Fun Border Collie Facts For Kids

Every dog lover has a favorite dog breed out of all the wonderful and purposeful breeds of dogs. One such dog breed you should, without doubt, know about is the Border Collie breed.

This dog breed was bred with the prime purpose of herding sheep - gathering and controlling their extensive flocks spread out across various pastures. Bred in Scotland and England, these dogs are famous for the intense stares they give the flock they take oversee and herd.

This dog breed was enrolled officially into The American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1995. They are full of energy and they love working.

The Border Collie rescue and search as well as herd sheep effectively and you will often find them at sheepdog trials. This breed enjoys dog sports and mental stimulation.

As they are known to herd animals, they love to be in open fields. They look to spend their time in pastures and open fields where they can run freely with no boundaries to stop them.

These dogs hate to live in an apartment or closed places where their freedom is hampered. Also, these dogs hate to be leashed.

If you put a leash on them, be prepared to get dragged with them.

They love to chase any moving vehicles and if you have them leashed, they are very likely to drag you along for the chase. If you are someone who lives in an open space, these dogs will have their perfect homes with you and you'll have a perfect pet.

You must definitely check out our other articles on pocket pitbull or Chow Lab mix if you enjoy reading the article on Border Collies.

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Border Collie Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Border Collie?

The Border Collie is a dog. It belongs to the Canidae family.

What class of animal does a Border Collie belong to?

The Border Collie dog breed belongs to the class Mammalia.

How many Border Collies are there in the world?

The total number of Border Collies in the world is not officially recorded. Although, the first of its kind was a Border Collie named Old Hemp. When that dog did a good job in herding sheep, more Border Collies were bred.

Where does a Border Collie live?

Border Collies were bred in the late 1800s in Scotland and England. The first Border Collie was called Old Hemp.

Old Hemp was a herding dog used for taking care of the flocks of sheep. It was such a good dog that different shepherds used him for taking care of their flocks of sheep. Because of this, a new breed took birth which was originally known as Scotch Sheep Dog.

What is a Border Collie's habitat?

Border Collies are normally known to be one of the most active dogs. As these dogs were originally bred for the purpose of herding the flocks of sheep, they love to be in the outdoors. They love to be in a habitat where there are farm animals, an environment with pastures, and open grounds.

If you want to keep your Border Collie in a large wooded area, they are still going to be happy. As wooded areas have so many trees, plants, and animals, the dog breed can use its working ability and the will to run freely.

Be sure to fence the wooded area if it's in your backyard because you would not want to lose your Border Collie as they can easily escape from closed-off places.

A Border Collie can adapt itself to the environment where it is kept, like a farm or somewhere where there are animals. Your dog will herd the animals on its own as it is in its blood to herd anyone he comes across. A social habitat is strongly needed by this dog breed.

As you know about the habitats that Border Collie loves to be in, there are habitats that should be avoided. The habitats where a Border Collie would not like to live in is an apartment or closed places.

These dogs are super active and need a lot of running time on open grounds. It can get really tiring for you if you have to take them out frequently, almost every day, on long runs in open fields.

Who do Border Collies live with?

Border Collies are social dogs. They do not like to live alone. As a Border Collie dog is a herding dog, these dogs need to be in constant contact with animals whom they can herd.

How long does a Border Collie live?

The natural life span of these herdings dogs is 12-15 years. On average, they live for 12 years.

How do they reproduce?

Like most dogs, the Border Collie follows the same pattern when it comes to its reproduction. Once they hit puberty, the female Collie will have their first estrous cycle, during which they can mate with a male which follows the delivery of pups after approximately two months.

What is their conservation status?

They are not officially evaluated. As they are bred occasionally, they are not near to being extinct or endangered. It is safe to assume that this dog breed can be in the category of being Least Concern. The white and black coat breeder has a good count and is kept as a pet.

Border Collie Fun Facts

What do Border Collies look like?

A Border Collie is a medium-sized dog that comes in a variety of colors but mostly has a black and white hairy coat. They have pointed ears and eyes that have great focus, making these dogs look very sharp and composed.

These have the build that shows that they can run very fast and know how to do their job of herding really well. The athletic body also helps them in participating in dog sports.

How cute are they?

The Border Collie breed is super cute both as a pup and as an adult. The big eyes, black and white fur, sharp look, and adorable face make them look heartwarming.

You would definitely want to pet these dogs if you ever come across one on the street. You might just want to keep them as your pet as well. They are really cute and you cannot stop yourself from saying 'aww' at these dogs.

How do they communicate?

They communicate like any other dog. They use vocalizations like barking, whimpering, growling, yelping, and more. They use their body language as well when necessary. A Border Collie's communication style is the same as other dog breeds with key behavior traits.

The wide-eyed look, what we often call a puppy face, is the look where your dog asks for attention. When you stare back into their eyes, you are sure to feel some sort of loving connection, and all you should do at that moment is give them a loving scratch or treat.

If your dog is seen wagging its tail in a fun way, the dog is really happy and is enjoying itself. Sometimes, a dog is really protective of a toy or a person.

