The breed originated in the lowland and border counties of England and Scotland and may date back to the 1700s. The ancestors of the border collie are thought to be other types of collies, such as the bearded collie and Scotch collie, and some breed historians believe spaniel might be in the mix somewhere.
They come from a cross between a Roman breed and a Viking breed. Although the Border Collie was bred along the border between Scotland and England, they do not come from either a Scottish or English breed. Instead, the Border Collie is actually a mix of a Roman herding breed and a Viking Spitz-variety herding breed.
If the Border Collie had a doppelganger out there, it would be the Shadow Shepherd. Also known as the English Shepherd, this medium-sized breed usually comes with white, cream, and black coats. They are also highly trainable, intelligent, and considered outdoorsy.
For example, a mix of Labrador Retriever and American Pit Bull Terrier could look quite a bit like a Border Collie; the black coat could come from either breed, and Pits frequently have white markings.
To someone unfamiliar with the two breeds of dogs they might look nearly identical, distinguished only by Aussies having a docked tail and Border Collies having a long natural tail. However, the breeds come with different origin, temperament, talents, training challenges and characteristics.
The border collie is a bit more lean and compact than the Australian shepherd, who sports a hardy muscular physique. While they're close to the same height—roughly 18–23 inches—a border collie and Australian shepherd differ in weight by as much as 15 pounds, with the Aussie often heavier.
While both breeds descended from the European collie, the Australian Shepherd also has ancestors from German or Spanish sheepdogs. Aussies are and American breed while border collies are native to the Anglo-Scottish border.
In fact, Coren ranks the poodle second among the smartest dog breeds, right after the border collie. And yes, sure, the dogs can look a bit posh, but they've also been employed during wartime to deliver supplies to soldiers on the battlefield.
Shetland Sheepdogs As Family Pets. For those that love the look of the Collie but don't want a large sized dog, a Shetland Sheepdog may be the perfect compromise. This smaller sized look alike to the Rough Coated Collie is intelligent, loyal, and can be easily trained.
White. White Border Collies are the rarest and sometimes have health problems due to lack of pigment. Most Border Collies have white markings, but pure white coats are rare in this breed. Most Border Collie breeders will actively try not to breed pure white dogs for good reason–they often come with health problems.
Border Collies' heritage stems from sheep herding, making them excellent watchdogs; they're well suited to anyone who loves a good walk and has time to spend outdoors. But many forget that they also love cuddling and bonding with their owners, making them the best of both worlds!
Border Collies usually prefer to bond to one person. They have an inherited instinct to do so because they are designed to work with one person as a team. In family situations this can cause problems when the chosen leader is absent.
Additionally, the study's results equated the intelligence of border collies to that of a young human child (Pilley & Reid, 2011). Blue's toy collection is much smaller than Chaser's 1000+, but he can perform very similar activities!
We cannot talk about the Border Collie without talking about his intelligence. Dog experts widely agree that the Border Collie is an intelligent workaholic. They are capable of learning a remarkable number of words and commands, and they are happiest when they are put to work every day.
Border Collies are known for their unwavering devotion to their owners, They are affectionate, loving, and loyal creatures, sometimes to a fault. They are also bred to be working dogs and to look to their owners for directions.
Border Collie - The Most Intelligent Dog Breed
What makes the Border Collie the smartest dog in the world is their exceptional ability to understand and follow complex commands. Known for their advanced herding skills, Border Collies have a keen instinct and excellent problem-solving abilities.
Border Collie
The valedictorians of the dog world, these herders took the top spot in Stanley Coren's intelligence rankings, meaning most can learn a new command in under five repetitions and follow it at least 95% of the time.
The Border-Aussie is a crossbreed of two of the most well-known and popular of the herding dog breeds, the Australian Shepherd and the Border Collie.
The Border Collie is a barking breed. They are easily visually stimulated which is often why they bark so much. They will bark at anything that moves quickly, such as bikes, skate boards and the like.
Border Collies are good family dogs because they like a lot of activity. Busy families will need to include them in their activities, or they can become destructive when bored. Border Collies need to be trained early not to herd young children and other pets.
Border Collies and Kelpies are much different from each other and both possess unique qualities. It is considered that Kelpies are much better and smarter than Border Collies, which can withstand the rugged outback conditions of Australia.
They are extremely active dogs that do best when they have a job. Their natural herding abilities can lead to herding anything that moves, including children and small animals. Border Collies are generally a healthy breed with an average lifespan of 12-15 years.
The Border Collie and Australian Kelpie have many similarities in size, weight, activity, and intelligence, so it comes as no surprise a Border Collie Kelpie mix will have similar traits. Both breeds, and the cross breed, fall under the category of “herding dog” or sheepdogs.