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Does it bother you to hear "borders"


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I just can't stand that. I immediately think AKC I guess. And when a "breeder" says "borders" I go on alert really fast.

 

No, I guess I just don't let it bother me, the term "herding" does not bother me either though I have tried to not use it in the past out of respect for others, just to get blasted for avoiding it. Everytime I type Border Collie, or border collie or BC I wonder who I'm irking this time, I'm just to the point of not caring, if you choose to get offended by how I refer to the breed it's your problem not mine. I don't think it's a good idea to pass judgement on someone soley based on how they label a dog, there's going to be varience based on where they are from and who they associate with, now, if someone gets talking about Barbie Collies, then we're talking something totally different, to me that's AKC Conf. Ring.

 

Deb

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I think of AKC border collies, too. Can't help it. So it does have immediate negative connotations for me, but I try to remember that not everyone uses the term that way, especially those newer to the breed. But I prefer "collies" as an abbreviation.

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Yes, it bothers me. It's very AKC and I don't think it's very respectful - they are "collies" (livestock-working dogs) not "borders" (boundaries between countries and other political divisions).

 

"Herding" bothers me but only because of the "going herding" and "herding group" mindset.

 

To each their own, but how we present ourselves - and how others present themselves - does make an impression.

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And when a "breeder" says "borders" I go on alert really fast.

While I might shrug off someone who is not involved with the breed using the term, I agree that if a breeder uses "borders", I take it that we probably don't have much in common. I'm not too happy about people calling them collies, either. When someone says "collie", I think rough collie.

 

I grew up in an area where they were simply referred to as sheepdogs; "border collie" was just their fancy name and if you were going to use it at all, you would use it in full.

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It's funny someone would mention this, it's always drove me up the wall to hear someone call them "Borders" and one of my best friends is very guilty of this, makes me think AKC too. And, the only time I use the term "BC" is on this forum to save typing time.

 

Something else that's always bugged me is how non Border Collie owners think they know so much about the breed. My last dog was tri-colored and several people asked me what breed of dog she was, when I told them she was a Border Collie, they said "Oh no, she's mixed with something else or she would'nt have the brown spots" or "Good Border Collies are always just black & white" When I I'd tell them she was a 100% purebred ABCA registered dog, they'd look at me like I was lying. Has this ever happened to any of you?

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Makes my teeth hurt. I never, ever hear a trainer/breeder/handler who is sold on what Border Collies really are, refer to them as "Borders." Sorry, it's a cultural marker in a big way a la Eliza - not just a subjective thing.

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I'm not too happy about people calling them collies, either. When someone says "collie", I think rough collie.

 

same here, when I hear "collie" I think rough or smooth collie, BORDER Collie never crosses my mind. I dont car if someone uses "Collie" when I know the dog being reffered to is a BC, but it drives me crazy I have no idea who the dog is, so I am thinking rough or smooth Collie, then they show me the dog and its a border collie lol. its the most annoying thing ever when you work at a boarding kennel and your job is to match the dog to the description on the kennel and you see "collie X" then try to figer out wheather you are looking for a Collie X or a BORDER Collie X lol

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"Borders" is a broader range of breeds, to me. "BC" is just a shortening of Border Collie to me, and I use it frequently. I alternate between herding and working livestock, depending on who I'm talking to. With you guys, I say "herding" usually, because you guys understand what I mean, and I DON'T mean AKC trials. :rolleyes:

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The term "borders" doesn't offend me--it just gives me a big clue as to the level of knowledge of a person or perhaps an indication of where that person's real interests lie with respect to the breed.

 

I call mine border collies, collies, or sheepdogs, depending on the context. If I mean a Lassie collie, I say "Lassie type collie" to be perfectly clear. The fact is that Lassie collies branched off from the type of dog known as a collie. The original collie then got renamed "border collie" as Becca noted. So it's not incorrect to refer to border collies as collies, and at least in the working border collie world, folks will know you're referring to border collies and not Lassie collies.

 

J.

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I use 'Borders' in conversation if I'm talking about Border Collies, usually because I get talking too fast (favorite conversation :rolleyes:) and just want to say it faster. I think of AKCs whenever I hear "Barbie". I personally don't see anything wrong with the term 'borders.'

 

What is right: Border Collie, Border collie, or border collie? Or does it really matter?

 

I don't, however, like the term 'coyote collie.'

 

ETA: Weren't BCs once called 'Scottish Collie' or 'Scottish Sheepdog' or something like that? Thought I had heard that once...

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Maybe you're looking at it wrong.

 

For example when I hear 'borders' I think of Mexico only an hour's drive from here.

