>>4929649
>take a lot of attention to develop properly

I've had working collies we call them a heading dog. I don't know how different your average pet bred border collie is but these are working lines. The thing with these dogs is they have a strong instinct to chase and herd. Quick movements catch their eye and they move to stop it in an instant, they also have an instinct to chase and potentially kill small animals if not taught properly. They look to their owner and work with them. They're happier not so much doing tricks but using these instincts i.e being directed out around some sheep controlling them and balancing on the other side of the sheep from the owner. This is in itself a hard physical activity for the dog as well. You don't so much teach them tricks to develop this you take them around some training sheep and teach them to work with you, your own movements are obviously influencing the stock as well and the dog. This is very stimulating for them because at any time a sheep might try to break out and they are doing a shit load of exercise and thinking to effectively read and control them and bring them towards the handler as well as following commands to stop or take a different side etc. Outside of this environment they could become a problem dog if they got bored chasing and biting things or being destructive obsessed with digging or something and clever enough to become an escape artist

I've circled the dog in this pic to show the kind of range you can work them at. To get her out there I give a left command and she will run a big wide line around and gather the sheep. From there you have a lot of control you could give steady and walk them down the way they are going, you could give a right to kick her around the other side and bring them back and right up to you if you wanted or kick her through the fence with a left to get those other ones all heading the right way down to the track. They are amazing dogs and repay 10 fold the time you spend

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Why aren't Border Collies the msot popular dog?