Border Collie

AKC Group: Herding

Club: Border Collie Society of America

Corresponding Secretary : Laura Wright
Address: 2005 Sussex Dr, Mount Dora, FL , 32757-6617
Website: www.bordercolliesociety.com
Club Type: Specialty

General Apperance:

The Border Collie is a well balanced, medium-sized dog of athletic appearance, displaying style and agility in equal measure with soundness and strength. Its hard, muscular body conveys the impression of effortless movement and endless endurance. The Border Collie is extremely intelligent, with its keen, alert expression being a very important characteristic of the breed. Any aspect of structure or temperament that would impede the dog's ability to function as a herding dog should be severely faulted. The Border Collie is, and should remain, a natural and unspoiled true working sheep dog whose conformation is described herein. Honorable scars and broken teeth incurred in the line of duty are acceptable.

Size:

The height at the withers varies from 19" to 22" for males, 18" to 21" for females. The body, from prosternum to point of buttocks, is slightly longer than the height at the withers with the length to height ratio being approximately 10:9. Bone must be strong, medium being correct but lighter bone is preferred over heavy. Overall balance between height, length, weight and bone is crucial and is more important than any absolute measurement. Dogs must be presented in hard working condition. Excess body weight is not to be mistaken for muscle or substance. Any single feature of size appearing out of proportion should be considered a fault.

Coat:

Two varieties are permissible, both having close-fitting, dense, weather resistant double coats with the top coat either straight or wavy and coarser in texture than the undercoat which is soft, short and dense. The rough variety is medium in length without being excessive. Forelegs, haunches, chest and underside are feathered and the coat on face, ears, feet, fronts of legs is short and smooth. The smooth variety is short over entire body, is usually coarser in texture than the rough variety and may have slight feathering on forelegs, haunches, chest and ruff. Neither coat type is preferred over the other. Seasonal shedding is normal and should not be penalized. The Border Collie's purpose as an actively working herding dog shall be clearly evident in its presentation. Excess hair on the feet, hock and pastern areas may be neatened for the show ring. Whiskers are untrimmed.

Temperament:

The Border Collie is energetic, intelligent, keen, alert, and responsive. An intense worker of great tractability, it is affectionate towards friends but may be sensibly reserved towards strangers. When approached, the Border Collie should stand its ground. It should be alert and interested, never showing fear, dullness or resentment. Any tendencies toward viciousness, nervousness or shyness are very serious faults.

History:

The exact origins of the domestic dog are locked in time and subject to speculation, but it is clear that after the development of dogs used by man to hunt, sheepdogs of various kinds were created worldwide to protect the flocks. Since Biblical times, flocks of goats, sheep, and cattle were the measure of individual wealth. Consequently, the development of a reliable dog to drive and protect these flocks was a primary concern. Sheepdogs of all breeds are noted for their sagacity, intelligence, and trainability. Rather than savage a flock as a wild dog would, sheepdogs willingly protect it. And it is this active ability of the dog to serve and respond to a master's bidding which clearly demarcates C. familiaris from any of the wild canids. These are the traits of workability which were selected for in the development of the various sheepdog breeds.

The craft of tending sheep was introduced to the British Isles by the Romans. Various Celtic clans soon created their own varieties of sheepdogs to work these flocks. These dogs became associated with their regions and were later known as Welsh Sheepdogs, Northern Sheepdogs, Highland Collies, Scotch Collies, and so on. While the antecedents of the Border Collie developed throughout the British Isles, its Scottish heritage is evident in the Scottish dialect word, "collie," used to describe these dogs. Thomas Bewick's wood engravings in The History of Quadrupeds , a pre-1800 work, resemble both the smooth and rough varieties of today's breed.

In 1860, classes for "Scotch Sheep Dogs" were offered at the Birmingham Dog Society the second dog show ever held in England. On a trip to Balmoral a short time later, Queen Victioria saw her first Collie and became an active enthusiast of the breed. It is at this point that the divergence between our modern Collie and the traditional shepherd's dog began. However, today's Border Collie has remained a true working animal with very little change from the original type.

Credit is given to Mr. R.J. Lloyd Price for the institution of sheepdog trials. In 1876, he brought 100 wild Welsh sheep to the Alexandra Palace in London for a demonstration. Three sheep were picked out of the flock, which had been guided to a remote corner of the park, and were carried to a far hill and released. The sheepdogs' responsibilities were to fold the sheep into a small pen in the middle of the park. An account in the Live Stock Journal described the astonishment of the spectators at the intelligence of the dogs whose only assistance was in the form of hand signals and whistles from their masters. It is this astonishing ability which serious Border Collie breeders wish to retain in the breed, above all else.

Recognized worldwide as the premier sheepherding dog, known for its obedience, trainability and natural appearance, the Border Collie was given Herding Group designation and became eligible for full recognition status on October 1, 1995.