What you need to know
Canine Einstein, always one step ahead and ready to outsmart anyone who dares to challenge their intellect. They excel at agility with lightning fast reflexes and ability to navigate obstacles like a canine ninja. Always there to remind you every day that life is meant to be lived with a wagging tail and playful spirit.
The Border Collie
The picture on the left is Unleashed Borders Call me Candyman (Myko) at 8 months old first time on sheep, and the video to the right is his father Gallant Greyson od Cidliny (Dante)
The Border Collie is often thought of as a ”workaholic” because of its desire and need for a particular job. Whether it’s herding sheep, fetching the ball, or learning obedience and agility, Border Collies have a superior intellect and fast learning capabilities. They are considered the most intelligent dog breed. One of their most recognizable features are their intimidating and hypnotic eyes, extremely useful in herding sheep without the need to nip or bark at them. A Border Collie owner must be up to the task and prepared for a top-tier, high stamina and high energy partner in crime.- Wiki
In recent decades, the role and lifestyle of the Border Collie have undergone significant change, as more and more people have discovered the breed's exceptional trainability and range of talents. From being predominantly farmers' or shepherds' dogs, they have diversified into roles such as Sniffer dogs and Search and Rescue workers, and have even entered the pedigree show ring. They have not only become highly popular pets but also the go-to breed for anyone looking to compete in pursuits such as obedience, agility, flyball, or working trials.
For the most part, this transition has been successful, but at other times it has brought strife, as many less experienced owners, in particular, have struggled to understand the instincts and psychological complexities of these highly driven, sensitive, and strong-willed working dogs. Trouble often starts when owners try to impose expectations or lifestyles on Border Collies that are at odds with their inner genetic programming as sheepdogs, or view perfectly natural breed behavior as a sign of bad character or some sort of mental defect.
Please read through this carefully structured page, as I have taken a very long time to put all this important information together for you, the reader, to make it easier for you to decide whether or not the Border Collie lifestyle suits you!