History

The Border Collie originated in the Border Counties of Scotland around 350 years ago. They were developed by local farmers to work their livestock. Renowned for their low and quiet approach to the herd and their gentle attitude, the dogs are relentless workers who thrive on the mental and physical challenge herding presents. When Australia began its sheep farming industry Border Collies were imported to work the herds. The breed, one of the earliest ever brought to Australia, has been known here since the mid 1800s.

Today the shorter coated 'varieties' of Border Collies are bred and used strictly for working purposes. Some of these dogs are registered with Working Sheepdog clubs for trial competition, some are not registered but are bred purely for work.  Of all the dogs that are bench breed that I have started on stock, the border collie retains some good working traits.

However, they are not real practical for real work in Australia, they are good for having a bit of fun with and learning the basics of working with stock and dogs. You do have to be mindful of the conditions that you are working in and keep a eye on there temperature.

Appearance

Whilst displaying gracefulness and perfect balance the Border Collie should be sturdy enough to endure the long periods of activity it has been bred to undertake.

Bench / Show Breed

Coat colour and length: They come in black and white, blue and white, brown and white, red and white, blue merle and white. and tri-colour. The most common is the black and white. The coat is the most prominent feature consisting of a double coat, with a moderately long, dense, medium textured topcoat. The undercoat is short, soft and dense for good weather-resistance. The length and composition of the coat makes the present day pedigree Border Collie unsuitable for work.

Work Breed

These dogs have a coat that is very short in length and thin in the hair. This is suited to the environment that they live in, in Austraila. Their coat is ideal for these dogs to cope with the heat and grass seeds of everyday life. The main colours that they come in are black and white, red and white, white and black and also a tri-colour.

Height: dogs 48-53cm (19-21in); bitches 46-51cm (18-20in).

Temperament

Border Collies thrive on work and love to be highly stimulated and worked for long periods of time. Border Collies are regarded as one of the most intelligent dogs due to their affinity for training and their eagerness to learn, but it is this very characteristic that in turn can be detrimental if the dog is not placed in the right environment. They are high maintenance dogs needing a lot of attention and time from owners. If you are not prepared to bring the dog into your life as part of the family then you will have trouble. They must be exercised quite extensively every day and included in family activities as often as possible. A dog that is walked for an hour a day and left outside to its own devices will still be difficult. Bored Border Collies will always hunt for something to do or something to stimulate them. With people they should be friendly and affectionate.

The main thing that I have to teach people about these dogs is that they will need to manage these dogs a bit different.  At an early age you do have to teach these dogs to relax. To many of these dogs are left to their own devices in the back yard.  Once they get thenselves into a drive state they never learn to relax and this will in turn cause problems. Not all border collies handle the regular obedience work.

Grooming and diet

With the show breed now displaying fuller thicker coats owners recommend thorough brushing twice a week to prevent knots and matting. In the summer they require baths every couple of weeks but in winter once a month will suffice.

The working border collie is a low maintenance dog. The short coat doesn't require grooming or clipping, there are no inherited health problems.

A good quality food to suit lifestyle and age, combined with raw bones will help to bring up a healthy dog.

Cost

Cost for pups $400 - $600.

Recommended for

Anyone who wants a dog to be one of the family and is willing to invest time, effort and money will not find a better dog. But people who spend a lot of time outside their home environment and leave their dog at home are in for big trouble.