Border Collie

To be honest, if you asked me to give you a list of top ten family dogs, the Border Collie would not be on it. They are both sound and touch sensitive which doesn’t mix well with noisy, physical youngsters. They’re bred to control flocks of sheep, so it’s common for them to try and herd children. As you can imagine, this can lead to a nip on the bum if they don’t move in the right direction. This isn’t in an aggressive way, it’s just a Border Collie doing their job.

If a Border Collie lives a happy, content life with everything they need to satisfy their desires, they can be affectionate towards their owner. They’re not interested in roughhouse playing, it’s not something they appreciate, but gentle strokes are much enjoyed. All-in-all, the Border Collie is a loyal breed who will follow you around in the hope that something fun is about to happen. 

Yes, yes and yes!

In fact, this breed is known to become almost obsessive about their need to play. Border Collies need a way to fulfil their natural chase drive, so it’s vital they have the opportunity to chase their toys every day. Their owners should also be prepared to give up time to provide entertainment. In the absence of sheep, Border Collies love chasing a ball. 

Inevitably, all dogs bark, it’s their way of communicating. Border Collies aren’t necessarily a noisy breed though, but they will certainly alert you when someone’s at the door. If they want something, they may well bark to get your attention which could become a problem, especially if you can’t provide what they need at that instant.

Border Collies are sensitive to sounds and often struggle with noisy thunderstorms and fireworks. Care should be taken when they are puppies to help them cope with these sounds to minimise the impact.

Known as a herding breed, Border Collies have a natural drive to chase things that move. If their urge to chase isn’t met, they are likely to try and chase cars, joggers, bikes, and scooters. 

Light and shadow chasing is another issue that comes to mind with Border Collies. It’s an issue that bored, under-stimulated Collies can suffer from. This is another reason to not underestimate their psychological needs.

Border Collies are more suited to a rural location. They may find the hustle and bustle of city life particularly challenging and over stimulating. 

It doesn’t matter on the size of the home, as long as they have regular access to open fields where they can run and play. A medium to large size garden is useful for keeping your dog entertained between walks.

As we’ve already covered the breed’s sensitivities to sound, living in a flat with noises from neighbours may result in frequent barking. 

Collies can and often do live with other dogs and pets in the home, but early socialisation when they’re young is key. They’re often known as the ‘fun police’, bossing everyone about and keeping them in line.

Border Collies are extremely active and require at least two good walks a day where they can burn off all that extra energy.

It’s essential your dog is able to come when called (we call this recall) because free running and play is vital for this breed.

Border Collies also need to keep their minds busy with lots of mental exercise. A bored collie is an unhappy dog, and their behaviour will tell you that. What makes them happy is learning new tricks as well as taking part in dog sports like agility, flyball, working trials, hoopers and more. There’s nothing a Border Collie cannot turn their paws to.

All puppies need to learn how to be around people, pets, and other dogs, in a calm and polite way (known as socialisation). They also need help to feel calm, comfortable, and confident in everyday situations like travelling, the sound of traffic, and being in busy places (known as habituation). This is essential to prevent tricky behavioural problems in the future, and you'll be off to a great start with your ongoing training.

As long as plenty of treats and praise are offered, Border Collies love to learn. They are incredibly intelligent and it’s so rewarding to see them learn new things.

It’s important to keep up a young Border Collie’s education because if you don’t, they are likely to find their own entertainment. You’re probably not going to approve of what they’re teaching themselves!

Providing mental stimulation is important for every breed, but for Border Collies it’s essential. Get them started as a puppy to prevent undesired behaviours due to boredom such as chasing light, shadows, cars, joggers and bikes. Have a bit of fun with them – training doesn’t have to be boring. If you’re going to be a successful Border Collie owner, you need to get clued up on dog training.

Keep the training topped up, even when your dog reaches adulthood and always remember to reward good behaviour.

Border Collies can have either smooth or long coats, whatever type of fur yours has, you’ll need to keep on top of grooming. This breed has double coats, this means their undercoat is soft and thick, while their topcoat is coarse or silky. 

The undercoat needs regular attention, especially during the summer months to help keep them cool. A rake is your best friend!

A slicker brush and comb will keep the topcoat looking good and knot free. Be sure to check for grass seeds after every summer walk, especially their eyes, ears and between their toes. 

If you are looking to buy a Border Collie puppy, do your research!

A good breeder will only breed from parents who are clear of hereditary conditions the breed is prone to. These include Hip Dysplasia, Eye Cataracts, Epilepsy, MDR1 and Hypothyroidism. 

For all dog breeds, obesity is bad for their health. So, for such an active breed like a Border Collie, being overweight puts extra pressure on their hearts and joints.