 

or 'boarders', the gal who rents the extra bedroom

 

or 'bored er' meaning... never mind.

 

 

Another? No I think not.

 

People who say borders, who have to be told that Lassie is a rough collie and that there is a major difference between them just don't know. Ignore them.

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As someone very new to the breed (as in don't have a bc yet but hoping to get involved in the future), is it that common? I have never heard anyone refer to them as 'borders'. Then again, I don't know anyone at all involved in AKC border collies. Actually, I really don't know anyone past the sports club people in real life that have any bcs. My main exposure has been in rescue/shelter work.

 

I'm trying to learn but I'm a bit confused as to why it's an (semi?) offensive term. I wouldn't have thought much of it (except wondering if they meant border terriers or border collies) if I'd heard that in real life.

 

My dad's always called them simply collies. When I was young he'd tell me stories of the collies they had on their farms. I always thought Lassie, but I saw pictures and they looked much more like border collies or farm collies than lassie.

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My reaction to the term "borders" - if I know they mean dogs and not national boundaries or a really good British ale - is to ask whether they mean border collies or border terriers.

 

There may be other breeds with that appellation, but those are the two I know and love.

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I'm trying to learn but I'm a bit confused as to why it's an (semi?) offensive term. I wouldn't have thought much of it (except wondering if they meant border terriers or border collies) if I'd heard that in real life.

Because, as others have said, using the term "borders" generally marks a person as having a conformation mindset or supporting the AKC culture. If you want some good history on the border collie wars, get your hands on Don McCaig's The Dog Wars (Outrun Press, 2007). It will help you understand some of the seemingly odd word usage preferences or other "idiosyncracies" with respect to border collies that non-AKc types have.

 

J.

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Don McCaig particularly makes a good point about the kennel club people dropping the "functional" term off a dog breed's appellation like a hot potato. Witness Parson Russell Terriers, which became Parsons almost before the ink dried on the new standard. Jack Russell people call them terriers, typically (the really serious ones do, anyway).

 

When the Plott Hound, the state dog of North Carolina, was "recognized" by the AKC, the functional part of the name didn't even make the trip into the Kennel Club's hallowed carpeted halls. It's the "Plott." The plott thickens. :rolleyes:

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It doesn't bother me, but as a pet owner of a pound bc, I knew nothing about the politics of the breed before joining this board. I don't think I have heard anyone call them borders in real life...well, I actually don't know anyone else who has a bc in real life...anyway, no, doesn't bother me, but now that I've seen it discussed a few times here I might raise an eyebrow if I ever heard it. Incidentally, I do refer to all four of mine, a bc, two shelties, and an aussie, as "sheepdogs" even though I have no sheep...as in, I have four sheepdogs...for some reason I like it better that saying I have four herding dogs.

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The term "borders" actually slipped out of my mouth a couple of weeks ago, and, while still in mid-conversation, I'm running it over in my head going, "Where did that COME FROM?"

 

I usually use BC on the computer, whether in e-mail or on boards, just because it's faster and I'm often using it more than once. When speaking, I probably use 95% "border collie" and 5% BC. It's that internet lingo slipping into my vernacular.

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It doesn't bother me in the least if someone uses the term "borders".

But it is most often a tell on the person useing it.

I always use Border Collie and occasionally BC in text.

Now for whatever reason ThunderBolt decided that the word "Lassie" is his key word to put on his warface and growl.Doesn't matter what he is doing if hears "Lassie" he immediately lays his ears back and puffs all up and growls loud and deep.Its all show but to anyone who doesn't know him it makes them want to step away real quick and his eye can burn holes in you.

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I'm going to show my age and midwest up-bringing here. As a matter of respect to our dogs who are the greatest dogs in the world, it's Border Collie with capitols, and not BC which to me is lazy. Do you truly need to be in THAT much of a hurry? I don't always get it right, but I try to use proper English, use complete sentences, punctuation and spelling. I avoid acronyms like the plague. And yes you can call me an old fart, in fact I'll take it as a compliment.

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I admit to a slip every now and then when I say borders, but I mostly use "border collies" in conversation. I like the term "collies" though, but I've been admonished by Lassie collie people saying that their dogs are the collies and mine are border collies --- which makes me like the term "collie" for border collie, even more.

 

I remember some years ago on some message board, someone, an owner of Lassie collies, going to Scotland and coming back really disappointed. She went expecting to see shepherds working collies on the hillsides, but not once did she see anyone "herding" with a Lassie collie. She did however see someone working a scroungy black and white dog. LOL. If what she expected to see were actually the case, the hills in Scotland would be alive with barking, barking, barking. LOL

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