Sheep in Britain, opinion piece in the NY Times

[mum24dog]

I agree with the last 2 posts. It's no coincidence that the ISDS isn't called the IBCS.

 

The only people I know who use the term border collie are those sports people for whom a pedigree is important (the minority) and show people. Farming people I know call them dogs or it. Everyone else calls them collies or sheepdogs.

 

The only reason my mother tried to distinguish between BCs and WSDs was because a newcomer to the area who competed in obedience called her dogs border collies and it was such an unfamiliar term.

 

I don't think it's just a northern thing as it was just the same when I lived in the south west.i

 

I wouldn't say that there is general appreciation of other disciplines though. An agility friend who trialled her dogs was given a surplus to requirements trained dog to work on condition that she didn't do agility with her. I don't know why but suspect it was the erroneous view of someone unfamiliar with the sport that the two are incompatible. You get the same with some agility folk who believe that it is incompatible with competitive obedience. I don't think dogs are as stupid as some make out.

[mum24dog]

Should have said I agree with the last 3 posts, not 2.

[GentleLake]

I think in the US, too, it's largely to distinguish border collies from rough (or "Lassie") collies, which people here automatically think of when they hear the word "collie."

 

I'll often hear elderly folks at the nursing homes we visit who were raised on farms say they used to have a dog like Bodhi, and they mostly call them farm collies.

[GentleLake]

Mum, are you referring to Welsh collies when you write WSD, or something else?

[alligande]

I'll answer that for you.. A non papered border collie is called a working sheep dog. If you rescue or buy a non registered dog and register it with the kennel club to do sports it becomes a WSD.

[mum24dog]

Mum, are you referring to Welsh collies when you write WSD, or something else?

Sorry - working sheep dog.

 

Welsh collies are just collies that happen to come from Wales.

 

Welsh Sheepdogs are a different breed.

 

Clear as mud?

[GentleLake]

I thought that might have been it, but then wasn't sure.

 

I though Welsh collies were considered a different breed. Learning something new every day.

[MIRK]

Bang on M24D.

Farmers usually leave the first part off and say "dog".

It will be assumed you know what's being talked about.

Trials are often referred to as "sheepdogs" ie "He's goin' to t'sheepdogs".

The mud gets thicker...

[mum24dog]

I thought that might have been it, but then wasn't sure.

 

I though Welsh collies were considered a different breed. Learning something new every day.

 

 

It's undeniable that some people do use "Welsh Collie" to mean Welsh Sheepdog, or they may not be sure what they mean and there are a lot of crosses between the two. You can never be sure what they are talking about without questioning them. I assume some people think that "sheepdog" and "collie" are interchangeable in that context just as they are when referring to BCs.

 

There will be local variations of how terms are used though depending on which dogs are most common. I'm speaking generally.

 

But the true Welsh Sheepdog is different from a BC, although not always in appearance -

 

http://www.welshsheepdogsociety.com/

 

The News section has photos which show some working.

[GentleLake]

My bad, then. I meant Welsh sheepdogs, although I'm pretty sure my friend called them Welsh collies. She was definitely referring to a different breed of working sheepdog that originated in Wales, though, and not just border collies living and working in Wales.