The Border Collie is native to the English and Scottish borders and has the bloodline of the Collie working dog there, officially named in 1915 and classified by the AKC as belonging to the livestock dog group. Because of its sensitive response and good endurance, the dog has been gradually used as a sheepdog since 1873 and has been exported to many countries around the world. Because of the dog’s intelligence, it is recognized as the world’s number one dog in terms of IQ, equivalent to a 6-8 year old child, and is now mostly used as a family dog.
Latin name: Border Collie
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Subphylum Vertebrata
Genus: Canidae
Species: Wolf
Subspecies: Collie Sheepdog
Distribution area：Originally from England, originated in the 18th century.
Body type classification: medium-sized
Use: Working dog, companion dog
- Morphological characteristics
The Border Collie is the top-ranked breed in canine intelligence, first growing in the Scottish Borders, also known as the Boulder Shepherd, and was treated as a sheepdog for many years until 1915, when it was officially named “Border Collie”. He is a “workaholic type” and is so energetic that he does more than half of the world’s sheep herding work.
Morphological characteristics
Body Type
Males range from 19 to 22 inches tall at the shoulder; females range from 18 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder. Body length (distance from the end of the scapula to the rump) is slightly greater than shoulder height. Bones are strong, but not exaggerated, and proportionate to overall size. Overall proportionality of height, length, weight, and bone mass is critical and much more important than a single feature. Excess weight should not be mistaken for muscle or bone mass. Any single feature that affects the overall balance will be considered a defect.
Head
Expression: Intelligent, alert, enthusiastic and curious. Eyes: Well-divided, medium-sized, oval. Rim pigment and eye color are brown; if the primary body color is not black, the eye color will be significantly lighter. Lack of rim pigmentation is a defect. The presence of blue eyes in dogs of any color other than meteorite is a defect. Mountain bird colored dogs with one blue eye or two blue eyes; one partially blue eye or two partially blue eyes are allowed. Ears: Medium sized, well separated, with erect or semi-erect ears (keeping 1/4 to 3/4 of the ears erect). The tips of the ears point to the front or to the sides. Ears are sensitive and flexible. Head: Broad, with the posterior occipital bone not protruding. The length of the head is equal to the length of the front face. The stop is moderate, but clear. Muzzle: Slightly short, firm, and blunt, with a slightly slender nasal mirror end. The lower jaw is strong and very well developed. The color of the nosepiece is proportional to the main body color and the nostrils are well developed. The muzzle is defective when the elephant is truncated. Bite and sum: teeth and jaws are strong, with a clipped bite.
Back of the neck
Neck: proper length, firm and muscular, slightly arched, gradually widening toward the shoulders. Dorsal line: flat, slightly arched at the back of the loin. Body: Robust in appearance. The chest is moderately deep and wide, showing a great volume of chest. Chest depth reaches the elbow. Ribs well expanded. The lumbar region is moderately deep, muscular, slightly arched and without upward lift. Hips tapered backwards. Tail: low position, moderate length, tail bone extending to the fly joint. The end has an upward swirl. During full concentration on the task, the tail hangs low to maintain balance. When excited, the tail may rise to the height of the back. A slutty tail is a defect.
Forequarters
When viewed from the front, the forelimbs are well-boned and parallel to each other. When viewed from the side, the ankles are slightly angled. The scapulae are properly angled to the upper arms. The elbows are neither bent inward nor turned outward. The wolf paws can be removed. The paws are compact, ovate, with deep and firm pads and moderately rounded and compact toes.
Hindquarters
Broad and muscular, with a mildly sloping profile toward the tail. The thighs are long, wide, deep and well-muscled. The knee joints are properly angled and the fly joints are strong and low. The hind limbs are well boned, straight, parallel to each other and have very slight cowl limbs when viewed from behind. The wolf claws can be removed. The paws are compact, ovate, with deep and firm pads and moderately rounded and compact toes. The toenails are short and sturdy.
Coat
Two types are allowed: coarse hair and short hair. Both types have a soft, dense, double coat that can withstand harsh weather. Puppies have a short, soft, dense and waterproof coat. It transforms into an undercoat as an adult. Rough coat type: The coat is medium in length, flat and slightly wavy in texture, with a short, smooth facial coat. The forelimbs have feathery trimmed hairs. The hair on the hind quarters can be clipped short. With age, the coat will gradually become very wavy, which is not a defect. Short-haired type: The hair all over the body is short, the forelimbs may have trimmed hairs, and the chest hair is plentiful. [5]
Color
The Border Collie comes in many colors, in a variety of styles and markings. The most common colors are black with (or without) white bands, white collar, white socks, and white tail tip, with (or without) brown markings. All different colors of the body are allowed, with the exception of all white. Single, bi-color, tri-color and traditional colors should be treated equally in competition. Color and markings are secondary indicators in competition; body structure and gait are the primary indicators.
