The Border Collie is a medium-sized dog with an athletic build, a triangle head, a narrow muzzle, and hazel, black, or light blue eyes (sometimes they are a different color). Often he wears one ear pricked up and the other folded.

Poil : most often black and white, short or mid-length with mane.

Size (height at the withers): 45 to 60 cm.

Weight : from 15 to 25 kg.

Classification FCI : N°166.

The Border Collie hails from a region straddling the border between Scotland and England, the region of Borders which gave it its name. The breed originated from crosses between sheepdogs such as the Bobtail and the Bearded Collie and hunting dogs such as the Setter. It has been used as a sheepdog in France since the 1970s.

The Border Collie is a workaholic and displays a bewildering intelligence when working with the herds of animals he watches over. He is at the same time lively, alert and enduring. His desire for control over all that moves around him – stemming from his carefully curated herding dog instincts – turns into an obsession and must be managed by means of strict and appropriate training. Besides breeding, it is likely to be used as a police dog, search and rescue dog. Note also that the skills of this dog are highly valued in agility competitions and sports such as canicross or flyball.

A British study of 376 Border Collies reveals an average lifespan of between 12 and 13 years, with the oldest animal having died at the age of 17,4 years. The main causes of death are cancer (23,6%), old age (17,9%), stroke (9,4%) and heart problems (6,6%). It should be noted that their lifestyle exposes them to the risk of accidents (road accidents, attacks by other dogs, etc.) (1) Hip dysplasia, Collie’s eye anomaly and epilepsy are considered the most common genetic diseases:

Hip dysplasia is by far the most common genetic condition found in the Border Collie. 12,6% of dogs studied by The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) are affected. (2)

Collie’s Eye Anomaly (AOC) is a congenital disorder that gradually affects the development of parts of the eye, especially the retina. The severity of the disease varies widely: it can be mild, lead to mild visual impairment or blindness. The diagnosis is confirmed by a DNA test. It is an autosomal recessive disease: it affects both males and females indiscriminately and an animal can transmit the mutated gene to its offspring without being sick itself.

Epilepsy: this neurological disease has many causes and results in the occurrence of seizures, loss of consciousness and changes in behavior. The Border Collie is considered to be one of the predisposed breeds, but without knowing the incidence of this disease.

A study conducted by the Border Collie Society of America in more than 2 dogs has shown that the Border Collie is not very prone to depression and compulsive disorders, but that it is, on the other hand, hypersensitive to sounds that can cause him anxiety. (3)

Many people want to own an animal with such abilities. But few have the skills, because the Border Collie requires training to match its natural qualities. You must have a long prior experience with dogs before setting your sights on this animal. In general, it is strongly discouraged to own such a dog for anything other than herd work which is the condition of its development and its balance, because it requires a large daily dose of physical and mental stimulation.