The History of Border Collies

If you search the history of Border Collies on the Internet, you will find the same answer all the time — they originated somewhere in the pastures between England and Scotland!

Border Collies hailed from Northumberland, a vast rural estate in the northernmost part of England. This historic county is the border of England and Scotland and it has one of the most picturesque hills and stretches of coastline throughout the United Kingdom. However, these magnificent dogs didn’t just spurt like mushrooms in this beautiful place.

Read on as I tell you about the story of Border Collies. Once upon a time…

Where do Border Collies Originally Come From?

In AD 43, Emperor Claudius realized Julius Ceasar’s longheld dream of conquest and invaded Britain. The Roman Empire established dominion over the British Isles in the 1st century and struck a great influence on all aspects of British life.

The occupying legions brought along their livestock and dogs to herd them. These large and heavy-boned canines spread across Britain, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland and remained a fixture on the British landscape for over 300 years.

When the Roman Empire fell, Viking warriors took over. The fierce, barbaric raiders also brought along their small herding dogs that resembled the Spitz. These dogs were bred with the larger Roman dogs, which resulted in compact and agile canines that were well-adapted to the hilly, rocky border of England and Scotland.

Fast-forward to September 1983, the Progenitor of the modern-day Border Collie was born in West Woodburn, Northumberland.

What Breeds Make a Border Collie?

Northumbrian shepherd Adam Telfer took a keen interest in breeding and training sheepdogs. He bred his two dogs, Roy and Meg, that have contrasting temperaments. Roy, a tri-colored pooch, was warm and friendly to a fault. On the other hand, Meg was a black, strong-eyed sheepdog with a reticent and work-driven personality.

The result was a canine genius named Old Hemp. He inherited all the favorable traits of both his parents and lost the negative ones. He was tri-colored like his father and had small patches of white fur.

 

Old Hemp had impressed his owner even as a puppy. At six weeks old, he would follow sheep and already began to hone his herding abilities. One unique aspect that made Old Hemp stand head and shoulder above other sheepdogs is the fact that he relies on body positions to do his job.

Instead of barking, Old Help moved sheep quietly as a thief! Tefler’s canine genius can also predict the movements and direction of the flock. Best of all, Old Hemp always remained gentle and tolerant during faceoffs with stubborn sheep.

 

“He (Old Hemp) flashed like a meteor across the sheepdog horizon. There never was such an outstanding personality.” — Adam Telfer 

The Scottish people also described Old Hemp as “bloody marvelous.” Impressed with Old Hemp’s caliber, many people from the neighboring towns wanted puppies sired by the legendary Old Hemp and brought their dames to Telfer.

What Do Most Border Collies Die From?

Border Collies have longer lifespans than most breeds. However, some diseases can shorten your collie’s life or prevent him from living life to the fullest.

Bacterial and Viral Infections

As with any dog, Border collies are vulnerable to bacteria and viruses, such as distemper, rabies, and parvo. Fortunately, you can prevent these infections through on-time vaccination.

Dental Disease

Periodontal disease affects 80% of pets by the time they are two years old, and Border Collies are no exception. In dogs, it starts with bacteria and plaque. If the plaque is left undisturbed, it hardens into tartar, and from there, bigger problems may arise. 

Dental problems put your dog at a higher risk for heart, kidney, and liver diseases due to the toxins released by oral bacteria. Therefore, you need to brush your collie’s teeth regularly from puppyhood onwards to optimize dental health and prevent this irreversible disease.

 

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If you have adopted an adult Border Collie with moderate dental disease, you will need to ask a vet to clean up his pearly whites under anesthesia. Dental treats are also an excellent preventative measure.

Cancer

Did you know dogs get the same types of cancer as humans? Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in senior dogs, but some are treatable when detected early. Spaying a female dog also eliminates the risk of developing mammary tumors.

Intestinal Parasites

A worm infestation stunts a puppy’s growth and causes death at its worst. Puppies contract worms through their mother, unclean water, contaminated soil, and fleas. Deworming is vital for puppies. Preventive medication for adults is also equally important.

Safe-Guard (fenbendazole) 4 Canine Dewormer treats tapeworms, hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms. You can use it for 6-week-old puppies and lactating bitches. Administer the product for three consecutive days. Protection will last for up to six months.

Cataracts

Physical trauma or an underlying disease causes cataract formations in either one or both eyes. As with humans, it causes obstructed vision and may lead to complete blindness.

Fortunately, cataract surgery has promising success rates. If your Border collie has cataracts, you can ask a veterinary ophthalmologist to remove them and restore his vision.

Obesity

If you think Border Collies will never get fat, think again! Regardless of how playful and energetic these canines can be, they can still get overweight if you feed them the wrong food. Hence, you need to feed your pooch the right amount of high-quality food, lest he will turn out like this poor fellow.

As hinted by the name, it uses chicken as the number one ingredient and contains whole grains for fiber and complex carbohydrates. IAMS Mini Chunks is 100% free of artificial ingredients.

When Was the Border Collie Added to the AKC?

Old Hemp’s offsprings have roamed the pastures of New Zealand by 1858, and among them is Hindhope Jed who won three of Scotland’s top sheepdog trials and later became the Sheep Dog Champion of New Zealand and Australia.

In the 1880s, Border Collies were exported in large numbers to other countries where sheep ranching was a leading agricultural practice. However, these incredible canines didn’t have a proper name at that time. All herding dogs that emerged from the British Isles were all called “collie.”

 

Collies of many kinds were imported by prominent American farmers several years following the Civil War. Before the widespread use of wire fencing, it was crucial to have a sheepdog that could move large herds of sheep and cattle across great distances.

The ranchers were amazed by the expertise of the dogs that would later be called Border collies. By 1915, the name “Border Collie” was finally given to these amazing dogs by James Reid from the International Sheep Dog Society. Collies were further compartmentalized as dog shows became popular. 

By the end of the 19th century, the Border Collie skyrocketed to fame. The breed officially joined the AKC Herding Group in 1995 and was immortalized in the hit movie “Babe.”

 

Babe is a 1995 comedy-drama film based in Australia. The story revolves around a tiny pink piglet named Babe who learned the nuts and bolts of sheepherding from a Border Collie named Fly.

Conclusion

The invasion of the Romans and Vikings led to the birth of expert sheepdogs in the hilly, rocky border of England and Scotland. Although these canines are already amazing as they are, Adam Telfer dreamt of a better companion. Little did the shepherd know that he was about to create a canine prodigy that would be later given the title “The World’s Most Intelligent Canine Breed!”

All the purebred Border Collies we love and admire today can trace an ancestral line back to Old Hemp from Northumberland. However, you may not see his name listed as no.1 in the studbook of the International Sheep Dog Society for some reason. To know more about the history of the Border Collie, I suggest you read Key Dogs From the Border Collie Family Volume II by Sheila Grew.

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