Your question as to which breed is the smartest of all, ends with the existence of the Border Collie. This dog may not be famous for being diminutively adorable and lusciously furred but it still manages to be one of the most favored pets of many homes and farms around the world. Additionally, it doesn't only bests the intellect section but the herding ability section as well for this dog is being considered as the best sheep herding dog in the world.

The Border Collie or just Collie, came from the herding regions of the Scotland-England borders and Wales- England borders. The existence of this breed was first recorded during the end of the nineteenth century; furthermore, the record also showed that the modern day Collie is a descendant of the dog called Old Hemp. Old Hemp, said to have been born on September 1893, was an excellent herder and possesses a great ability for working and thus it is where the present Collie got its working style as well.

The coat of this breed appears as either solid or single-colored and a combination of different kinds of colors. The most common combination is black and white but there are also the: black tricolor which are a combination of black, tan, white or sable white; red tricolor- a combination of red, tan and white; and red/chocolate and white. There are Collies who appear to be mottled, patterned or simply single- colored with blue, lilac, red merle, blue merle, brindle or "Australian red"/gold.

As farm dogs, the Border Collie is the best sheep herder there is and it does this job not only excellently but with an innate power that makes sheep and other livestock obey him and allow to be guided by him freely. This dog has a keen sense of intelligence and herding instinct that is unique to its kind only and its work ethics are popularly regarded as superb. When the Collie works, it works with utmost attention and intensity and it wants to work closely with its master.

Sheep herder or farm dog, however, are not the only expertise of the Collie since, nowadays; he is widely adopted as a family pet as well. At home, he is a protector, a playmate and an affectionate companion. This creature needs the right amount of attention and a vigorous level of activity in order to maintain its happy disposition; so the families who own a Collie must be somewhat active.

The energy, agility and endurance of the Collie is obviously endless and so it needs exercises comprised of running, chasing or frolicking. At times they can be well-behaved but sometimes they are overly hyper but this is their normal state. Because a Collie is a natural herder, it needs to expel the same amount of energy in order for it to be happy and not fidgety or moody.

The family that plans to take in a Collie must be well aware of the demands and requirements in owning one. It must be kept in mind that a dormant lifestyle doesn't suit very well with the Collie and in fact, will just affect them mentally and physically in a bad way. Without the proper care, this dog tends to act restless, insanely obsessed with digging and even to the extent of hurting himself by slamming his body against a wall.

If a Collie starts to act like this, it is obvious that they are not as safe to children anymore. They also tend to be overly sensitive to motion and will likely desire to control it; people walking, other animals and cars passing by are likely to be obsessed at. Border Collies are superb pets but only those who understand intimately the needs and characteristics of this breed will see and enjoy the benefits of the world's most intelligent dog.