Being a border collie does imply a sort of neural defect, I guess.
They are very smart dogs, but on a scale of 1-10 of herding instincts, they are a 22. I am not exaggerating, they have herding instincts way the hell beyond any other breed to the point of insanity.
Hooker, border collies want to herd the ever loving fuck out of anything that moves, including cars. This one is, fortunately dept on a short lease and knows it, but can't stop the instinctual urge to GO when a car drives by.
I don't understand how that lends itself to the circling behavior, though. I've seen many dogs try to chase something while on a leash and they don't twirl around.
I had a border collie growing up. They are insanely intelligent. I taught Tess how to play the piano pretty fast. I would just raise my hand over the keys and she would pound away all the way up and all the way down.
One of the funnest things about her was that at my birthday parties she would herd all of the other children into a corner where they shrank in terror as I giggled uncontrollably. They get sick fairly easily though. They are fragile dogs and are meant to be in the country. Tess died of cancer and her last several years were marked by constantly reemerging tumors and infections that probably came from pollution of some kind or other. That's what I always thought, anyway.
my family's three border collies all made it to age 14.
they are not fragile if you just give them tons and tons of exercise each day.
that doesn't mean a walk, that means playing whatever game they make up for two hours in a row.
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