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Watching "One Man And His Dog" in England gave me a real appreciation of the Border Collie, and while I would never own one (or so I thought - I inadvertently adopted a Shepherd-Border Collie cross) I have a real love for the breed and respect for the people who work with them.

Border Collies have a work ethic that any manager would give his eye-teeth for. Give them a task and they won't stop until the work is done - or until you finally get fed up throwing that tennis ball. And the same look they give to "convince" the herd to obey will probably be used on you, to get you to continue with the task at hand.

Originally bred as a herder, and still used for that purposed by farmers and ranchers today, the Border Collie excels at almost any task - drug/bomb detection, search and rescue, competitive obedience and perhaps most impressively, Flyball.

Appearance
Border Collies are slightly built, with an almost perpetual herding crouch. They seem to quiver with energy. There are two types: coarse-haired or with a silkier, sleeker coat. They are generally black and white, but can also be red and white, gray and black and all black. The eyes are usually dark-brown, but one or both can be blue, especially in merles.

Border Collies are generally from 18 to 22 inches tall and weigh from 27 to 45 pounds. Because they are bred primarily as working dogs, intelligence and trainability is stressed over confirmation.

Temperament
Collie s are VERY intelligent - more so than many humans. They are also incredibly sensitive, easy to train and willing to please, but they can also be domineering - they will take control of their "herd" if necessary, and that mean you. As with many intelligent working breeds, if you don't give them something to do, they will find something, whether you like it or not.

Because of their sensitivity, they need to be well socialized at an early age, especially if they are to be around small children and animals other than sheep or other dogs.

Health problems
Although fairly hardy, they are prone to skin problems - in particular flea allergies. They can also suffer from hip dysplasia, eye troubles (Collie Eye Anomaly), epilepsy and deafness. If not given meaningful employment, or if allowed to become lonely and bored, they can become neurotic and destructive. The average life expectancy is from 12 to 15 years.

Exercise requirements
Border Collies have been bred for centuries to be a worker from sun-up to sun-down and doing a LOT of running. Even if you have sufficient stamina to keep up with their physical needs, you may not be able to keep up with their need to be challenged mentally - Border Collies truly do need gainful employment, whether it's minding a herd of sheep or children, or playing flyball.

Grooming
With their long fur, Border Collies need regular brushing, to prevent matting and keep the burrs under control. They also need to be checked regularly for ticks and fleas.

Lifestyle
Don't expect this dog to be happy in an apartment or in a small house with no room to run - unless you are a sheepherder and take them to work every day! And don't even think of keeping them chained or in a small run with no activity. They expect to work or at least to be kept busy playing, and they will make their own amusement, whether you find it amusing or not.

Learn more about this author, Pat Gray.
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