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Although the Border Collie is a relatively young
breed, they also have one of the most mysterious and debated histories
of the dog world.
It is known that the breed started in the late 1800’s in England by
dog enthusiast and sheep farmer Adam Telfer. It is believed that
Telfer bred together an ancient breed of herding dog, known up to that
point as a Shepherds Dogge, and another breed of dog known as the
Pastoral Shepard brought to England centuries before when it was
controlled by Rome.
Out of his breeding program was born the very first Border Collie,
named Old Hemp, in 1893. Old Hemp was black and white and was the
original and perfect example of what Telfer had been trying to
achieve, the perfect sheep herding dog. Prior to Old Hemp the
Shepherds Dogge was most popular among English and Scottish farmers,
but known for being apt to ignore their trainer and focus solely on
chasing livestock. The Pastoral Shepard was the next popular breed,
which was not as good at herding sheep, but was known for being
extremely intelligent, loyal, and trainable. As the story goes Telfer
was able to successfully breed these dogs together and create a new
breed that exhibited the best qualities of both of the breeds it came
from.
The breed was originally known as the Shepherd Collie. The term
Shepard was obvious, taken from the breed’s popularity with sheep
farmers. The Collie part of the name is still highly debated and
contested as to its source. There are many theories, but the one with
the most credible sources is that the word came from a German word
“Kuli” which is pronounced the same as the British word “Coolie” which
means worker. It is believed that this word made it into the British
language due to the last remaining Gaelic provinces in Britain and
Scotland bordering on Germany. The Gaelic’s got along with Germans
better than their country folk who considered them witches and had
tried to exterminate them or convert them in the past. The Gaelic’s
adopted many German words which eventually became part of the British
language as some Gaelics converted to Christianity.
The name of the breed was officially changed to Border Collie in 1918
by James Reid, the secretary of the International Sheepdog Society at
the time. The word border was used because of the high popularity
among the sheep farmers living in the border regions of Britain and
Scotland.
Thanks to the popularity of the dog the breed had
many supporters who were able to ensure its continued survival. The
Border Collie has had many notable breeders, including J.M. Wilson who
bred champion show dogs and devoted his time almost exclusively to
Border Collie’s beginning in the 1920’s. |
Unfortunately for many working dogs used for livestock herding, modern
transportation advancements made the herding dog obsolete. Many breeds
of herding dog, including the Pastoral Shepherd and the Shepherds
Dogge, died out and faded into history. Relatively few herding dogs
survived the advent of modern technology, but thanks to its popularity
as a pet the Border Collie has continued to survive and thrive to this
day. The Border Collie continues to be used as a work dog in order to
herd livestock in several small pockets of the U.S. and Great Britain.
Unlike most other purebred dogs the
Border Collie was never bred to have a certain or specific look, but
to have desirable and positive characteristics to be used as a work
dog. This is why dog shows do not often show Border Collie’s as a show
dog, but instead rate them on their ability to perform farm work and
commands from their handler instead of appearance. Because of the
breeding emphasis on intelligence and instinct, as opposed to looks,
Border Collie’s can come in a variety of colors. The most common
coloring is black and white, but Border Collies can also appear red
and white, brown and white, mostly white, sable, black and tan, even
what is known as blue merle. Collie’s can also have almost any eye
color or combination of eye colors. Border Collies have a double coat
of fur, and in most cases their coat is long and shaggy, but there are
also some lines of short haired Collies. What is important to the
Border Collie breeder is not the outward appearance, but the dogs
ability to learn and follow complex commands.
The Border Collie is extremely intelligent which makes it a prime
working dog and easily trainable for complex tasks, it also has a
bundle of energy, so often needs to be given tasks or work to do in
order to keep from getting into trouble. The Border Collie is also
known for not being fond of strangers, making it a both a good dog for
protection, but also a potential nuisance when in the presence of
unexpected guests. The Border Collie will become very attached and
loyal to the members of its family, protecting them at every
opportunity. When new people join the family the Border Collie will
often treat them as a stranger at first and do its best to keep that
person away from family members. Over time the dog will eventually
recognize the new member as a part of the family and treat them with
the same concern and protection.
The Border Collie can be a very enjoyable pet to own and can be taught
to do many tricks and tasks that would stump other breeds. They can be
good with children who are taught the proper respect of the animal or
who have grown up with or raised the dog from early stages. Border
Collie’s are extremely loyal and are very well loved by their owners
and breeders.
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