The Border Collie is a working and herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep.  They are known for their intense stare, or 'eye', with which they control their flock.  They were specifically bred for their intelligence and obedience and are often cited as the most intelligent of domestic dogs.

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They are dogs with unlimited energy, stamina and working drive and are still used today to herd sheep on farms and ranches around the world.  The highly trainable and intelligent Border Collie is also acrobatic and athletic and excels in various canine sports, including obedience, flyball, agility and flying disc competitions.  Border Collies have a highly developed sense of smell and together with their high drive they make excellent and highly motivated tracking dogs, and they have been used for search and rescue as well as substance detection.  Their friendly and companionable nature has also made them popular as therapy dogs.

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A Border Collie is a constant companion and is always willing to please.   They need exercise and mental stimulation and thrive on being kept busy.   Since Border Collies were bred to herd livestock, in the absence of sheep they like to herd and chase anything that moves, such as bicycles, cars, cats and children.  They are also known for their 'houdini' expertise and have been known to dig their way under or jump over any fence, no matter how high, and even open doors.

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GENETIC HEALTH

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Hip Dysplasia (HD), Elbow Dysplasia (ED), Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) and Epilepsy are considered the primary genetic diseases of concern in the breed at this time.  

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CEA is a congenital, inherited eye disease involving the retina, choroid, and sclera that sometimes affects Border Collies.

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Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) is a disorder of the cartilage formation within the joints, affecting the shoulder, elbow or hock.  It is thought to be congenital but other factors such as trauma, increased weight, incorrect nutrition and excessive activity are also all possible contributing factors.  OCD cannot be predicted but the risk is minimised by breeding with unaffected parents.

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Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (CL) is a type of storage disease affecting Border Collies.  DNA tests are available to prevent breeding with affected dogs.

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Glaucoma.  A predisposition to glaucoma has become prevalent in recent times.  A gonioscopy test can be performed by an ophthalmic vet to evaluate the internal drainage system of the eye.  Presently it is unknown whether the disease is genetic and scientists are researching a DNA test.

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Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome (TNS) is another recessively inherited disease that affects the immune system.  A DNA test is available to identify the carriers of this disease.

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NOTABLE BORDER COLLIES

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• Old Hemp, a tricolour dog, was born in Northumberland in September 1893 and died in May 1901.  He was bred by Adam Telfer from Roy, a black and tan dog, and Meg, a black-coated, strong-eyed dog.  Hemp was a quiet, powerful dog to which sheep responded easily.  Many shepherds used him for stud and Hemp's working style became the Border Collie style.  All pure Border Collies alive today can trace an ancestral line back to Old Hemp. [1] 

• ​ Rico, who was studied for recognising up to 200 objects by name.  Another Border Collie, Betsy, was found to have a vocabulary of over 300 words. [2]

• As of 2010, the Border Collie Chaser has a vocabulary of 1022 words and is able to recognise objects by the groups they belong to. ​ [3] 

•  Shep, who was the long-term companion to John Noakes of the BBC's Blue Peter and Meg, companion of Matt Baker, former presenter of the same show.

• Striker, who is the current Guinness World Record holder for "Fastest Car Window Opened by a Dog" at 11.34 seconds.  Fastest Car Window Opened by a Dog. [4]

• Jean, also known as the Vitagraph Dog, who was the first canine movie star (owned and trained by Laurence Trimble)

• Rex and Fly were two Border Collies that appeared in the Academy Award winning 1995 film, Babe and, partially, in the sequel Babe: Pig in the City.

• Jag, the "First Dog" of Montana, frequently accompanies Governor Brian Schweitzer.

• Bandit, the stray Scottish Border Collie from TV series Little House on the Prairie was Laura Ingalls' second dog on the show.

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     [1] "BC Museum: AULDHEMP". www.bordercolliemuseum.org. Retrieved 2017-01-15

     [2] Morell, Virginia (March 2008). "National Geographic: Animal Minds". Retrieved 18 December 2009

     [3] John W. Pilley; Alliston K. Reid (2011). "Border collie comprehends object names as verbal referents" (PDF). Behavioural Processes. 86: 184–195. doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2010.11.007. 

     [4] www.guinnessworldrecords.com. Retrieved 2014-03-30