Gait
The Border Collie is an agile dog, capable of sudden changes of speed and direction without losing balance and grace. Endurance is the signature of this breed. Its trot has a sprawling, smooth, effortless gait. The paws are at the shortest distance from the ground, and there is no change in the back line as it glides effortlessly (smooth back line). When viewed from the side, its stride is very large while its pace frequency is very low, and its movements are quick and precise. There is no slack in the shoulders, elbows and ankles. The drive of the limbs is strong and elastic when observed from the back. The fly joints are close together, but not crossed. Deviations from the correct gait described above are defects. In the final evaluation, the gait is among the most important characteristics and is judged as such to determine whether the body structure is sound and correct.
Temperament
The Border Collie is an intelligent, alert and sensitive breed that is very friendly with friends and clearly reserved with strangers, making it an excellent watchdog. He is also an exceptional shepherd dog who is willing to learn and content with that. And thrives on human friendship. A pronounced tendency to be vicious or very shy are serious defects.
Defects
From the time the Border Collie entered China, the criteria for determining this began to change, and soon there were the seven whites in place, through the neck and through the legs. This misinformation has existed and intensified to this day, and even more so when the term fancy defects was introduced, believing that a bad fancy is a defect. If you want to talk about color defects, there is only one: white can not be the main color of the border herd.
Disqualifying conditions
Any deviation from this standard is considered a defect, the severity of which depends on the degree of deviation from this standard, and if the deviation is too great, it is considered a disqualification.
- Personality traits
Studies by canine behaviorists have shown that the Border Collie has the highest IQ in the world. He was born to herd sheep, and it doesn’t take more than five times to teach him to learn a new knowledge before he can do it, and the best part is that he is actually 95% likely to obey the first muzzle. A smart Border Collie can learn a lot without professional training, but he will fight with you as much as possible. By doing so, he will make you understand his intentions. He is full of energy all over, but normally they don’t move their muscles on their own, they just dig or chew to pass the boring time. They like sports such as catching a ball or Frisbee, swimming, jogging, running with a bicycle and hiking. The Border Collie is tenacious and docile, with a keen, alert, sensitive temperament that is neither vicious nor shy. It is intelligent, easy to train, gentle, loyal and obedient. The Collie has strong shepherding instincts, is intelligent by nature, can read words, can really understand the instructions of the master, has been used as a sheepdog for many years, can drive the sheep to move through the eyes of the gaze
The Border Collie is energetic, alert and enthusiastic. His intelligence is comparable to that of a 6-8 year old child, and his intelligence is a major characteristic. He is very friendly with friends and clearly reserved with strangers, and is friendly with children. He is also an exceptional shepherd who is happy and content to learn. And thrives on human friendship. Suitable for living outdoors and needing lots of exercise, the Border Collie is not only a great pet and companion dog for life, but also a great watchdog for families. He can be at home with his owner watching TV, talking and playing. You will feel very proud to have him in your life.
- Conservation knowledge
The Border Collie is a large dog with a medium length double coat that will become the undercoat of the adult dog as a puppy and the outer coat will grow out as the dog ages. The Border Collie will have a major shedding episode each spring when they change out their winter undercoat. Bitches that do not have their ovaries removed will also shed, being when they are in heat and when they are weaning their puppies.
Border Collies should be well groomed, at least three times a week. This is very important for several reasons: first of all it is a good opportunity to get close to your dog and be able to check them for dog ticks, flea infestations, lumps, ear infections, damage to flesh pads, and other such things that need attention. You should have the following inspection or care equipment: puppy brushes, regular brushes, brushes with pins and bristles, combs for combing long hair, cutters or knives for knotting hair (use with care), quality nail clippers, hemostatic powders or miles, quality dog baths or shampoos, conditioners, etc. (do not use human products), dog toothbrushes and toothpaste (also do not use human products).
Start with a puppy and only use a soft brush and brush gently until its hair grows out, otherwise you will hurt your puppy’s skin and make them very uncomfortable, which can also lead to many problems later on. When you are grooming your puppy, you want to give him lots of praise or praise, and you want him to feel that it is something enjoyable. Brush all parts of your puppy’s body thoroughly, paying special attention to the hair behind the ears, the hair under the front legs and the tail, all of which are prone to tangles. Cut your puppy’s toes (the pink part that grows out) once a week, it will help your dog’s paws grow compact and dense. If you let the toenails keep growing, the dog’s paws will separate. After the puppy is a year old, depending on the length of his toenails, they may be clipped once every two weeks. Both puppies and older dogs should not be bathed more than twice in a month, even when they are very dirty. If they are bathed too much, their coats will be very dry.
