Border Collie Dog Breed 101 

Hey friends! Thanks for this! Oh my, so much to say! Happy to add my two cents, since you ask. ;-) 1. Right on about meeting this breed’s need for daily mental stimulation and physical expenditure (this is true of all breeds, of course, but to different degrees). 2. Kids! BCs are typically very rules-oriented and therefore stressed by small, unpredictable kids, who seem to need order imposed upon them. Hence the nip risk factor. 3. AKC recognition. A large faction of the BC community did not want AKC recognition because our breed has traditionally been bred for working ability, not physical appearance and beauty shows can tend to work against working breed’s best interests. 4. Haha about tax season. That’s a joke around my house too-if you’re so smart, why don’t you help with the taxes, huh Trip? “Because I’m too smart.” -Trip 5. “Editing” behaviors. Trip does this! In fact we just posted a video about it to our channel. It’s the “Remove Slipper” trick video-Trip was quite insistent about doing things his way. If you have time, check it out and be sure to read the video description box:) (We also just posted Trip’s Advanced Trick Dog video and are waiting for evaluation to be completed by an AKC judge.) 6. Life with a BC. Dogs need an opportunity to express their genetic tendencies if possible, right? Trip tried herding sheep with our local club for two years. I had to finally recognize that he just didn’t have the work ethic and wasn’t enjoying it. This came as a relief, as we didn’t want sheep! (Been there, done that.) Trip herds our very tolerant saddle donkey(s) as a substitute-sometimes calmly, as when I wanted them brought in from pasture. Sometimes naughtily, as when we speed up to a trot or lope, and he takes a cheap shot at their hocks or belly. He ignores our chickens unless asked to get them out from under a bush. 7. Shedding. Trip’s coat isn’t anything close to the trouble described. A dog with silky hair is, to me, preferable to a short coated breed that sheds like a dry Xmas tree. Loose, silky hairs float on the surface of rugs and carpet and are easily picked up. A proper shedding comb (not a pin brush) will remove undercoat really well and very fast during the spring and fall shedding seasons. The rest of the time a pin brush, scissors and nail grinder are all I use. The scissors are for trimming between and around toes. We always carefully remove burrs by hand, and never, ever shave. For hot weather remove excess undercoat with shedding comb, leave top coat for protection from elements. Hmm-you two sure covered a lot of ground! Thank you both so much for your emphasis on the appropriate home for and expectations of life with a BC. You do a great job of advocating for dogs! Trip is our 12 year old rescue-our “foster failure” that we got at age 2. We are his third and forever home. ❤😊

Buddy approves!

You guys are so underrated what a fantastic find! Ill be enjoying binge watching all your videos 😅