Shepherd’s Best Friend
The Border Collie Herding Dog

Fetching a ball is one thing. Being responsible for a few hundred sheep is quite another.

Think of the Border Collie as part athlete, part tightly wound coil spring--all guided by an incredibly facile mind (for a dog).

A Border Collie jumps over a 4-foot sheep pen as easily as you or I might walk through the gate. Give a regularly working Border Collie a light pat between the shoulders and you'll be struck by the solid feel of sinewy muscle made rock hard by 20 or so miles of running, dodging, walking , jumping and sprinting it does in a normal day's work.

Hundreds of years of selective breeding have made the Border Collie a herder by nature. When the shepherd is simply walking in the pen, two or three Border Collies work together to automatically keep the sheep tightly herded around the shepherd.

When herding, the collie works with head low to the ground, its hindquarters high and its tail tucked between its hind legs. Most important, it never, ever, takes its eyes off the sheep.

Unlike show dogs, or those registered with the American Kennel Club, Border Collies are judged solely by their ability to work. Which is why there is no "breed standard." They range in weight from 25 to 55 pounds and can have smooth, medium or rough coats which may be black, black and tan or reddish brown. And all Border Collies usually have some white markings.