Australian Shepherds, otherwise known as “Aussies”, actually don’t come from Australia — despite their misleading name. They were developed in the 19th century on American ranches for the purpose of herding sheep and participating in dog sports and shows. These dogs are extremely agile and have fast reflexes, making them very successful search and rescue dogs, guide dogs, disaster relief dogs, and more. They are a loyal and guarding breed and are inclined to bark at trespassers, although it rarely, if ever, engages aggressively.
These are highly intelligent dogs that love games and can easily learn new tricks. They are quite independent and low maintenance, which means that they can do very well on even 45 minutes of daily exercise. Aussies love people and love to hang out and play, especially in open places. They might not be a great fit for kids under eight though, as their highly energetic and erratic behavior is prone to injuring kids below a certain size, due to accidents such as accidental tackling. They are best suited for ranches and big, open houses, and should not be raised in small and closed apartments.
Border Collie
Border Collies are the superstars of the dog world. These breeds are often seen competing in animal sports competitions and taking home the prize. They can learn and understand very complex multi-level commands and can easily learn many verbal, sound, and signal commands. They are very agile, fast, and acrobatic, and they're one of the most competent shepherds you can find. Border Collies originate from other collies in the British Isles.
This breed requires a lot of physical exercise and mental stimulation, due to having both a high level of physical ability as well as the highest intelligence of any dog in the world. These dogs are very demanding, which is why they are mostly owned by farmers as shepherds. Their demanding personality doesn't fit well in regular households, and they often begin to vandalize and destroy their owner's house and furniture if not properly taken care of.
Bearded Collie
The Bearded Collie is intellectually identical to the Sheepdog and other larger herders. This breed is known for being boisterous and charismatic. It was also the dog in the 1960s television show "My Three Sons". The Bearded Collie's intelligence can make it a challenge to train, as it is an independent thinker. Bearded Collies are mostly known for being the loyal and charismatic dogs that often appeared on television shows during the '60s and '70s. It's a Scottish herding shepherd dog and weighs an average of 50 pounds.
Bearded Collies are usually called that for good reason, as most of them have a very long smooth fur coat that could double as a rug. They are very independent and excel at competitive sports, while also having a surprising amount of agility and obedience. These dogs are extremely loyal and family-friendly. They're essentially herding dogs and can be used to work on a farm to take care of cattle. You'll find many of these in the UK, especially Scotland since they mostly originated from there and really don't mind the cold.
Rottweiler
Rottweilers are considered one of the top ten most intelligent working dogs. These gentle giants got a bad reputation over the years due to the media’s panic over several attacks by badly trained dogs. Don’t be alarmed by their giant build and terrifying teeth, as Rottweilers are some of the most loving, gentle, and protective breeds you can find. They are generally very calm, loving, and loyal, while also being very territorial. This is one of the best protection dogs you can get, but they are also a lot more than that and should be treated with a lot of love and respect.
Rottweilers are often used as service dogs and have been successfully helping blind and disabled people for the past few decades. They are not high maintenance, although they do require at least an hour of daily exercise to keep them happy and content, as well as a large place where they can roam without feeling too constrained.
Collie
Collies are one of the most famous and beloved breeds in the world and often appear on TV shows and films. They became extremely famous and overappreciated when a collie named Lassie was portrayed in her famous film, books, and TV shows from 1938 until today. Collies are very trainable, gentle, loyal, and intelligent pets, but you should lower your expectations if you expect to find these qualities at the same level as you did with Lassie.
Collies weigh about 60 pounds on average and have a fairly athletic build. They are considered good family pets and are very compatible with children, although not to the extent that most people believe, as they are more suited for being watchdogs. Collies don’t require too much maintenance and can get by on relatively low amounts of exercise, but you can bet that they’ll beat any person in a running match, as they have nimble legs and almost infinite energy.