Caring For the Working Border Collie

A potential border collie owner may probably wonder what it takes to own one of the working breeds such as the border collie. Perhaps some might think that these dogs are quite a handful due to their ...

A potential border collie owner may probably wonder what it takes to own one of the working breeds such as the border collie. Perhaps some might think that these dogs are quite a handful due to their characteristics as working dogs. Actually, having a border collie is just like having any other dog breed. You need to provide things necessary for their growth and happiness. These things include;

High quality dog food
These hard-working dogs need high quality dog food in order to keep them in perfect shape. Their diet must contain proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. One way to make sure that your boston terrier gets a proper diet is to make your dog's food at home using high quality ingredients without preservatives. While some dog owners are meticulously making their dog's food, others prefer to live conveniently by using ready-made foods. One can choose from among the various dog food types; dry, semi-moist, canned and frozen dog foods. When buying your dog's foods, remember to read and understand the product labels. Check the list of ingredients to make sure that what you are about to give him contains important ingredients, not fillers.

Exercise and training
Training and exercise requirement makes border collies different from other less active dogs. These medium-sized dogs with boundless energy need proper training and extensive exercise. They should be taken on long daily walks and provided with tasks or activities to let them release their oozing energy at the same time keep their minds working. With proper exercise and training, a single border collie can responsibly herd various kinds of animals, from sheep and cattle to poultry, pigs and ostriches. To work is their gretest joy but that doesn't necessarily mean to herd in the farm. Any actvity that resembles working, such as fetching or chasing a ball or stick, will suffice.

Care
A boder collie is not difficult to groom. Frequent bathing is not recommended as this can cause dry skin. Bathing should be done at least once every couple of months to retain the skin's natural oils. However, their moderate amount of coat requires regular brushing to minimize shedding, remove dead hair and stimulate the oils in their skin. The ears should be cleaned once or twice a month to prevent infections. When trimming your dog's nails, be careful not to trim the quick, the part that contains nerves and blood vessels. Identifying the quick is not hard at all. It is the pink part of a white nail or the darkest part of the dark nail.

Article Tags: Border Collie, High Quality