The Border Collie is not, as some have suggested, a collie with a Borderline Personality Disorder, nor is it some Collie wannabe, like a schnauzer with a Lassie fixation.
A Border Collie is a real collie that originated along the border between England and Scotland, an area rife with sheep and smuggling. The Border Collie was bred to herd sheep, which it does by staring them down, then escalating through a series of maneuvers ranging from barking through gripping (biting) and small arms fire with rubber bullets. In extreme circumstances, a Border Collie will resort to reading the collected speeches of long-ago Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith. No sheep can withstand this impenetrable verbiage for long, and soon the whole flock will hightail it for anywhere the words aren't.
Less known is the Border Collie's role in smuggling. The dogs were enlisted to herd tax collectors, border police and other such vermin away from drop points where Angus might casually transfer a jar of whisky to Nigel for some trifling consideration. The authorities then recruited dogs of their own to herd Angus and Nigel into the Paddy Wagon, but the evidence invariably dried up before trial.
Border Collies are among the most intelligent of dogs, and although a dog may still herd sheep for exercise, the majority of Border Collies are now major players in the Financial Services industry.
Sources: Wikipedia, Border Collie Rescue
