Historical data of the breed, the appearance of the Border Collie, character traits and health, advice on care, training, interesting facts. Purchase, price of a puppy. These dogs are excellent sports companions with unlimited enthusiasm. They will work as long as they like to make you happy. Animals approach their business responsibly. These are the smartest dogs, but that doesn't mean they don't need to be trained. But it is a pleasure to train them - the pets catch everything on the fly. Compared to other breeds, they are true professors of intelligence. When people think of a person's best friends, you immediately think of them.
Historical data of the Border Collie breed
The word "border", translated in English means - border. The word "call" means coal in Scottish dialect. Scottish sheep have black muzzles and therefore, the locals call them the coll, or diminutive collie. The exact geographic point where the breed originated does not exist.
For British farmers, border collies are first and foremost colleagues. They are treated with appropriate respect. Animals understand people perfectly. Four-legged shepherds are very hardy. In one day of work on the farm, they can run about eighty kilometers. The level of understanding with the owner is simply prohibitive. To carry out commands, he does not even need words, it is enough just to whistle correctly. In British weather conditions, this helps. You do not shout in the wind for a long time, so you can get sick.
This behavior of these dogs is due to the fact that the instinct of the pursuer is very strong in them. This innate quality was passed on to them from their distant ancestors - wolves. Once, at the dawn of our civilization, for herding, people selected gambling, but well-controlled domestic wolves, which later gradually turned into herding dogs. Despite the fact that a lot of time has passed since then, some of their wild habits can be traced to this day.
The first detailed descriptions of the canines that grazed cattle on the borders of Great Britain and Scotland can be found in a book called: "English dogs". This edition was published in 1576. All purebred Border Collies are descended from a dog named "Old Hempf". He was born in 1893 in the north of England, in the county of Northumberland. This dog began to take part in various herding competitions at the age of one year and has not lost a single competition. To this day, no one has broken his record.
In England, everything is usually divided into classes, categories and castes. In this country, border collies can be registered with two organizations: the kenel club - the community of show dogs, and the international herding canine association. If it is easy enough for "hard workers" to get a certificate of a show dog, then written beauties, in order to confirm their certificate of belonging to the breed, need to pass the most difficult exam in the association of shepherd dogs.
Border collies have appeared in Russia relatively recently. The national club of lovers of these shepherd dogs was created in 2005 during an international exhibition of all breeds of dogs called "Evraser". Now in the country they are gaining great popularity.
Description of the appearance of the border collie
The Border Collie is an active, energetic herding dog, ready to work continuously. The gait is smooth, allowing for maneuvers. Height at the withers in males from 47 to 55 cm, bitches from 45 to 52 cm. Weight from 13 to 22 kg.
- The head is slightly wider than average. The occipital part is not pronounced, the cheekbones are moderate.
- Muzzle equal in length to the skull, tapering towards the nose. The transition to the frontal part is clearly visible. The jaws are well developed, with white teeth and a scissor bite. Lips dry, dark pigmented.
- Nose - harmonious, with pronounced nostrils. Its pigmentation depends on the color. Black is black, brown is brown. But in individuals of blue color - gray-coffee.
- Eyes border collie wide fit, oval size. The color of the cornea is determined by the color of the dog. They can be: light or dark brown. In merle color - blue or one blue, the other brown. Has a point-blank gaze, called - "eye". So they show the herd who is in charge.
- Ears located widely enough. Medium, triangular. They can be either hanging or standing.
- Neck - of sufficient length, has a smooth bend, becomes wider towards the body.
- Frame mesomorphic addition, long format. The chest is deep and broad. The back is lowered in the tail area. The ribs are not bulging, the lower abdomen is tucked up.
- Tail - low position, reaches the hock joints, bends towards the top. It is covered with beautiful, long and fluffy hair. When moving, the collie lifts it up.
- Limbs erect, moderately strong build. There is a necessary distance between the shoulder blades, which allows the dog to move smoothly like a cat. The hind legs are slightly sloped at the tail. The thighs are mesomorphic.
