Border collie is a breed that belongs to the group of herding dogs. He is considered one of the most intelligent dogs. He has unlimited amounts of energy, great temperament and a happy disposition. He is perceptive, quick-witted and tireless.
The modern border collie is a descendant of working (utility) collies kept on frontier farms England i Scotland. Hence its name: in the Celtic dialect "collie" means everything useful, and the word "border" means borders. The first mention of a hardy and hard-working shepherd dog that drove a flock of sheep from grazing can be found in records from 943. However, the exact description of this breed comes from John Caius' book "De Cannibus Britannicus" (eng. "Of Englishe Dogges") published in 1573.
Over the centuries, the number of these dogs grew, spreading throughout almost all of Europe. Over the years, the abilities, advantages and skills of this breed have been tested, and selected for usefulness at work, so that they can help people. Farmers needed Border Collies both for herding work and for driving the herd to the market. At the end of the nineteenth century, this breed of dogs was distinguished under the name of "working sheepdog" and the first British sheep herding competition was organized with their participation. The official name was given to the breed in 1916 by James Reid. Over time, dogs of this breed began to find their way into homes where there were no sheep or cattle at all. For this reason, some Border Collies have lost some of their work instincts.
Here are the suggested sizes for adult dogs of this breed. They were selected on the basis of many years of experience in sewing accessories and the most common choices of other dog owners of this breed. Remember, only measuring will give you 100% certainty - every dog is different.
The Border Collie is a medium-sized, extremely agile sheepdog with a well-proportioned, sporty body. It moves with great grace and lightness, so it's nice to look at their every move. It is characterized by a wide head, a clearly marked stop and a slender figure. It has widely set ears, calm, alert eyes, most often brown, less often blue. Usually it has erect or slightly raised ears. The tail, on the other hand, keeps it low, except when it is excited. It has a beautiful, short or semi-long coat with an undercoat. Its coat is available in a dozen or so color variants, but its coat cannot be mostly white.
The most common shades and hair combinations are:
|
Variety |
Color |
| black and white | Black and white |
| slate tricolor merle | dark gray, marbled with tan |
| sweet merle | dark gray, marbled |
| black tricolor | black and white with tan |
| blue and white | lightened black with white |
| chocolate and white | chocolate-white |
| chocolate tricolor merle | chocolate, marbled with burns |
| ee red (australian, golden, yellow) and white | red and white |
| sweet merle | light gray, marbled |
| slate tricolor merle | light gray, marbled with burns |
| lilac and white | lilac-white / highlighted, chocolate with white |
| lilac tricolor | lilac-white with burns |
| lilac merle - | lilac, marbled |
| lilac tricolor merle | lilac, marbled with burns |
| sable and white | sable and white |
| bridle | the presence of stripes or stripes on the hair |
| blackbird | marbled |
| mottled | the appearance of spots or spots on the hair |
Border Collie is characterized by great temperament and duality of nature: on the one hand, firm in action, on the other hand, submissive to the owner. He has extraordinary intelligence, cheerful disposition and inexhaustible energy. He is a great playmate, loving and faithful. Experience shows that Border Collies are hard to tire but easy to get bored. A dog of this breed requires constant physical activity and mental training. Since he needs a lot of exercise, he loves a variety of fun and activities long walksespecially those where he can run freely. Thanks to high intelligence, it is easy to train and learns very quickly, even advanced tricks. In raising this four-legged friend, however, it is worth finding a balance between physical activity and rest, and after playing, leave him time and space for himself.
In raising a Border Collie dog, consistency, a large dose of physical activity and mental training are essential. If we provide him with a large portion of games and the right amount of activities, he will repay us with obedience and devotion. The Border Collie is the perfect companion for people who like physical activity and want to train with their pets. This dog needs some real challenges, so he will enjoy agility exercises, flyball, frisbee, ball games or obedience training. In his upbringing, one should focus on the consistent learning of concentration and control over the character as well as regular movement combined with specific tasks. Due to the tireless energy, a house with a garden is a great place to live for this breed.
Caring for a border collie is not difficult, just brushing (once a week) and regular brushing of the felted hair is enough. For combing, we use a comb with rotating teeth, while the tangles should be combed carefully with a dense metal brush, the so-called felt. During the period of intense molting, the frequency of care activities should be increased, preferably daily. We should remember to sprinkle the dog's hair with a conditioner before brushing, which will facilitate brushing and prevent damage to the hair. Getting used to brushing should start with the puppy, so that it is a comfortable ritual for the dog. Human shampoo or lotion should not be used for infrequent baths. Add mink oil to your pet shampoo and add an antistatic lotion before drying.
How to estimate the age of a dog, although its past is unknown to us? When deciding to take a pet, it is undoubtedly worth knowing how old our new family member may be. This knowledge will help us choose the optimal diet, adjust the form of care to his needs and check whether our dog is growing properly.
Shih tzu is a small and elegant dog with character. We owe the name and appearance of today's shih-tzu to the Chinese empress Tzu Shi, who personally supervised the breeding of over two hundred dogs of this breed. After her death, the palace farms dispersed, which led to the creation of more crosses. As time passed, breeding became banned, and with the communist government in China, the race was wiped out as a luxury and a relic of the empire. It was only in the 30s that the shih tzu breed appeared in Europe, and in Poland the first dog of this breed appeared in 1981.
For several weeks now, the spreading coronavirus pandemic has been keeping us awake at night and arousing more and more anxiety. We often subordinate our everyday life to it, carefully listening to the latest reports and restrictions, resigning from social gatherings and avoiding leaving home in order to limit the transmission of the virus. Amid concerns for our health and life, caring for dogs also brings us a lot of uncertainty.
