Copyright © 2002 Sheena Staples All Rights Reserved
A publication of That'll Do Border Collie Rescue. No reproduction of this document in whole or part is granted without written permission of the author.

That'll Do Border Collie Rescue

Email bcrescue@telus.net Phone 604.726.1497 www.bcbordercollies.com

THE BORDER COLLIE

The border collie is a very old breed of dog developed in Britain for a very single minded purpose - to control large flocks of livestock, usually sheep, for farmers who depend on livestock for their livelihood. Without a dog or two, a shepherd would be hard pressed to control thousands of sheep. So they developed a dog with a modified prey drive that could work obsessively for extended periods of time in any weather, with minimal commands and virtually no socialization. Obviously, such a dog would have to be intelligent, athletic and have a tendency to control other animals.

In recent years a widely touted book has been written that lists the border collie at the very top of intelligence among dog breeds. This is not necessarily a mistake - a border collie is the canine equivalent of an extremely bright human child and without engaging activities to challenge and stimulate him, he may become bored, destructive and develop undesirable - or dangerous - behavioral traits. Unfortunately, many people stopped reading as soon as they saw "Smartest Breed In The World" and rushed out and got a border collie, only to be deeply disappointed at the results. Don't let the sexy notion of having the world's smartest dog fool you … the smarter the dog, the more challenging he is likely to be. There's a reason they say "If it's not a border collie, it's just a dog" and "my border collie is smarter than your honour student"!

BORDER COLLIE TRAITS AND TENDANCIES

Modified Prey Drive -- if you have ever seen a wolf pack hunting a large prey animal, you'll notice there is a series of maneuvers involved, which include intimidation, circling of prey, driving the animal and "cutting" an animal out of the herd, thus manipulating it into a position where the kill can take place.

Your border collie possesses all of these innate instincts, generally with the exception of the kill, as a killer sheepdog was obviously not prized by any shepherd. A border collie has the ability to move large numbers of animals largely through a combination of instinctive physical behaviour, and mental and physical intimidation. He can hold a flock of sheep at bay with a hard stare, cut a single ewe from the rest of the flock and manipulate the animals into various positions, all with minimal instruction and seemingly minimal effort. In essence, a border collie can and does perform all the functions of an entire wolf pack, usually on his own.

Understanding this, it is relatively easy to single out the variety of characteristics that the dog must necessarily have, and which can also be a challenge to owners:

• An intense drive to work - the border collie is the canine equivalent of a human workaholic. It is deeply ingrained into these dogs that they exist to perform a demanding physical and mental task for extensive periods of time. Your dog needs what amounts to a significant amount of exercise (physical stimulation) to satisfy his athleticism. Similarly, he needs a great deal of mental stimulation in order to feel useful, happy and relaxed. Without either of these elements, you may find your dog is edgy, anxious, destructive or even aggressive.

• A highly developed response to movement - the border collie has a strong, innate tendency to respond to moving objects and he will rarely miss a trick. It is not uncommon for border collies to be visually stimulated (and thus experience a desire to chase) cars, bicycles, cats or joggers that pass. For this reason it is vitally important that you never let your border collie roam free, and never let him off your property unattended. Early training and control can inhibit these tendencies

• Obsessive tendencies - the border collie needs to be obsessed with his job in order to perform optimally with minimal supervision, no matter what the weather conditions or other distractions. This trait persists in the breed today, and is part of what makes the breed so endearing - or annoying, depending on your sense of humour. Thus, your dog may develop behaviours that are repetitive, bordering on compulsive, such as tail chasing, fence running or cat "herding." He may even become obsessed with certain toys (tennis balls or frisbees). Giving your dog lots of opportunities, daily, to engage in physically and mentally challenging activities can prevent these behaviours.

