Learn about the Border Collie
The canine world's greatest overachiever
The Border Collie was bred for careful sheep work, using speed, balance and a hard, steady stare to move the sheep rather than force. In our family tree, its ancestors include the Old Scotch Collie, Welsh herding dogs and the Cumberland Sheepdog. It is one of the best examples in Britain of a breed still shaped by its original job. Tap a circle inside to keep digging.
Likely life span
Learn more about the dogs that went into making the Border Collie
c. 3000 BCOld Desert coursing dogs
c. 3000 BCAncient eastern sighthounds
c. 1200 BCEarly Badger hunting dogs
c. 500 BCOld hunting dogs of the Celts
AncientCeltic Hound
c. 100Gaulish coursing Hounds
AncientCeltic Coursing Hound
AncientCeltic herdsmen's dogs
c. 400Continental Germanic herding dogs
c. 900Norse settlers dogs
AncientCeltic Heeler
MedievalShepherd's Dogs
MedievalOld working collies
MedievalWelsh herding dogs
early 1800sOld Scotch Collie
early 1800sOld Cumberland herding dogs
late 1800sBorder Collie