Originally border collies were developed between the borders of Scotland and England as a working dog, herding livestock especially sheep.  They are now used around the world for this purpose after proving themselves to be highly intelligent athletic and obedient. They are also used extensively in agility trials, various canine sports, including obedience, fly ball, tracking, and flying disc competitions.

Border collies are a very sensitive and loyal family pet, they do require lots of running time though and are not recommended for apartment living.