Ever hear somebody say, “Wow, those Border Collies are always on the go, 24/7/365?” or how about, “Border Collies are too intense/neurotic/crazy for me.” I get comments like that a lot. I usually try and explain that while Border Collies are higher energy than most dogs and certainly more intelligent (are you still with me? most commenters have a galzed look in their eyes already) they are not all that crazy, not neurotic and not too intense for most people.
First, Border Collies come in a lot of drive levels. Believe it or not, there are Border Collie couch potatoes. They are rare but they do exist. Border Collies do need mental and physical stimulation on a daily basis. They need and they crave routine. But they do not need exercise and challenges all day, and certainly not 24/7/365. They are not all Rocky Balboa’s and Apollo Creeds. Treated that way they become a hot neurotic mess that likely will end up in a shelter or a rescue.
Border Collies, more than most breeds, require training from the day they are brought into your home. The most overlooked element in that training is the “settle” o r “that’ll do” command. Teach your Border Collie that it is is okay to, (in the words of Aaron Rodgers) R-E-L-A-X. There are many videos on YouTube and a simple Google search will provide many examples of such training. Think of the importance of this training. When at a dog show, an agility trial, herding trial or even working dogs, the majority of the dogs time is spent in what we veterans call “hurry up and wait” status. They are chilling. This is a skill that they must have to be successful but it is best trained to the Border Collie. These dogs were bred for herding but not all day and night, not every day, week or month. They need to know that it’s perfectly okay, indeed, it’s expected, that they will have down time. The command “that’ll do” is brought from the herding world, for when a dog’s work is done it must reliably retire from the field and leave the flock to be.
I often get compliments on how calm my dogs are. That’s the result of daily training. About 15-30 per day about four to five times per week per dog. While one dog is training the others appear to be calmly watching (or sleeping) in their crates. In reality, I am reinforcing the “settle” training they have received.
For those who are involved in dog sports, to include herding, resist the tendency to pursue the fastest most hyped up line you can find. Instead, focus on breeders whose dogs are calm, obedient and focused. Of course, you should always look for parents who have been genetically tested (and are compatible), structurally sound, and have proven abilities.
Remember, puppies are balls of energy regardless of breed. But with Border Collies, you need to train your puppy to settle so that it maybe a focused and intense dog on the field.