that James Reid, secretary of the International Sheepdog Society, minted the name ‘Border Collie’ when he described the dogs to colleagues.

#3 — They are furry geniuses

Dogs in general are pretty intelligent, but no breed can beat the collies. They were bred to be independent and solve problems on their own even for complex tasks.

#4 — Training them is still dog training

But because they are so smart, you need to train them right from the outset. They learn very quick and pick up on everything but may develop bad habits. When they are bored they also could default to barking, nipping or whining. When training them, make sure they stay focused on the task at hand, if they are not engaged their attention will wander.

#5 — They are the ultimate herding dogs

Well, this is what they were bred for … to chase and organize animals. The Celtics used their predatory behavior and modified it to suit the need of herding. This means border collies are in fact hunting dogs which do the stalking, crouching and nipping but without the killing. Thanks to their independence and intelligence border collies most likely make the best herders. In fact some owners actually rent sheep for their collies to herd, because it’s so deeply ingrained in their nature.

#6 — Crouching is a technique

Because they have a space between their shoulder blades, these dogs can move in a catlike crouched position. This lets the collies move swiftly while staying low to the ground. This technique is used to herd animals with extreme precision.

#7 — They have “The Eye”

This intense stare is another trick of these intelligent dogs. It’s used to intimidate other animals or you can catch this look when you have something delicious in your hand.

#8 — Border Collies have a big vocabulary

In the world of smart dogs, collies are the smartest breed, and the smartest of them all could be Chaser. A female border collie working with John Pilley, a professor of psychology. At the age of 5 months Chaser learned that different toys have different names.

Since then, she’s learned more and more words and amassed an impressive vocabulary of about 1,000 names and nouns for her unique toys. When John is saying a specific name for something, Chaser will go and get it from her collection.

#9 — Rolling down a car window in record time

One of the more unusual world records, Striker holds the record for “Fastest Car Window Opened by a Dog” by rolling down the manual car window in just 11.34 seconds — World Record!

#10 — Staying active is obligatory

If you like to lay around with your dog, I recommend a different breed. Because of their intelligence, border collies are easily bored when left without task. They are working dogs and enjoy having something to keep them busy all day.

Maybe you can liken them to children – they are active and need to be exploring out and about!

Source of Information: The Dog House and NTD.tv