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McNab Border Collie


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I was just in the middle of a Disc Dog show and say that a Border collie was called a "McNab Border collie." I've never heard of this breed before. Has anyone else? What's the difference between them?

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A McNab border collie is not just a short haired bc. It is a line of bc's that are usually known for working cattle. they are known to be hard working dogs and usually tougher than a sheep dog.

 

Here is a wonderful article on the McNabs of old.

 

http://www.stockmanship.com/mcnabs.htm

 

Kristen

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My understanding is that they are a line of bc's developed in N. CA for working in this terrain, steep, grassy, hot. Some folks have suggested McNab for Hoku (a rescue from the local shelter) for his tight coat and long legs...who knows?

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My Mom used to work on a ranch that had a McNab BC. She said he was a great dog. I haven't seen any around here though. They sound great.

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  • 3 months later...
A friend of mine's parents McNab's had puppies. He gets one of the males. He's pretty excited about it.

 

 

 

We had a Mcnab cross we got from my cattle rancher friend and he was the smartest dog I've ever owned -- not the most obedient, just the smartest.

 

From what I know the McNabs were bred to work in the upper coastal regions of California and selected for their toughness, intelligence, short coats and leeeetle feet. My husband knows a cattle rancher who will only work with McNabs.

 

They are my idea of a great breeding program - breed for what works where you are!

 

Nancy Bovee

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There's a McNabb in our area doing agility. I'm assuming it's a real "purebred" since the owner always lists it that way (USDAA not AKC agility, obviously). It looks like a short-backed smooth-coated BC or BC-mix. Actually the guy asked me if Drifter was a McNab (he's a smooth) and I was sort of offended; like does my dog not look BC enough for you?

Anyway this particular McNab is not the most motivated agility dog I've seen, and therefore differs from 95% of the BC's out there :-)

It looks smart, just has a bit more of a "Why the #$%^%$^ am I doing this again?" attitude...

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That could be because this particular strain is JUST about working stock. Some dogs multi task well, some not so much....

Julie

 

There's a McNabb in our area doing agility. I'm assuming it's a real "purebred" since the owner always lists it that way (USDAA not AKC agility, obviously). It looks like a short-backed smooth-coated BC or BC-mix. Actually the guy asked me if Drifter was a McNab (he's a smooth) and I was sort of offended; like does my dog not look BC enough for you?

Anyway this particular McNab is not the most motivated agility dog I've seen, and therefore differs from 95% of the BC's out there :-)

It looks smart, just has a bit more of a "Why the #$%^%$^ am I doing this again?" attitude...

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There's a McNabb in our area doing agility. I'm assuming it's a real "purebred" since the owner always lists it that way (USDAA not AKC agility, obviously). It looks like a short-backed smooth-coated BC or BC-mix. Actually the guy asked me if Drifter was a McNab (he's a smooth) and I was sort of offended; like does my dog not look BC enough for you?

Anyway this particular McNab is not the most motivated agility dog I've seen, and therefore differs from 95% of the BC's out there :-)

It looks smart, just has a bit more of a "Why the #$%^%$^ am I doing this again?" attitude...

 

If it's the same dog I'm thinking of - the guy trains with us in VA and he got her from a local rescue. I think he was told "she could be a McNab", so he immediately told everyone she WAS a McNab. I think he just calls her that to be "different ", and he also doesn't know enough about Border Collies to understand that they can come in "smooth". How many actual working McNabs end up in an East Coast Border Collie rescue? I've never met an actual McNab around here, but to me, she looks like a smooth BCx"stubby legged (beagle?) mix" of some sort - smart but not very athletic or driven; compliant to the owner, but very "snarky" attitude with other people and dogs.

 

Laurie

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I do see some McNabs around here, just a bit south of where they originated. The differences between BCs and McNabs can be subtle.

 

Short coat - I haven't met that many smooth coat BC, but the McNab coat is a bit coarser than any of my 3, all rough coats.

Slightly deeper chest and slightly broader shoulders.

Wider set eyes

 

I have a friend who had a McNab. If I hadn't seen Jake next to my guys, who all have slightly different builds, it would have been hard to pick out the differences.

 

Ruth n the BC3

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Laurie, that explains it. Yeah, it's that guy. The dog actually kinda went after my dog once when Kiba ran too close to him near the warm up jump, but he pulled it away before anything happened. I just assumed that since he called it a McNab that's what it was. I did kinda wonder why he'd bother bringing a dog like that all the way from CA when there's so many BC's on the east coast!

 

Some people just can't BEAR to "conform" I guess.

 

I'll admit, if Drifter had stubbier legs and was broader through the ribcage, he could be related to her. . . but he's NOT! lol

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out here in CO there are a lot of McNabs and I had never heard of them. TUrns out the best dog ever Katie Walsh had a hair of that dog. She was killed at the ranch and replaced with Ellie a full papered rescue BC who is comingg along nicely; very nicely. Now if I could only carry that patience to the rest of my life!!!!! :rolleyes::D

THey are some hard working critters. I think the mcnab gave Katie her incredible disposition a sort of lets always go do something but I can wait for a spell. Anyway if the mesa ranchers want some new blood in pool then we may be able to use Katies uncle for the task. AND BEFORE I get jumped all over about having more pups this is a working ranch community, dogs sometimes lead short lives nad we have not decided yet and still ahve some time.

 

BTW on the pet store visit once I get Ellie's papers I am going to shut her breeder down as I believe he is overstretched and mistreats his dogs.

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