If you have a Border Collie and like sport hunting, you are probably wondering — can Border Collies hunt, too? I know where you are coming from. You love your collie so much that you want him to be your furry sidekick instead of getting a new dog.
Well, the Border Collie is a super-smart canine. He is the Doggo of all trades! Not to mention, this workaholic breed is eager to please his human. Collies are so devoted that they will do anything in their power to make you happy even if that means juggling various roles.
With the Border Collie’s incredible intelligence and athleticism, the odds are high that he will become your partner in hunting. Now, the question is — can Border Collies hunt as good as the others?
Read on to find out!
Can Border Collies Track?
Before Barn Hunt and Earthdog were a thing, the canines of old were employed to hunt food due to their unparalleled olfactory abilities. Dogs have an exceptionally advanced sense of smell compared to humans, but some canine breeds are better than others.
Border Collie Tracking and Nose Work
The Border Collie might not sniff out trouble like a Belgian Malinois, but you can train him to track game. Border Collies are notable for keeping an eagle eye on virtually everything. Being so nosey and vigilant, they are innately disposed to learn tracking and nose work.
Tracking refers to a dog’s ability to recognize and follow a scent trail by sniffing on the ground. Nose work, on the other hand, is not about following a trail but locating a scent that you introduced to your dog. Instead of following a trail above ground, your collie will search for the quarry by whiffing the air around him.
Scenting is the term that refers to both styles. You can teach your collie tracking and nose work because these methods employ similar scenting skills.
Do Border Collies Make Good Hunting Dogs?
Even before the age of agriculture, history tells us that humans have been hunting with canines since they were domesticated. Back then, hunting was an integral part of survival, but nowadays it has become a sport.
But what makes an excellent hunting dog? Certain vital skills are needed for a dog to be considered an ideal hunting dog, and among these are the following:
- Strong prey drive
- Receptiveness to training
- Obedience and endurance
- Athleticism
Most importantly, you need to establish a strong bond with your dog. The closer you are with your collie, the better hunting partner he will be.
Now, to answer the question — can Border Collies hunt? Based on the criteria above, yes! However, there are several types of hunting dogs. Which one is the Border collie?
What Hunting Skills Should the Border Collie Have?
Hunting dogs are categorized based upon a dog’s skillset, and what you plan to hunt also determines whether or not your Border collie is up for the job.
- Coursing: It is a hunting technique used exclusively by sighthounds, such as the Whippet and Saluki. These dogs rely on their excellent sight and speed to locate and chase their prey.
- Track Trailing: You can teach your collie to distinguish and track a wounded quarry by scents other than blood. Track trailing is a scenthound’s forte, and most of the time, these hounds participate in the kill.
- Retrieving: It refers to a dog’s willingness to carry game by its mouth without wounding it. A Border collie might never beat the Labrador Retriever in this department, but you can at least train him to fetch a wounded game.
- Flushing: This hunting style involves sniffing out birds and putting them in the air for you to shoot.
- Pointing: The ideal pointing dog locates the game and holds point until you have the opportunity to position yourself for the shot.
If you can train your Border collie to have at least one of these skills, then he can tag along during your next upland adventure. Border collies have a strong prey drive, and so, the most important thing you need to secure is to establish a solid foundation in obedience.
Here is a clip of a Border collie hunting a bar with his owner: Borders and Boars Episode 2
Can You Train a Border Collie Not to Herd?
The Border Collie is the world’s premier herding breed. Can you really deprive him of the very thing he is hardwired to do? The herding instinct is not taught but deeply rooted. While the behavior can be diverted, it will never go all the way.
Border collies who live in apartments and have never herded livestock will attempt to corral cats and role-play as Nanny Mcphee around children. Without a proper job, the bored and unemployed collie will harass critters and he is willing to do it regularly.
Are Border Collies Hard to Train?
Our canine companions are smarter than we give them credit for, especially the Border collie. As expected of the world’s most intelligent canine breed, he can learn just about anything and he has the potential to excel at it, too.
What’s more, Border collies are not stubborn dogs in general. Apart from canine intelligence, his extreme work ethic and eagerness to please pave the way to a wide range of possibilities.
If you are planning on turning your collie into a bird dog, you want to make sure whether or not he has some level of noise phobia. Noise phobia does not become apparent until your Border collie has reached the age of two. If your dog must tolerate gunfire, you should at least wait until he has grown fully matured.
Otherwise, your collie might get agitated if you shoot a gun off right next to him. Consequently, this might turn into a traumatic event for him.
Conclusion
I don’t think I could train a Chihuahua to prepare my dinner, but a Border collie might! Border Collies can do more than just surf the kitchen counter for scraps. These dogs can also help you bring food to the table. Talk about roasted venison and the barbecued hare!
Although Border collies were not originally bred for hunting, they possess certain behaviors that make them a decent hunting companion. Their intimidating stare and stealthy movements are quite handy when stalking prey. Also, their love for fetch allows quasi success for retrieving protein-rich meat!
Have you ever managed to have success hunting with a Border collie? Share your story!