How to Care for a Border Collie

Border Collies are an energetic breed known for their herding skills and success in the dog sport Agility. However, due to their natural energy, they need special care.

1. Consider carefully. Border Collies (also known as BCs) exceed almost every other dog breed in intelligence and energy, and are only for responsible, dedicated, informed, and experienced dog owners. Never buy a BC because of their cute appearance, or because your friend has a really nice one, and always dedicate a large amount of research before purchasing.

2. Choose where to purchase your Border Collie from. Responsible breeders are the best source for those who desire a show or competition dog; however, if you are interested simply in a pet quality, consider adopting from a specialized breed rescue. Other routes include:
- Buying from a pet store. This is highly unrecommended, as you will generally have no idea of the puppy's health, breeding, or history, and will most likely be supporting a puppy mill.
- Buying from a "backyard," or casual, breeder. This is again unadvised for the lack of information.
- Adopting from a shelter. This is a preferred route for those wishing to help dogs in need, but is unadvised for the lack of information and because shelters are often unable to provide for the Border Collie's special needs, resulting in a badly behaved dog. Adopting from a breed-specific rescues, however, is a reasonable and kind way to acquire your dog.

3. Obedience training is essential. Not only will it provide essential stimulation for your BC, it will also make your life with an extremely energetic, mischievous dog somewhat easier. Though you can start teaching simple concepts (e.g., housebreaking, sleeping in crate, not jumping/biting/dominating people) to young puppies using positive reinforcement, training more advanced obedience is only recommended for puppies four months and older. Another note is that Border Collies are intelligent dogs and often respond best to training techniques in which they can think problems out for themselves, such as clicker training.

4. Go on a shopping spree! The basic essential you'll need to buy your BC are:
- A collar and leash. They should be an appropriate length for your Border Collie, and comfortable for you and your dog. The collar must have an ID tag with your phone number or address on it.
- Food (see below for more information) and food and water dishes, preferably stainless steel.
- Toys! Purchase "indestructible" ones such as Kongs; these will last longer (though most will be destroyed eventually) than stuffed toys and dainty rubber squeaky toys.
- A crate, appropriately sized.
- Grooming tools, especially those appropriate for long-haired dogs.

5. Give your Border Collie quality veterinarian care. Though this will cost a large amount, it will save you money down the road. It's highly recommended that you do the following:
- Fix (spay or neuter) your dog. This is a relatively simple operation that will help stop or prevent bad behavior, accidental litters, and certain health issues.
- Give your puppy vaccinations. These are absolutely necessary for his health; consult your veterinarian for information on required vaccinations and appropriate ages at which to give them.
- Purchase your dog a microchip. A microchip is a very small device that will give a shelter, if your BC escapes, your address. Because of Border Collies' intelligence and agility, the chances of your BC escaping is high enough that a microchip is a useful precaution.

6. Good food is necessary. Avoid cheap or "bargain" foods - the health problems they'll cause won't be cheap to treat! Instead, feed high-quality foods with meat as the main ingredient.

7. Exercise, exercise, exercise! Because of Border Collies' enormous amounts of energy, at least an hour of exercise every day is a requirement. A daily walk is necessary; you can also burn off energy in more engaging ways such as competing in dog sports such as Agility or Flyball, hiking, swimming, visiting dog parks, etc.

8. Expand your education. Read books on Border Collies, join an Obedience/Agility/etc group, talk with experienced BC owners, try out something you've never done before, learn more about dog nutrition - do anything and everything to learn as much about BCs and dogs in general as possible.

9. Have fun with your Border Collie! He might need an hour and a half of exercise every day, shred your expensive shoes, herd the neighborhood children, or otherwise make a menace of himself, but one thing is for certain: If you're a responsible and educated owner, he'll be your best friend.