Border Collie
The Border Collie is used in herding. Collies are medium sized dogs. It gets it name from where it originated, in the border areas between Scotland and England. The Border Collie came from droving dog breeds, droving is the practice of pushing livestock around. Many Border Collies alive today are directly descended from a dog called Old Hemp. Old Hemp was a three coloured dog, it was born in 1893 and was bred by Adam Telfer. Due to his prowess as a herder of sheep he had many pups. The Border Collie also makes a very good search and rescue dog in areas suited to this dog. They can also be trained to hunt by scent.
Appearance
Border Collies have a reasonable coat, so not too much hair is shed by them. They have a double coat as is expected for breeds that need to work in potentially very cold conditions. Generally the colours are varied for this breed. Tricolour is usual. Their eye colour varies quite profoundly.
Temperament
These are arguably the most intelligent of dogs, who are also quite sensitive. This means that they need a caring environment, otherwise they may not be happy. They are generally very athletic, such they are often seen in dog sport competitions, especially in sheepdog trials. Border Collies bond very strongly with their owners. They have such energy that it is required that they have large amounts of space to run about in. It is important to note that though these dogs can make excellent pets, they may not be appropriate for households who have young children and cannot give this dog the exercise it needs.
Grooming and care
These dogs need a lot of daily exercise, it is hardly surprising though given the nature of this dog and what it was bred for, namely herding.
Health
The lifespan of the Border Collie can vary quite dramatically from 10 to 17 years. Their average lifespan is more like 12 years. The leading causes of death in this breed are cancer (24%) and old age (18%). Hip dysplasia and epilepsy are common health problems, as is Collie eye anomaly which is a specific genetic problem with this breed.