Border Collie Temperament and Personality

Border Collie Temperament and Personality

The Border Collie is praised for his brilliant mind, high energy levels, and his desire to please, but he can be a bit of a challenge for the owner who isn’t quite familiar with the rest of his temperament.

Let’s take a close look at the temperament and personality of the Border Collie to help you determine whether or not he’s a good fit for your home.

History

One fundamental thing you should know about the Border Collie is that he was bred to herd sheep; herding is in his blood. He is a very smart, well balanced and incredibly athletic dog that was created with all the traits necessary to work hard for his owner, and to do it effectively and efficiently – with great energy, attitude and poise.

Border Collie Temperament Border Collie Puppy Personality

Over time, every-day people began being attracted to his medium size and fun energy, but it’s important to note that this attraction has not changed his wiring or made him any more of a “house dog” than he has been in the past.

He’s Incredibly Smart, Very Energetic, and Loves to Work

The Border Collie, as previously mentioned, loves to work. If he can put his mind to a task and put his body up for the challenge, he’ll approach every situation eagerly and positively. Make no mistake: his mind is like a sponge, and he is incredibly smart; this bodes well for him with training and in work, but can be difficult in that he learns behaviours that perhaps aren’t ideal… how to open cabinets and doors, for example.

His energy levels make him an attractive pet to people who are outdoors all the time, and for those who are looking for a dog to be a working companion. Someone who prefers indoor life or is looking for a dog to lay around with need not bring home a Border Collie.

He Needs Excessive Amounts of Mental and Physical Stimulation… or Else

If you don’t give the Border Collie the mental and physical stimulation he needs, you’ll pay for it as you reap the behaviours of a bored and anxious dog: chewing, barking, howling and digging are all sure signs of a bored Border Collie. To avoid this behaviour, you’ll need to be prepared to give your dog at least 2 hours of vigorous mental and physical exercise every single day.

Even then, the understanding that your dog lives to “work” and will be satisfied with going the extra mile even when he’s worked himself to the point of exhaustion will help you to understand that these dogs are not meant for indoor life, or even life inside a fence. Rather, the Border Collie will be happiest on a farm, where he’s free to roam and play at leisure, where he can help herd animals, and where he has plenty of space to play games that he loves – Fetch, Frisbee, and long jump agility exercises, to name a few.

He Needs Plenty of Space

Not only is an apartment a terrible home for a Border Collie, we hesitate to say any suburban neighbourhood – no matter how much space there is around the home – will not do for him. He doesn’t want to be fenced in, nor does he want to roam in a yard with little to nothing to do. Chew toys and solitary activities won’t go far in keeping a Border Collie entertained; rather, he prefers an environment with variety, where he’s free to run, work, interact with his owner and play at leisure.

Multiple acres are ideal for this guy, as he’ll likely get bored and run out of space on anything less.

He’s Easy to Train

Because of that intelligent brain of his, an owner will be pleased to learn just how easy he is to train. These dogs are problem solvers, and they’re willing to do just about anything they’re asked. Early training is a must for the Border Collie, because they do like to set their own rules and will exercise their minds to do so unless prompted otherwise at an early age. Border Collies are best trained with positive reinforcement and firm yet gentle instruction. They are very sensitive, so they simply won’t respond or will resolve to do the opposite for those who are heavy handed in criticism and discipline.

He Needs to Be Socialized to Come Out of His Shell

A Border Collie by nature is shy around people who he doesn’t consider a part of “his pack”, so socialization is an important part of ensuring he comes out of his shell as he grows into an adult dog. A shy Border Collie who has not been socialized, as he ages, will present with an aggressive nature – something that no owner should tolerate. The best way to pro-actively prevent an aggressive Border Collie is to socialize him with other animals and humans from a very early point in his life.

He’s a Hoarder, a Herder, and an Escape Artist

Because he’s a quirky and incredibly energetic, the Border Collie does have some traits that will need to be kept in check – hoarding, herding, and escaping being a few of them. He’ll hoard when he has a toy or treat that he loves that he may not want to share; some Border Collies (especially ones that are displeased for some reason) will be quick to hoard. It’s important for owners to iterate to their Border Collies that sharing is a good thing! This will help curb aggression for possessive prone pups who hoard regularly.

Herding is something that’s simply in their blood, and when they don’t get enough exercise, they may resort to herding when it’s not appropriate. Groups of people, other animals, and objects are often “herded” by the bored Border Collie, much to his owners dismay. Herding might include running in repetitive circles around someone or something, barking, and “nipping”.

Finally, Border Collies are escape artists… if they want access to the rest of the world, you better believe they’ll dig, jump or manage their way through a fence to get there. For that reason, they’re not great backyard pets; they’re ideally suited for large chunks of land where they can roam.

If there’s anything to take away, it’s that the Border Collie is an incredibly intelligent, energetic pup who requires a tremendous amount of exercise, space and mental stimulation to lead a happy, healthy life.

It’s no surprise to most people that the Border Collie is one of the, read more ...
It’s no surprise to most people that the Border Collie is one of the, read more ...
Border Collies are fun-loving, energetic, and incredibly intelligent dogs – it’s, read more ...
Border Collies are fun-loving, energetic, and incredibly intelligent dogs – it’s, read more ...
If you’re looking for a Border Collie puppy for sale, type in your postcode, read more ...
If you’re looking for a Border Collie puppy for sale, type in your postcode, read more ...

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