For adult dogs, start by brushing the hair behind the ears, under the front legs and inside with a puppy brush, those are very tender areas, so the puppy brush is softer and gentler.
Next, brush the entire dog over and over again with a regular brush, starting with the head, which will help sweep out broken hairs (which can cause tangles). It is a good idea to use a plastic bag to collect these broken hairs. Make sure you get to the hind legs (which are especially prone to tangles) and the tail (some dogs have particularly puffy tails), and then gently comb through them again with a comb.
If you find an area that is not smooth, grab the hair in that area with one hand and hold the comb with the other to smooth it out. It is best to grab a little less hair at a time and comb it in several passes. If there are large tangles, use a cutter or knife for tangled hairs and aim the pointed side at the tangled part to remove it. Be very careful when doing this, as you can easily injure your dog and yourself.
If you come across a knot that is very bad, it is best to take him to a professional care provider. Finally, groom your dog with a brush with pins and bristles. Use the side with the bristles to comb the dog’s face and body, then use the side with the club to comb the hair on the tail and butt. Next you should clip your dog’s nails, brush his teeth and check his ears for any signs of inflammation or unpleasant odors that are precursors to a visit to the veterinarian.
Remember to groom your dog thoroughly before giving him a bath. Once the knot gets wet it will get tighter and tighter to the point where it is simply impossible to get it out and then the only way to get it out is to cut it. Kinks can be very painful for dogs, especially if they become very tight. Bathe the dog in a tub or shower (I personally prefer to use the shower. Dogs don’t like to stand in dirty water and dogs like a water massage).
Dogs, like people, do not like to bathe in cold water. In addition, the dog will be washed more clean with warm water. Of course the water temperature should be about the same as the room temperature or just a little hot. If the dog shivers while washing, then the water is too cold, and if it is panting then the water is too hot (remember, dogs get hot easily so watch these carefully).
Use a special shampoo that can be washed down with water in a basin before bathing the dog with a towel or sponge. Remember to protect the dog’s ears when you give them a flush. And wash the dog’s face (around the eyes, nose and mouth area) with a towel soaked in water. I always soap my dogs twice and rinse twice (you’ll be surprised how much more dirt washes off during the second wash).
Next use conditioner (if needed) then rinse thoroughly. Otherwise there will be a sticky film on the dog’s fur that will stick to the dirt easily. You can dry the dog with a towel or blow dry with a low temperature air dryer. Do not let the dog go outside until it is completely dry (there is nothing like a wet coat to get dusty).
When the dog is dry, brush it again. Remember that before giving the dog a bath it is best to let it outside to clean up its intestines and stomach. Of course, the bath should also be completed before feeding the dog.
Also use a lot of rewards when bathing. Remember that your dog’s fur health comes from within (i.e., proper nutrition), and this is to ensure that his fur is shiny and gorgeous from the inside out.
If he has nutritional deficiencies or health issues, don’t give your dog too many baths, which will make his coat look a little shinier.
If the dog’s nutrition is appropriate, but the coat looks a little dull or dry, you’ll want to suspect worms in the coat or a thyroid problem and you’ll want to take him to the doctor.
If the dog likes to rub his butt, the vast majority of them are problems with the anal glands of the Soleil, which are more likely to become inflamed if the Soleil that often eats meat often does not squeeze the anus. The anal glands should be cleaned regularly.
- Feeding Essentials
The Border Collie ranks first in canine intelligence and has been praised by many pet lovers, so the price for sale on the market is relatively high. However, there are still many people who buy him for breeding. We need to know that even a smart dog needs a healthy diet and training to nurture it later. So what should be the most reasonable diet for the Border Collie?
1. Frequency and time of feeding
The number of feedings per day is roughly as follows: After weaning to three months old: three to four times Three to six months old: two to three times Six months to one year old: two times One year old or more: one or two times Feeding time can match your work and rest schedule, but it is not as good as feeding, but also consider walking your Border Collie after meals and large and small urine, clearing the potty and washing the dishes. Wash the bowl immediately after a meal so that the residue doesn’t attract mice, roaches, ants, or too much food left over to rot from the sun and rain. At the same time, take away the bowl so that he won’t get bored and play with it, or even chew it up. As for how much to feed, usually follow the instructions to give, and then adjust according to whether there is left over from the last feeding.
