Border collies are highly intelligent, learn
to understand numerous commands, and
researchers have worked with dogs that have
learnt to identify hundreds of objects by name
and shown the ability to reason. They are
also used to keep airport runways clear of
wild birds, for tracking and search and rescue
missions.
Some experts see them as typical type-A
personalities, driven, ambitious, sensitive,
high-achieving workaholics. This is not the
dog to home where they are going to be left to
sleep for hours while the humans are at work.
They need to go to work with the human - and
it needs to be an intelligent human. They need
‘a job’ and challenges. If their human does not
supply these, they will make up their own, and
their own might not be quite what their peaceand-quiet and house-proud human had in
mind. If are under stimulated, they become
frustrated and display neurotic, ‘hyperactive’
or destructive behaviour, resulting in them
being rejected by their humans. Complaints
include chasing cats, herding other animals
including youthful humans, and often, more
dangerously, chasing (herding) cars. They
might herd people who pass outside their fence,
and their frustration with this unachievable
task may be vocalised with increasing noise
too. A bored collie is not a happy animal.