The
Border Collie is a highly intelligent, hard-working
dog that responds quickly and eagerly to training.He
thrives on games and is willing to please.
The Border Collie is even tempered, but he needs constant
physicaland
mental activity for a well balanced dog. Excels
in obedience competitions. He is very agile,and
has a well proportioned body of lean muscle.
Some say he is unsurpassed as a sheepdog in terms
of patience,agility
and stamina. He is well suited as a household
pet, especially in homes with energetic children.
Care
and Training: Daily
brushing to remove dead hairs. Bathe when necessary.
Check earsand
coat regularly for ticks. Trim toe nails regularly.
Extensive exercise and mental stimulation. Health
Issues: Progressive retinal atrophy, ceriod
lipofuscinosis, joint problems.
Country
of Origin: Great Britain
History:He
was named for the Border counties of England and Scotland.
Bred for stamina and brains,the
Border Collie has the natural instinct to herd.
One of the supreme sheepdogs of the world, the agileBorder
Collie has no peer as a working dog. He can run more
than 80 km in a day, doing the work ofseveral
men. The herding ability of the Border
Collie is legendary. Once you have seen
this beautifulbreed
working sheep, you will never forget the intelligence,
eye, and motivation of thisexceptional
breed. Acknowledged star of the sheepdog
trials, and a brilliant performer in theobedience
ring, the Border Collie is never happier than when
he is working. Unfortunately,
becauseof
this great herding instinct, they also tend to want
to herd cars and children. A well fencedyard
is very important to keep your Border Collie safe.
Living with such a dog, without adoubt,
can be a very challenging and rewarding experience.
Natural
Rearing
OUR
dogs at "SEQUOYAH" are now reared naturally on a Natural
Diet of RAW food for"Optimum
Health". This mainly consists of RAW MEATY BONES and
raw meat, plus raw, pulped(in
season) vegetables and fruit. The only additives they
receive are Flax Seed Oil or Fish Oil,Natural
Seaweed (kelp), Vitamins C, & E, raw egg
yolks and natural yoghurt.We
have found our dogs to be happier and healthier, and
the diet we follow is primarily that recommendedby
Australian vet,Dr. Ian Billinghurst, in his book,
"Give Your Dog A Bone", but with the exclusion of
allgrains
& cereals. This
would be one of the best dog books I have ever read,
giving precise and easy to understandinformation,
packed with common sense!
We
believe in health screening to protect this beautiful
breed. Any dogs we use for breeding arescreened
for eyes and hips.
While
a well trained and socialized Border Collie makes
a superb companion, this does nothappen
by accident. Many Border Collies tend
to be uncertain and a little spookie.They
need to be reassured that the world at large is a
fine place. Although a certainamount
of firmness may be necessary, harsh treatment on your
part might tend tocreate
a shy and fearful dog. If possible, you
should attend puppy classes. Puppyclasses
provide a head start on the training process.
This is an easy and pleasurableway
to socialize your puppy and to expose him to new things
in a safe setting. Boredom isthe
source of many behavioural problems. A
Border Collie that is confined alone for longperiods
of time tends to develop compulsive behaviours, such
as chewing or digging.
The
Main health problems that currently affect Border
Collies are Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA),Collie
Eye Anomaly (CEA), Hip Dysplasia (HD) and a small
percentage of Border Collies are knownto
be carriers of Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (CL) - (Storage
Disease) which is an inherited lethal conditionfor
which there is not yet a health screening test.
Currently studies are being carried out in Australiawhere
much more information can be obtained, check the hyper
link to CL on the links page.
. Another
condition affecting some Border Collies, is
epilepsy (there is not enough known aboutepilepsy
or its causes as yet and there is no health screening
available to date). This
condition is more common in English and American lines.
Thankfully it is not a big problem in the Australian
and New Zealand line, in fact it is extremely rare.
Another
condition causing some concern is OCD. This condition
however, is thought of by many vets,and
in particular those who have studied bone growth disorders
in young dogs and promotenatural
rearing, believe that OCD can be largely prevented
by good management
and careful nutrition.