My Dog Training Secrets 

Border Collies are so named because they're indigenous to the border areas between England and Scotland. It's a breed that hasn't been tampered with much over the past several hundred years. Border Collies are very loyal, and will bond with the family. They should be socialized with other adults, children, and pets from a young age. Border Collies are perfect for individuals or families who lead active lives. They are an attractive breed of dog that typically weighs thirty-five to fifty-five pounds.

Border Collies are quick, agile and intelligent. Although they frequently are inventive, they are tireless workers, live to work for their trainers, and can be taught to focus on the job at hand. Border Collies are very time consuming, and will need your full attention to training. But if you have the time, they're wonderful. There may not be a better dog than a well-trained Border Collie.

Border Collies are highly energetic dogs and high maintenance in that they require a lot of attention. It is important to give them a job to do. Border Collies are also known for their stare. Though their eyes can be brown, amber or blue, it is the Border Collie stare that people remember. Border Collies are very successful in many different dog sports for a simple reason: The traits of the Border Collie which make it the world’s best sheepdog are exactly what performance competitors need for success in other dog sports. The characteristics necessary to a working sheepdog are biddability, intelligence, speed, intense drive, incredible work ethic, desire to please the handler, and at the same time, the independent thinking required of a dog to make decisions about livestock at a distance of hundreds of yards or more from the shepherd.

Border Collies are known for their gravity defying leaps and spins on the Frisbee field, and on occasion a spectacular crash and roll. Border Collies are extremely sight and sound sensitive. They see things that move even slightly (you may not see).

Border Collies are unsuitable pets for people who cannot or will not provide a considerable amount of daily exercise for their dogs, both physical and mental. They are also a poor choice for households that are not prepared for the characteristic behaviors that are part of their working heritage.

Border Collies are not apt to be good dogs for children either, due to their strong herding instincts. They will try to herd children if not given a job to do, and therefore may end up nipping them if they do not cooperate.

Border Collies are not recommended for people who live in apartments or those who do not plan on spending a lot of time with their pet. They are more rural and suburban than metropolitan and certainly not inner-city urban. Border Collies are widely considered to be the smartest dogs in the world and because of this dog obedience training of the breed is easy. With their high intelligence, the Border Collies demand difficult tasks. They absolutely thrive on not only exercising but in using their intelligence and physical body together to solve a problem or to work.

Border Collies are healthy dogs and have few hereditary diseases. Border Collies must have frequent opportunities to vent their energy and to use their busy minds to do interesting things. Otherwise they will become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by barking and destructive chewing. They are extremely agile dogs and can easily jump/climb a 6-foot or taller fence if they decide there's something more interesting on the other side. They are also good diggers and chewers, so if they can't jump a fence, they might try to dig under it or chew through it if they want to get out. Border Collies have also been known to work themselves to exhaustion and suffer from heat stroke in the hot weather.

Border Collies are very smart and they will easily see a situation without a pack leader and will establish themselves as the leader. Border Collies are bred to work all day. They need to be exercised every day both mentally and physically. Border Collies respond well to whistle and verbal commands.

Border Collies are very intelligent dogs and learn quickly. This may seem like a good thing, but is actually a problem at times: they easily learn things the owner didn't intend for them to learn, and some of these newly-learned behavior patterns can be difficult to re-teach. Without lots of physical and mental activity, they may become hyperactive and impossible to live with. Border Collie puppies make excellent indoor or outdoor pets, but do require a lot of exercise and playtime outdoors.

Border Collies are very eager to please their masters and house training is quite easy to accomplish if you use the right house training techniques. Just a note, popular house training methods often backfire with these dogs.

Border collies are notoriously intelligent and require serious exercise and mental stimulation. Take up running or find a neighbor who will take your dog out for the five-mile gallop he needs to expend his puppy energies for the day. Border Collies are always ready to work, attentive, lively and alert. They will form a very close bond with their owner and family but, unless given plenty of time and exercise, are not ideal pets for a family with very young children as it is in their nature to herd anything that moves - your children included! Border Collies do not do well in homes where they are left alone for long periods of time each day. Given the right amount of work and activity, the Border Collie can be the utmost companion among the canine world.