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Border Collie Facts & Worksheets

Affectionate, smart, and energetic, border collies are distinguished for their intense stare. They were developed to gather and control sheep in the hilly region between Scotland and England.

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Affectionate, smart, and energetic, border collies are distinguished for their intense stare. They were developed to gather and control sheep in the hilly region between Scotland and England. As a workaholic breed, border collies will herd anything that moves, including cars, children, and even cyclists.

See the fact file below for more information on the border collies
or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Border Collie
worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • Border collies are the descendants of the landrace collies, a strain mostly found on the British Isles. Their name probably originated along the Anglo-Scottish border. The term “collie” or “colley” initially appeared toward the latter part of the 19th century, although the word “collie” has its roots in the Scots’ language. It is also assumed that the term “collie” came from the old Celtic word for useful. Most of the best modern border collies can be traced back to a breed known as Old Hemp.
  • In 1915, United Kingdom Secretary of the International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS) James Reid initially used the phrase “border collie” to determine those breeds listed by the ISDS from the Kennel Club’s collie, which originated from the same working stock but had developed a peculiar, normalized appearance succeeding presentation to the show ring in 1860.
  • Old Hemp. Originating in Northumberland, Old Hemp was a tricolor dog that was born in September 1893 and died in May 1901. He was the result of a cross between Adam Telfer’s Roy, a black and tan dog, and Meg, a black-coated, strong-eyed dog. A number of shepherds used Hemp for breeding, and his posterity turned into the border collie style. Most believe he sired over 200 puppies over the span of his life.
  • Winston Cap. Bred by W.S. Hetherington and trained by John Richardson, Winston Cap was born on September 28, 1963. He is the face of the International Sheep Dog Society’s badge, which portrays a border collie herding pose. Winston Cap was a famous stud dog in the history of the breed, and his bloodline can be traced in almost all strains of the border collie today. He even sired three Supreme Champions and is grand-sire of three others, including E.W. Edwards’ Bill, who won first place twice.
  • As early as 1858, these breeds were imported to New Zealand. In the latter part of the 1890s, James Lilico of Christchurch, New Zealand, brought many working dogs from the United Kingdom, including Hindhope Jed, Maudie, Moss of Ancrum, Ness, and Old Bob.
  • Today, the border collie is acknowledged as the leading sheepherding dog. Their exceptional herding ability made fanciers encourage breeding these dogs solely to working standards, not conformation.
  • On October 1, 1995, border collies were acknowledged by the American Kennel Club.

APPEARANCE

  • Males reach a height of 19 to 22 inches and weigh 35 to 45 pounds. Females, on the other hand, stand 18 to 21 inches tall and weigh 30 to 40 pounds.
  • Border collies are well-balanced, medium-sized breeds that display an athletic build, showcasing style and agility in equal portions with soundness and strength. Its strong, compact body exudes an image of effortless movement and unlimited endurance.
  • These dogs show an intelligent, alert, and inquisitive expression. Their eyes are positioned well apart, are of normal size, and are oval in shape. Eye colors include all shades of brown. Border collies that have coats other than black may have a visibly lighter eye color. Their ears are of average size and are set well apart. Semi-erect ears have tips that either fall forward or outward to the side.
  • Border collies have a strong, muscular, and well-curved neck that corresponds to the length of their body. Their deep, slightly broad chest highlights their athletic bodies.
  • Their hindquarters are deep and powerfully built, sloping delicately to their low set tail. Their feet, although a little smaller, resemble those in the front.
  • There are two types of coats, both having close-fitting, thick, weather-resistant double coats. The outercoat can be either straight or wavy and is typically more unrefined than the undercoat, which is delicate, short, and dense.
  • The rough type is average in length. The forelegs, haunches, chest, and belly are feathered, and the fur on the face, ears, feet, and front part of the legs is soft and short.
  • The smooth variety sports short fur over the whole body, which is generally coarser than the rough variety, and it may have moderate feathering on its forelegs, haunches, chest, and ruff.

PERSONALITY

  • In a nutshell, the border collie is a dynamo. Its temperament is said to be alert, athletic, hardworking, and intelligent. This breed is a quick learner – so quick that it is sometimes hard to keep them challenged and interested.
  • Border collies love to keep themselves busy. As a matter of fact, they must always be occupied. Boredom results in annoying behavior, such as barking, digging, or chasing cars. They are not your typical breeds who choose to lie quietly on the front porch, and they do well with activities.
  • These breeds are known to be highly-sensitive to their owner’s every cue, from a whistle to a hand signal to a raised eyebrow.
  • Even though border collies are determined and self-reliant, their drive to herd can become misdirected. Without sheep or some kind of work, they have the tendency to gather and run after children, cars, or pets.
  • Border collies can also become hesitant or uneasy if they are not properly socialized as puppies. Sensitive border collies gain confidence through puppy classes and a lot of exposure to a number of people, places, and things.

HEALTH

  • Hip Dysplasia. An abnormality in the hip socket, causing crippling lameness and painful joint inflammation, such as arthritis.
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy. An eye condition that involves the gradual deterioration of the retina, which may result in night or complete blindness.
  • A hereditary condition that can cause mild or severe seizures.
  • Collie Eye Anomaly. A hereditary condition that leads to changes and abnormalities in the eye, which can sometimes cause blindness. These changes include choroidal hypoplasia (choroids develop abnormally), coloboma (optic disc defect), staphyloma (sclera thinning), and retinal detachment.
  • Border collies are prone to food allergies (symptoms include dry, itchy skin, too much scratching or licking, bald patches, and a number of hotspots), contact allergies (caused by a reaction to flea powders, dog shampoos, and other chemical substances), and inhalant allergies (brought about by airborne allergens like pollen, dust, and mildew).
  • Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD). This eye condition is caused by improper growth of cartilage in the joints, which usually plagues the elbows and shoulders. This leads to a painful stiffening of the joint, leaving an infected border unable to bend his elbow.

CARE

  • Even though border collies easily adapt to their environment, they are best suited to places that provide them some elbow room, such as a city home with a strongly fenced backyard, a country farm, or a ranch.
  • Since they are bred to chase and heard, they should be protected from their impulsive instincts to chase cars.

Border Collie Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the border collies across 19 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Border Collie worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the border collies which are distinguished for their intense stare. They were developed to gather and control sheep in the hilly region between Scotland and England. As a workaholic breed, border collies will herd anything that moves, including cars, children, and even cyclists.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Border Collie Facts
  • Border Collie Basics
  • Breed Standards
  • Fetch Some Facts
  • Growing Up a Collie
  • Border Collie FAQs
  • Collie vs Aussie
  • Border Collie Lookalikes
  • Taking Care of a Collie
  • Pros and Cons of a Collie
  • Adopting a Border Collie

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Link will appear as Border Collie Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 1, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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