The Border Collie and its Future

I keep thinking about the question which not only goes around in my head but, when I talk to other like-minded people, I find that they too ponder on the same subject. Where is the Border Collie going and what is its future? I suppose that right now it may seem pretty secure. But is it really and are we going to have a genuine Border Collie decades from now or just a faint resemblance? 

 The past years have seen so much change, not just in the breed of dog but in our way of life. Sheep farming has changed dramatically in the last few years, regulations, quotas and paper work have caused the smaller farmer to think carefully about his future, and the farmers of larger concerns are involved in a more commercial type of farming rather than a way of life. The quad bike, the four track and indoor lambing are all part of the commercial scene. The walking, shepherding and long cold nights are something we may remember but prefer not to have to do.

 So where does the sheepdog fit into the scheme of things? This is a breed which has been bred so carefully and for a reason, it is a dog which is capable of thinking and working things out for itself, this is what we all admire and love about it. Are we in danger of losing these qualities? If we breed dogs which are not keen to work, we will certainly lose the very attributes which make this breed so great. We do not need to breed out the strength and the working instinct. The intelligence of the breed is such that it can adapt to almost anything if shown correctly and it is always willing to give.

Sheepdog trialling has become more popular and there are far more people competing now who are not involved in agriculture, because these dogs are not working or using ‘thinking’ instincts they are often weaker dogs, or ones with less ‘turning power’.

Right now it may not be a recognizable problem, but in the foreseeable future it could be the start of something none of us should want.

 The British Isles has been known for producing one of the finest of working dogs. These dogs have worked both on the hills and the lowlands and they have trialled with the finest of skills. At the International Sheepdog Trials we can see these dogs at their absolute best, if anyone has any doubt about the magic of the working dog then they need to see the Supreme Championship, it is awe-inspiring!

 Right now the Border Collie is doing almost everything possible. Wherever there is a dog there is a Border Collie. Just as some triallists have bred weaker dogs for the purpose of trialling they have also come to realise that these dogs are no good on the big courses. National competition requires good dogs. So too, hopefully, are competitors of other sports beginning to breed ‘back to type’. Companion collie owners are endeavoring to understand the working mind rather than expect it to adapt to them. Does this mean that in the next hundred years we will still have an intelligent, thinking dog? I hope so.

 

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