All about Border Collies

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                                      ~Border Collie 101~

When we were thinking about getting into Hair Sheep, I knew I wanted to get a dog that would be a great help with the sheep! I'm so glad I made the decision to purchase Luna Mae! At just 19 weeks old, she is already starting to herd the sheep and is so intelligent! She loves to have a job and also loves to play fetch!  
                     Ok, lets get strated!

*Border Collie's are a working and herding breed. They were developed in the Scottish borders for herding livestock, especially sheep. The Border Collie was specifically bred for intelligence and obedience. 
*Border Collies are an active working dog breed. Because of this if they are confined without activity and company, they can become unhappy and destructive. So they do best living in the country or with someone that will provide an active lifestyle. 
*Border Collies are highly intelligent, learn quickly and respond well to praise. I have noticed with Luna Mae, that she actually prefers praise, rather than treats. Which makes training easy! They are also very fetch oriented and excel at agility, water sports and more and could also be wonderful hiking companions!
*Border Collies tend to live 10-17 years
* They come is Black, White, Red Merle, Blue Merle, Lilac, Brindle, Chocolate, Liver, Sable Merle, Gold Red, Tri color, etc.
*Males are generally 30-45lbs and Females 27-42 lbs
*They are Tenacious, Energetic, Intelligent, Responsive, Keen and Alert. 
*The males can be 19-22 inches tall and the Females 18-21 inches tall.
*They come from Scotland, United Kingdom, Wales, Ireland and England.

~Should I get a girl or boy?

I asked myself this question before I went to look at Luna and her litter mates. I had tried to do some research online, but I still wasn't sure. I was really leaning towards a girl though. Honestly, I think what it really comes down to is, which puppy do you bond with? Which one has good eye contact and has the most potential to do what you are wanting him/her to do? When I picked out Luna Mae she had incredible eye contact and bonded with me in just a few seconds. Which told me that she was intelligent and she would probably work very well!

~What to do after you bring your new puppy onto the homestead?

Socialize! Get your puppy a harness and leash and take your puppy with you when you do chores, feed the animals, etc. It helps to tie the leash to your belt, that way you can be hands free, but still make corrections if you need to. This way your puppy will get to bond to you and learn the ropes all while staying safe!
So are you ready to bring a Border Collie onto your homestead?

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