Funny Things Border Collies Do When There Aren't Sheep For Them To Herd
Originally bred to herd sheep, border collies love running around and staying busy. Potentially unlike their humans, they love having work to do and can become bored quickly without a "job." Many Americans who own sheepdogs don't have sheep or cattle, but that doesn't stop these high-energy canines from finding something else to stimulate their senses. Border-collie owners have shared video proof of this behavior on social media. Some collies try herding other animals, while others help out around the house.
In one Instagram video, a collie named Bailey is shown following her feline sibling from room to room and sometimes just staring at it, as if desperately waiting for something exciting to happen. The cat appears completely oblivious to the stalking. On TikTok, another collie owner shared her experience of slaking her dog's boredom by giving him chores. The collie, Fable, is seen putting paper in a bin, putting shoes away, and even helping with laundry in response to verbal commands.
@dazelivingstone My border collie's chores 🥰🐾 . . . #bordercollie #workingdogs #dogsoftiktok #dogenrichment #bordercollielife #cutedog #dogtricks #dogtraining
If you're the proud parent of a border collie and don't always have time to give it sufficient daily exercise and mental stimulation, you can give it a job around the house, too. In fact, there are entire discussion boards dedicated to jobs that can be given to this active dog breed. By the way, collies are also among the smartest dog breeds in the world, hence their need for regular physical and mental stimulation.
Jobs you can give a border collie
On an online forum dedicated to border collies called BC Boards, dog owners have provided job suggestions for collies based on their own experiences with the breed. One owner said their dog, Asa, enjoys putting their son to bed and waking him up in the morning by licking his face. Another collie, Duncan, knows how to put his toys away in his toy box.
Other collies spend their free time helping around the house with various tasks, just like Fable. Poke, for example, "feels his job title is my personal assistant," his owner said. This user said the dog opens doors, retrieves items, and takes clothes from the hamper to the washing machine. Another said that their dog, Fergie, is trained to bring the newspaper inside after their morning walks. Now, that is fergalicious.
The topic of jobs for border collies surfaced on Reddit as well. One owner said, "[My dog enjoys] herding me when we round around the yard." Others said their collie herds the cats, puts toys away, and guards their yard chickens. Needless to say, there are plenty of ways to keep a border collie busy even if you don't have large farm animals. Plus, when you consider the long list of things this breed can do, you'll find that border collies are among the best herding dogs for families.