- Paws in the form of a cat, in a ball. The toes are close to each other. Strong nails.
- Coat a border collie with a soft, dense undercoat. Guard hair, the longest in the region of the neck, trunk and thighs. Muzzle, ears, forelegs and feet are covered with shorter and smoother hair. Among the breed line, there may be individuals with shorter or smoother coats.
- Color versatile is allowed, but not with a dominant white. It happens: two-color, three-color, tan, merle, blue.
Character features of the border collie
These dogs are so good because they are purposeful. They can repeat an action over and over again. If they have learned something, they will persevere in this lesson. That is why they make such good shepherds. It is almost impossible to stop them. People love them for their good learning ability and quick wits.
Borders are real energizing athletes. They love to run and move. They have a very good return on work. Any training will be successful and will bring them only joy. For this quality they are so appreciated by employees of search services, who in their business must rely on the animal as a reasonable and reliable partner.
Its parameters are also suitable. The dog is a light weight category, and it is not difficult to get down from a helicopter with it. If necessary, they keep concentration for a very long time. These dogs, as postmen, can work in rain, slush and hail. They do not care at all if it is wet outside or frosty.
Border Collies excel in a variety of professions. They can be great shepherds, lifeguards, guides, athletes, and even actors. Discipline, diligence and incredible intelligence of this breed make them the dream of any filmmaker. For example, the Russian director Maxim Speshnikov, in his debut work, Furry Fir-Trees, entrusted the main roles and the performance of the most difficult stunt stunts, the Cavalier Charles Spaniel "Penny", and the Border Collie named "Ice". All the tricks that are shown on the screen are not editing, and not computer graphics, but the result of the painstaking work of trainer Alexandra Stepanova and her charges.
As a rule, these dogs are extremely friendly to people. They always want to please their owners. Borders should never be punished by assault. These are very smart dogs and if you understand how they think, then it will not be difficult for you to correct their behavior. There must be trust between the owner and the pet. Everything must be done gradually. They love space and exercise, but hate crowds. Dogs are sensitive to noise and sports to begin with, they do not need to be engaged in group classes. You have to be careful but persistent.
In addition to physical exertion, they need to be given mental ones. If you do not work in this direction, then your pet may get into a "mess", which will lead to trouble. If they go somewhere, they calculate the route. They even know how to open gates and doorknobs.
Health and care tips for the border collie
Border Collies are quite healthy and live to be 14 years old. They are renowned for their advanced intelligence, strict work ethic, and high energy levels. They may have eye and hip problems. Therefore, you need to carefully check the pedigree before purchasing a pet.
- Wool first of all, the dogs should be combed out. This is done with a slicker or trimmer. During the molting period, the pet is combed more often, thus helping to quickly get rid of the dead undercoat. Products for bathing procedures should be only for animals. If you are buying a pet with human means, there can be serious skin and hair problems. For example, dandruff and hair loss will appear. First, the shampoo is diluted with water in the correct proportion and beat well. The collie has a thick undercoat, so it is not washed with hands, but with a sponge. It is advisable to apply the concentrate foam at least two times on the pet's damp fur coat. After, it is well washed off, and a balm is used. This will restore the natural pH balance and keep your pet's scent fresh for a long time.
- Ears inspected from time to time and, if necessary, cleaned.
- Eyes check constantly. Border collies have genetic eye diseases. If you notice that something is amiss, immediately contact your veterinarian.
- Teeth teach to clean from an early age. After all, regular, preventive procedures, treatment of periodontal disease and removal of tartar are better.
- Claws cut regularly to keep your furniture and wallpaper intact. Nature is arranged in such a way that they need to be constantly constrained. If the claws are not trimmed for a long time, the dog's toes may become deformed.
- Feeding - depending on the choice of the owner. Some people find ready-made concentrates harmful and prepare their own food. This is a big misconception. The food of renowned manufacturers contains all the necessary substances, vitamins and minerals for the successful development of the dog and its vigorous well-being. And homemade food is time-consuming and you cannot clearly coordinate its composition.
