How Do Border Collies Help People Today?

Border collies are very intelligent animals that make great pets for people of all ages. The iconic image of a border collie is as a sheep dog, ushering sheep into pens and protecting them from danger. It is said border collies must be given a job; the breed is so versatile that the job can come in many forms, several of which directly help people.

  1. Herding Sheep

    • Border collies are best known for their role as sheep dogs. Pay a visit to any farm and the chances are that if the farmer keeps or breeds sheep they will have a border collie in assistance. They are descendants of dogs used by the Vikings to herd reindeer and for more than a century the dogs have been selectively bred for sheep herding. They are quick thinking, intelligent, easy to train and full of energy, all skills that make a perfect herding dog.

    Loyal Pet

    • Many people desire a pet they can love and from which they can receive love back. Border collies, like most other dogs, make loyal companions to young and old people alike and are very important parts of peoples' lives. Border collies are easy to train due to their intelligence but they must be trained properly, otherwise their energetic nature can become a problem. Their fun-loving nature means their interaction with children can be beneficial to both child and dog.

    Guide Dog

    • Many blind people own a guide dog to help them. Breeds such as border collies are often used because they thrive when receiving consistent leadership, extensive daily exercise and have a job to occupy them. Acting as guide dog can fulfil these requirements. Since border collies are highly reactive, they can help blind people with day-to-day activities such as leading them down the street, ascending stairs and alerting their owners to dangers such as passing cars. Discovery News reporting that one border collie set a new world record by learning to recognize more than 1,000 different words. This record exemplifies the breed's capability to understand commands.

    Exercise Companion

    • One way to improve the quality of daily exercise is to do so with a pet such as a border collie. As this breed has boundless energy and must receive daily exercise, they can accompany their owners on runs, jogs, bike rides, swims and other physical activities. By exercising together, border collies also form a strong bond with their owner. This activity can be used in tandem with training to reduce the chances of the dog becoming bored and destructive.