Border Collie
He’s fun, he’s energetic, he’s intelligent and he loves his people.
The Border Collie, originally bred to gather and control sheep, is a people-oriented family
dog and versatile working dog.
Hi, welcome to Animal Facts.
Today, we present ten fun facts about the fascinating Border Collie.
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10.
He was called collie after the ancient Celtic word “colley,” meaning useful or faithful.
The Celtics began breeding Collies from the dogs brought to Britain by the Romans to be
smaller, more agile sheep dogs that were more resistant to the cold than their predecessors.
9.
Being originally bred on the border of Scotland and England is how the Border Collie got his
name.
It is believed that the secretary of the International Sheepdog Society, James Reid, an influential
Scot, gave them the name when writing about them in letters to his colleagues.
8.
He’s an independent thinker.
Dogs, in general, are pretty smart, especially herding dogs, but no breed can beat the Border
Collie.
He was bred to be independent and solve problems on his own even for complex tasks.
7.
This independent intelligence is not always good for training.
Because he is so smart, you need to train him right from the outset.
He learns very quickly and pick up on everything but may develop bad habits.
When training him, make sure he stays focused on the task, if he is not engaged his attention
will wander.
6.
Herding dogs like border collies have been specially bred to chase and organize animals.
This modified predatory behavior incorporates stalking, crouching, nipping, but without
the messy killing.
The need to herd is so deeply ingrained in him, that some modern owners actually rent
sheep for their Border Collies to corral.
He’ll herd anything though, including kids, cats, squirrels, or anything else that moves,
including cars.
5.
It’s become a tradition at Animal Facts to name celebrity owners in the number 5 spot.
The Border Collie has some legends: James Dean, the cultural icon and American Film
Institutes 18th best male movie star, rock legend, Jon Bon Jovi, frontman of rock band
Bon Jovi, Tiger Woods, one of the world’s most successful golfers, and Crown Princess
Mary of Denmark.
4.
Don’t expect to lay around the house with a Border Collie around.
The smarter the dog, the easier it is for him to get bored.
The Border collie is a working dog and enjoys having tasks to keep him busy throughout the
day.
This high-energy dog needs to redirect its zing or else he will misbehave.
This energy means he’ll excel in dog sports like agility and flyball.
3.
You may catch your Border Collie giving you a look when you have something delicious in
your hand.
This intense stare, “the eye”, intimidates livestock and helps the dog herd and control
them.
2.
Queen Victoria was a true dog lover who took a liking to many breeds and by many, we mean
her name comes up quite often on Animal Facts.
Hmmm, maybe we should do a video about her.
In the early 1860s, she became an active Border Collie enthusiast.
At this time, the Border Collie began to separate and become distinguished from the modern Collie.
1.
Border Collies have all kinds of jobs, from herder to search and rescue, but one career
you probably haven't heard of is "goose master."
One Florida company trains Border Collies to keep geese off people's property.
The University of North Florida hired a Border Collie named Bee to be the goose master for
their campus.
Bee keeps geese away from high-traffic areas.
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