Dogs bare their teeth in an attempt to back you off so that they don't have to hurt you and that you leave their favorite person or toy alone. Other times, a dog lays on its back showing you its belly.

This means that they trust you and want you to play with them. Giving them a good belly rub will make them relaxed.

Lastly, there is a paw signal. A dog is not aware of the handshakes.

So, when your dog raises its paw, its most certainly is to get your attention. Maybe, your dog needs something like water or food.

It is believed that Border Collies can remember hundreds of words that are used by their owners. Not only they learn the words, but they also learn how to react to those words. Being a super-intelligent dog, Border Collie can be really smart and try their best to communicate with you.

How big is a Border Collie?

A Border Collie is not a very big dog. Even though it is known to herd sheep like the first Collie named Old Hemp, it is a medium-sized dog.

The male dogs have a height of 20 in. The females are smaller than males, as usual. They are bigger than the smaller dog breeds like Shih Tzu but smaller than the bigger dog breeds like German Shepherds.

How fast can a Border Collie run?

A Border Collie is a fast-running dog with speeds of up to 30 mph. They love running in open fields where they get to work. You can spot them running swiftly across the plains and the more space they can explore the more they enjoy.

How much does a Border Collie weigh?

The weight of the Border Collie breed is 14-20 kg and it is a medium-sized dog.

What are their male and female names of the species?

The names of the male and female Border Collie breed are not different. Although, commonly, you can call the male a dog and the female a bitch.

What would you call a baby Border Collie?

A baby Border Collie is known as a puppy or pupper. Border Collie puppies are really adorable.

What do they eat?

For the good health of your Border Collie, you should feed them a diet full of good nutrition. These working dogs need good protein intake so that they stay healthy and maintain their high energy level. A diet full of protein, some carbohydrates, and nutrients is enough for these dogs.

These dogs can eat meat-based food, good quality dog foods, and grains. Border Collie dogs bloat, so they should be fed appropriately throughout the day. The risk can be reduced if you add meat to their food diet.

Are they slobbery?

Just like other dogs, the breed of Border Collie is slobbery too. The tongue of the dogs is made up in a way that they end up salivating a lot. They are known to have long tongues making them drool all around, although not extensively.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes! A Border Collie will be a really good pet if you know how to pet them.

If you keep them in a habitat where they can live happily and freely, then your Border Collie will be happy with you and the high energy that it has will come out in the form of running in the open fields and playing with you.

The Border Collie will also help you in taking care of your farm animals if you own any.

They will be your companion that you would never want to leave.

Border Collies unlike most pet dogs serve a solid purpose in your life especially you happen to own a lot of cattle. Once you manage to train them at their job and the area they are required to cover, you can mostly sit back and enjoy the show they put up while they discipline the herd.

You may not want them as pets if you are allergic because these dogs are known to shed. The shedding can be a problem in a closed environment, but if they are kept in an open space, this problem can be avoided to a good extent.

Did you know...

Border Collies can learn hundreds of words. Not only learning the word, but they can also remember how to react to all those words.

Not only herding dogs but Border Collie dogs are also great at search and rescue.

Border Collies are the most obedient dogs present in the world.

The American Kennel Club recognized these breeds officially in the year 1995.

The Border Collie dog breed is considered to be one of the most intelligent breeds in all dog breeds.

Frisbee is the best game to play with them as it meets their requirement of exercise.

It is a common practice that different breeds of dogs are bred together by a breeder. Because of this breeding, you can find different mixed breeds.

In the same way, Border Collies are mixed with other breeds and you can find various Border Collie mix with other breeds. If they are bred with Labradors, then the mix will be Border Collie Lab mix. The puppy of every mixed dog breed just like a Border Collie puppy are really cute.

Do Border Collies bark a lot?

Yes, Border Collie dogs bark a lot as they are a territorial breed and are very alert. They herd animals and have a tendency to bark to control them.

You can train your Border Collie accordingly so that they bark just on commands rather than barking without any cause. That said, it's in their instinct in themselves to bark a lot because they have to keep an eye on the flocks of sheep and take care of the animals, traditionally.

How to train a Border Collie?

Training a Border Collie isn't as difficult as you might think. There are some tricks that new pet owners should be aware of so that training the Border Collie gets easier. When adopting one, you should know about certain factors including their hereditary health conditions or any specific care that they require.

The food and diet that Border Collies need to be fed is a factor that should be taken care of. You can use treats every time they do something good or when they successfully follow your command.

Being agile dogs, you need to be very hard with their training. Border Collies do not stop learning till they have completely learned the task that they are given.

Border Collie dogs love to please their owners and you can use this to your advantage. You can treat your Border Collie with praises and treats and clicker training.

Training a Border Collie puppy will be easier than an adult as the puppy can learn to follow commands from the start of its life. It will not have grown up with its herding instincts and so training is easier.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including pitbull Chihuahua mix, or Cheagle.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Border Collie coloring pages.