Border Collie Museum

THE BORDER COLLIE MUSEUM

"The Shepherd's Dogge...either at the hearing of his master's voyce, or at the wagging and whistling in his fist, or at his shrill and hoarse hissing, bringeth the wandering weathers and straying sheepe into the self same place where his master's will and wishe is to have them."

--- Dr. John Caius, physician to Queen Elizabeth I,
from his Treatise on Englishe Dogges, 1576

Welcome to the Border Collie Museum

This page has music available that you may turn on.
You can hear "Niel Gow's Lamentation For The Death Of His Brother Donald" by clicking the right arrow above.
You may also turn it off by clicking on the two parallel lines.
(Sequenced by Barry Taylor, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.)

Above, "Twins" by Sir Edwin Landseer
(Thanks to Beth Maxwell Boyle)

There are two kinds of exhibits here that will give you an idea of what kind of dog a Border Collie is and what went into the making of the breed:

The Permanent Collection includes information on the breed's history, physical attributes and working style, and an extensive bibliography. As with all our pages, we provide links to other Border Collie sites on the Internet. The intent is to have important and interesting information available to you at all times, but some of it may also change, as things are updated periodically or given a rest.

The Changing Exhibit focuses on the cultural aspects of the breed. Here you will find articles, interviews, profiles, stories, book reviews, artwork and photographs, all of which will change periodically. Usually, only a single item or several will be featured in the Changing Exhibit. Some will be repeated from time to time, so if you missed something you may have a chance to view it again.

Below are some of the things we have to offer. This index accesses both exhibits in the Border Collie Museum, as well as some other Border Collie sites on the Internet. Just click where you want to go. Enjoy your stay and come back for subsequent visits.

The Permanent Collection

Above, "Two Collies" a sable and a black-and-white, from an 1870 painting, artist unknown

HISTORY
OF THE
BORDER COLLIE

REQUEST
The Border Collie Museum is always looking for new material, both for this site and for a possible future book.
We are particularly eager to find material relating to the Border Collie or shepherd's dog in America.
If you have any old books, articles, clippings, photographs, personal or family stories,
and other memorabilia relating to the breed
that you would like to lend or donate to us and would enjoy seeing incorporated into this site,
please contact us (shepdog@gis.net) and we will tell you where to send it.
Any material we borrow will be handled carefully and returned to you as quickly as possible.
Any material donated to us, will be archived. If we use your material, we will give you credit.

How
a Border Collie
Works

Sheepdog Trials
In Britain
& Ireland

The
Drovers
Dogs

The Border Collie
in America

Border Collie
Cousins

The Health
of the Breed

The
Border Collie
in Stamps

The
Border Collie
in Old Photographs

Border Collie
Names

A Border Collie Bibliography

THE HISTORY OF THE SHEPHERD'S DOG IN ART AND LITERATURE

Johannes Caius
1510-1573

Thomas Bewick
1753-1828

Robert Burns
1759-1796

James Hogg
the Ettrick Shepherd 1770-1835

Sir Edwin Landseer
1802-1873

Richard Ansdell R.A.
1815-1885

Albrecht Schenck
1828-1901

Harrison Weir
1824-1906

Edwin Douglas
1849-1914

Joseph Farquharson
1846-1935

Beatrix Potter
1866-1943

And the
New England
contemporaty
artist
O.Colley

PROFILES
In this section we will present profiles of people who have been involved with sheepdogs. Most will be or will have been farmers or shepherds. Some of them you will have heard of, as they will be people who have made an impact on the world of sheepdogs. Others you may not have heard of before, but they will have made an impact on the world in general through having been a shepherd and having had sheepdogs. We will add to this section from time to time.