• Control freaks - border collies were developed specifically to have an innate need to control. A working dog is born, not trained - training only enhances what he had to begin with. In family life, this trait often translates to a dog that attempts to control situations with intelligence and sometimes physical activities. He needs a firm leader who can control the world even better than he can. This is not to suggest that a heavy handed or physical approach to training is good for your border collie; on the contrary, they are sensitive dogs who rarely require harsh methods to control them. A heavy handed approach may make your dog unsure, timid or anxious. Rather, a successful border collie owner is creative and consistent in his training and daily activities. Your dog should never be allowed to get away with acts that you don't want him to engage in again - Once Is A Habit For A Border Collie. Border collies appreciate decisive leaders who do not force the dog to feel he needs to take control.

• Aggression - aggression is a normal and natural part of dog life and communication, and border collies are no exception. But the breed was developed to be a solitary working animal and may not be gregarious as some other dog breeds. Your dog is more likely to be suspicious of strangers and he may be antisocial with other dogs. Without excessive, carefully planned socialization from a young age, he may even be aggressive. Frequent, repeated positive interactions with other friendly dogs and people can minimize this possibility.

Border collies can become possessive of their owners, as they were developed to work with a single handler in isolated environments. Again, lots of positive socialization can help your dog to learn that people are good things, and he will be more receptive to being around them.

• Aggression to children - border collies are famously poor pets for families with young children, largely because they are programmed to respond to sudden movement and noise with lightning reflexes. Many of the bites delivered to children by border collies are a direct result of the dog attempting to control the unruly child. Additionally, border collies are smart enough to recognize that children lack the Alpha status of adults, and will in turn attempt to control them - sometimes a wicked ewe needs a sharp bite to bring her in line, and children are really no better than sheep to a border collie. The high pitch of children's voices can be difficult for a border collie's sensitive nature, and their fast movements can be too much for him to assimilate calmly.

A border collie who finds himself in a family situation should be taught from the start that children are pack members to be respected, and that he is lower on the social ladder than they are. An owner with good control of the dog can communicate this will a simple "that'll do" command whenever the dog appears to be getting to big for his britches. In fairness, the family children should be taught to be respectful to the dog, never rough housing with him and always being calm and quiet in his presence. Never leave a dog and child alone together unsupervised, as this is when the majority of bites occur.

A large majority of border collies are surrendered to rescue because couples starting families could not cope with the needs of the children and the dog. We encourage you to consider this fact when adopting a border collie

It is vitally important that you know an intelligent dog is not necessarily a well behaved one. A border collie will often require more, or at least more skillful, training than a breed of less challenging intelligence. For this reason, many people find living with a border collie (especially in the "teenager" years) to be a monumental challenge.

Border collies are not lap dogs. Your dog will not be content to lay about your feet gazing up at you with adoration. Instead, he is more likely to stand in your way and gaze at you with an intent expression that very clearly says "When are you going to throw my tennis ball?" He is apt to pester you to play games, or follow you around the house hoping something fun will happen. If nothing interesting develops, he may invent his own fun. Rarely will he willingly lay quietly in a corner of the room, unless you have provided him with the following:

• Plenty of opportunities to use his excess energy in physical activity in the great outdoors. A tired dog is a happy dog, goes the old adage, and never is this truer than for the border collie.

• Lots of "brain games" to keep his mind occupied.

A minimum of two hours daily physical activity (not just walking) and training is considered sufficient for more most border collies.

Even so, your border collie may not be completely relaxed in the house, or at least he may not be content to amuse himself. Your dog will not only appreciate being a member of the family he will expect it. He may follow you into the bathroom, peek in on your shower, stick his nose in your dust rag and play games with the vacuum cleaner. If you are determined to have a mostly quiet household with minimal activity, you will probably not enjoy having a border collie.

Not all dogs are right for all people - please do your research before you consider taking home a border collie. This incredible breed of dog is a working animal with a highly developed sense of control and self possession. It is not a breed for a novice dog owner and couch potatoes will not appreciate the border collie.

If you have been told that a border collie is not a good fit for your lifestyle, consider another breed. Don't let pride make a decision for you that you might regret. Instead, find another breed of dog that is better suited to you and your family.

You'll be happier and so will the dog.