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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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