Dog Breed Quiz

Border Collie

With a single signal from your chosen person, you dash off and gather up everything that's scattered.

Always on the goClose to a chosen fewReady for a job

The Border Collie is said to have been developed as a sheepdog for gathering sheep around the border between England and Scotland — which is where the “Border” in its name comes from. Its job was to run across wide pastures, round up scattered sheep, and bring them to the shepherd.

Shepherds send signals to a dog far away with whistles or short words: “Right,” “Stop.” The Border Collie watches closely for the one person giving those signals and responds while running. You're the kind of person who teams up with someone you trust and runs the job you've been given all the way to the end.

Border Collies are also known for moving a flock by crouching low and staring intently at the sheep. Because your eyes are so firmly fixed on one job, on days with no job you can feel at a loose end and start looking for work. If you can think of doing nothing as a job too — the job of resting — things get easier.

Strengths

You can read what needs doing from a short signal from someone you trust
You can run around and bring scattered things or people together
You can keep going on a job you've been given, with the same energy right to the end

Where you may stumble

Without someone to give you a signal, you can't decide where to start
On days off with nothing to do, you actually feel restless
So caught up in gathering everyone, you call back even people who wanted to go their own way

Sounds familiar, Border Collie?

Walking with a group, you find yourself going back to check on whoever's falling behind
As soon as you finish a task, you're asking, “What's next?”
With someone you team up with often, a glance is enough to understand each other

Where you shine

Teaming up with someone you trust, or splitting up the work of gathering scattered things. Your readiness to dash off on a single signal really comes into its own.

Tips for “Border Collie”

On days off, write time for doing nothing into your schedule first
When you feel the urge to gather everyone, first check whether anyone wants to go their own way
On days with no partner, set yourself one small goal

Matches

See every match in the Dog Breed Quiz compatibility chart →

Easy together

Labrador Retriever — The Labrador also loves running to get a job done. For a Border Collie who waits for one particular person's signal, a Labrador who dashes off at anyone's request is a reassuring partner who gets ahead and fills the gaps.

Easy together

Akita — The Akita is another breed that trusts one chosen person and sees its job through. The Border Collie runs around gathering the flock, the Akita stays put and keeps watch — so moving and guarding don't overlap, and you can trust each other with your own posts.

May clash

Pug — The Pug is a breed good at relaxing with anyone at its own pace. The Border Collie wants to run off looking for a job, the Pug wants to take it easy, and even on the same day off, your speeds rarely match.