Care for Your Border Collie - Feeding, Grooming, Exercise and Potential Health Issues

The Border Collie gets its name from its origins along the border of England, Wales, and Scotland. It is considered one of the most intelligent dog breeds. With enough energy to manage a bunch of sheep, this breed is a herding breed that has historically helped farmers move flocks of sheep from one pasture to another. They are still owned by many farm owners as pets and for sport. A Border Collie is extremely friendly and affectionate and once trained it's a loyal friend for all times. High energy levels necessitate heavy exercising and therefore you may find very few Border Collies in the city.

Feeding and Grooming
Food offered to a Border Collie should be nutritious and preferably homemade and fresh ensuring adequate levels of vitamins and minerals. Lean meat and vegetables are a good option. A diet recommended by a veterinarian is probably the safest option to go with.

Grooming includes regular brushing to keep the coat shiny and healthy. More frequent brushing is required during the shedding season. Bathing is required only when necessary, but ears should be checked more often. This breed tends to attract a lot of ticks and regular checking of the coat is essential.

Exercise
Without adequate levels of physical exercise, Border Collies tend to get aggressive and may develop behavioral problems. Training is an enjoyable activity for them and rewards on successful completion of tasks are looked forward to. This breed needs an active owner who can ensure high levels of exercise of his dog - mental and physical.
Since this breed is a working breed they are comfortable when they have a task at hand. Playing fetch with a Frisbee or a ball are interesting games for a Border Collie.

Special care and health concerns
The main causes of death of a Border Collie are considered to be cancer, old age and cerebral vascular afflictions. Other health problems include

- Hip or elbow dysplasia - Dislocation of the hip joint that causes inflammation, swelling and pain.
- Collie eye anomaly (CEA) - A congenital problem that includes the retina, sclera and the choroids. This complication hinders proper vision
- Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL) - A serious condition that most show Border Collies are prone to, this ailment causes neurological damage and is fatal. There is no treatment for this disease and the dog dies within a couple of years.
- Trapped Neutrophil Symdrome (TNS) - This is a condition caused due to hereditary factors and is a recessive disease. This condition is characterized by the inability of the neutrophils to move from the bone marrow to the blood. This weakens the immune system causing further infections to take hold.