The Border Collie
It would be easy to presume, whilst reading through canine history, that the 'Shepherd's dog' was an animal that resembled our modern Border Collie. However, this term very much applied to any rural working dog, whether it be used for herding, or guarding a flock of sheep or other livestock. The Border Collie resembling that we know today was developed as a distinct breed in the nineteenth century.
Initially, dogs that resembled Border Collies were crossbreeds of various shepherding dogs. The pastoral dogs in Europe were required to be large and strong enough to deter wolves from the flock. However, in Britain, wolves were extinct by the late seventeenth century, meaning that the British could afford to breed smaller more agile dogs with slightly more mellow temperaments than their European cousins. These features made such dogs ideal to train to herd sheep as they were efficient, yet showed little aggression to the other animals. Collies were bred for their skills rather than looks and so the appearance of the dogs varied. It is believed that most were hybrids of Working Spaniels and various European droving dogs. It is also claimed that these sheepdogs were given the name 'Collie', as it was derived from a Celtic word meaning 'useful'.
After generations of selective breeding to form a supreme herding dog, the Collie we are familiar with begun to take form. The dogs that became known as the Border Collie came from a line of herding dogs in Northumbland, taking their name, literally, from being on the border of Scotland. They were also referred to as 'Scotch Sheepdogs'. The popularity of these dogs was linked to the demand from the wool industry, and as farmers increased the size of their flocks the help of the Border Collie was more essential than ever.
In 1860 'Scotch Sheepdogs' were exhibited in The National Dog Show, and soon caught the attention of Queen Victoria, who went on to own various Collies, notably her favourite, named Sharp, who was said to always be by her side. Sharp was one of the many dogs that provided great comfort for Queen Victoria in her widowhood. Along with receiving Royal approval, it was in the 1860's, that, according to Wendy Bedwell Wilson, Border Collies begun to be bred for conformation in addition to working ability.
The foundation sire of the Border Collie is considered to be a tri-coloured dog named Old Hemp. He was bred in Northumbland, in 1894 by Adam Tefler. Hemp was famous for his quiet and good tempered working demeanour, and this caused for great demand for him as a stud dog. Although it is not confirmed if Old Hemp participated in Sheep Dog Trials (first recorded In 1873) the style in which this dog worked has since been considered ideal in working collies.
It may be surprising to many that, despite the popularity of the breed, the Kennel Club of Britain only registered the Border Collie as a recognised pedigree breed in 1976. Whilst they can be shown at conformation shows, they are arguably most well known for competing in agility and obedience trials, in which they excel.
Whilst it has never lost its status as a herding dog, a Border Collie can make a wonderful family pet, although it's needs must be taken into consideration. This is a highly intelligent, highly energetic animal that will become bored without sufficient exercise and attention. The fact that this breed is so clever and trainable means that Border Collie owners can participate in numerous hobbies with their dog, including, as mentioned before, obedience and agility, or some may consider flyball or heel-work to music.
Meet Sally
The pretty Border Collie features in this article is Sally. Sally is a three year-old rescue dog, she grew up on a farm, but now has found her forever home in Berkshire, which she thinks should be called 'Barkshire'. Photographs of Sally are copyright @DrPaulDWilliams twitter.com/drpauldwilliams
Bibliography
Cunliffe, Juliette. The Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds, Bath, Parragon, 1999
Bedwell Wilson, Wendy. Border Collie. Los Angeles. I5 Publishing. Kennel Club Books, 2012
Hornsby, Alison. The Ultimate Border Collie. New York. Wiley, 1998
Mitts Smith, Deborah. Picturing the Wolf in Children's Literature. New York, Routledge, 2010
Rappaport, Helen. Queen Victoria: a Biographical Companion. Oxford, ABC-CLIO, 2003