- Walking should be twice a day. But this does not only involve taking your pet to the toilet. Borders are hardworking workers and require a certain amount of work. This involves practicing various sports with the owner, or overcoming obstacles on the dog's playground. In any case, one exit to the street, in terms of duration, must take at least an hour of active walking. Otherwise, the pet will be irritable, and will direct the energy into a destructive channel. Every day, returning from work, you may find unexpected "surprises" in your home. I doubt you will enjoy this.
Border collie training
Training is, first of all, the contact of the animal with the owner and joint work. When the pet has learned something, it is very interesting to go from simple to complex, coming up with new activities of increased complexity. Only mutual understanding and close contact will lead to success. Even if your dog was born with remarkable intelligence, he needs regular training. To keep your pet interested, focus his attention on play.
Very successfully quick-witted boarders participate in agility competitions, which means agility in translation. All participants in the competition, both humans and dogs, must meet this quality. The average speed of movement of these dogs across the site is five meters per second.
Such extraordinary physical data, and love for all kinds of games, make collies the consummate masters in these competitions. Agility is the most democratic sport. It can be practiced by people of all ages, without exception, as well as dogs of all breeds. The presence of a pedigree does not matter, the main thing is that the person and his dog like what they are doing.
Initially, it was not a sport, but an entertainment event at exhibitions for people who are bored during breaks. It was invented by two Englishmen: Peter Lewis and Peter Minua. Once, these two gentlemen were in show jumping competition, where horses overcome obstacles. Suddenly the thought occurred to them that this is exactly what they can do with dogs.
The first time, this was demonstrated at the world famous Kraft exhibition in 1978. The success was deafening. The path from exotic entertainment to the first World Agility Championship took eighteen years for the enthusiasts of this sport.
Its rules are simple. A square 50 by 50 meters and obstacles located on it in the form of: various barriers, tunnels, slides, swings and wheels. The one who passed the tangled track faster and cleaner won. You cannot train your pet for the track. The number of shells and their placement becomes known to the participants no earlier than five minutes before the start of the competition. When controlling a dog, only voice and gestures can be used. For the slightest violation, penalty points are awarded.
Interesting facts about the breed
In order for the border collie to be able to communicate with its “commander” so easily, a certain training method is needed. The method is based on the fact that man does not dominate the animal. When the shepherd is lying on the ground, the owner from one point gives her commands before the dog begins to move and move away from this pressure. A person is always in the same place, the border collie sees him as a friend and tries to work, since she has the ability to make her own decisions, and not carry out others.
When you need to start driving the sheep, they command: "work." "Come in" is a command to turn left, and the herd is on the right. If you need to turn it to the right, command "away". If the command to the dog "lie down", then it stops the herd. During work, the border collie can push the animal or prancing around, but will never bite it. They owe such an amazing endurance to the qualities fixed at the genetic level.
In Great Britain, a specimen of the breed named "Chaser" knows about a thousand words. Now he teaches new ones, and those that he remembered before, he knows how to divide into categories. How is this possible? For three years, a group of psychologists was engaged in special training with the dog.
Purchase and price of a Border Collie puppy
The Border Collie has at the genetic level, the ability to graze is laid, which is why professional breeders will never be allowed to be aggressive, not independent or not smart enough. It is very easy to lose line quality. Therefore, there are national championships among herding dogs. World championships are needed to identify those dogs that are suitable for selection. Therefore, serious breeders try to participate in them.
All puppies born in Russia are in no way inferior to their English relatives. This versatile breed has many different uses, so when choosing a puppy, you need to consider what your collie will do in the future. If you have a pet for sports, then the puppy should be active, mobile, with a great desire to work. Take for a show, the dog can be calmer, but with a more beautiful exterior.
If you have no previous experience with canines, you need to think carefully before adopting a Border Collie. If you don't know how to handle them, they will drive you crazy, destroying everything in the house. They are very energetic and you need to know how to properly engage and train your dog. Therefore, either take a simpler breed or regularly train with a collie on the site in the presence of a professional trainer.
The cost of puppies is considerable. The approximate price can range from $ 1,500 to $ 2,000.
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