2 Buy imported food considerations
Buy imported food, as far as possible to find the Chinese instructions, and with the line number of the importer phone. Because the canned food coming across the sea may exceed the expiration date, if there is odor, mold. If there is odor, mold, dampness, long insects, immediately ask the boss to return and exchange, no need to be polite. After opening, must be properly stored, cans to be put in the refrigerator, dry food to be sealed. The first time you buy, do not buy too much, you can buy a small amount of two or three, to see the reaction of the small border collie after eating; including palatability. The degree of digestion and absorption, as well as the shape of the excrement. Each breed says their product is the best, cheap and big bowl, you may want to consult your doctor and experienced people.
3. How much is the right amount to eat
Give the Border Collie a meal as long as seven percent full, do not overdo it, let it lick the bowl lick it to the end; eat most of it plus run and jump after the meal, it is easy to spit out the original. The side shepherd that is always locked in the cage, eating is their rare entertainment, so it will be like a hungry ghost general greed, do not be fooled by them, think really hungry. However, Border Collies that are always underfed, not very active, and have bad bowel movements may be really sick, and it is best to take them to the doctor. When you want to change your dog’s food, don’t change it all at once. Mix in half of the new food each time, try it for two or three days, gradually increase the new portion, and then use all the new food after a week. This is how the Border Collie’s digestive system can adapt to it, otherwise it will easily get dysentery. Many people think that Border Collies are meant to chew bones, but in fact, chewing bones can easily block the Border Collie’s intestinal tract, making it constipated and causing vomiting and poor appetite. Chicken bones in particular should never be used, as they are small and brittle, and can easily block the esophagus and pierce the stomach and intestines. When feeding, be sure to give plenty of water at the same time. It is not necessary to use distilled water or boiled water, their intestines do not care about this. In short, feed regularly, quantitatively, and at regular intervals so that the little Border Collie is happy and the whole family is happy.
The first question for those who have never come across a Border Collie before is what to feed the Border Collie? How do you feed it? In the past, Border Collie food was not available, so owners mostly fed their Border Collies with leftovers, or chicken and chicken necks, saving money but hassle. Now there is a wide variety of Border Collie food, both domestic and imported, at popular prices, which is very convenient.
4. Types of border collie food
Border collie food mainly has two categories of dry food and canned food, another is the snack category of large cookies, deodorant cookies, beef jerky and so on. The main nutritional content of various brands is similar, and those with high prices have special food formulas that are considered differently for various ages and breeds, so you can compare them in advance. According to the growth age, let the dog eat the appropriate border collie food. Don’t confuse young dogs with puppy food, adult dogs with adult food, old Border Collies with old Border Collies, and fat Border Collies with fat Border Collies, lest you get too fat or too thin. Dry food has a more stable, average nutritional composition. Border collie children from chewing, you can incidentally clean dental calculus and stop itching. However, if there is a problem with urinary stones, avoid dry food unless that is a prescription diet for stones. The nutritional content of canned food varies depending on the price point. High-priced ones are made of better materials; low-priced canned food is mostly unstirred offal, which has the advantage of less loss of vitamins and better palatability, but the disadvantage of more meat and stronger odor in the stool, which makes it easier to grow dental calculus after eating for a long time. Dry food is not as tasty as canned food, but it is easy to digest and absorb, and the bowel movements are not so smelly.
Snacks can be used during life training and basic training when the Border Collie gets the prize right. Snacks that people eat should not be given to Border Collie pictures often, as they can easily spoil his appetite. Chewing gum, ice cream, cake, these desserts less touch is better, on the one hand, easy to decay teeth. It is also easy to get fat on the one hand. After eating more sweet, the biggest problem is to cause the border collie no appetite for meals.
5. Different kinds of Border Collies have different portions
When the Border Collie is born, it eats its mother’s milk; when it grows teeth and is weaned, it can start feeding it liquid food, canned meat with warm boiling water to make a paste, or young dry food softened with hot water. At two months of age, you can start eating large border collie food.
Large Border Collies are big and grow fast, so you can add some calcium powder and other nutritional products to your regular meals, but you must take them according to your doctor’s instructions and the recommendations in the manual. Some people who have large Border Collies like to feed them raw meat to get them used to the blood, which is very dangerous; because uncooked meat, raw is dangerous. Secondly, after eating raw meat habitually, when the owner forgets to feed them or abandons them, they may endanger people. Many Border Collies have attacked people because of this.
Border Collies should not be ambiguous, they should not be so fond of them that when it comes time to feed them, they are afraid of the trouble and feed them leftover soup or cheap canned food. The Border Collie’s gut will not be able to handle it if it is fed this way for a long time. In addition, inexpensive canned food contains too much liver, and will grow dental calculus after eating for a long time. In short, you must be careful when feeding your Border Collie, and a balanced diet will allow the Border Collie to grow up healthy.
