Temperament

We see dogs from parents with very good temperaments that turn into nasty fighters around other dogs or end up biting people. Pups from parents that have a reputation for being unsocial nippers or biters can end up as the most gentle, kind dogs with no hint of their parents aggression.

It is often said that you should look at the parents temperaments in order to have some idea of how the pups will turn out. This is not necessarily true.
There is a saying in sheepdog circles regarding pups and their parents "Its not what you've got, it's what you've had" which means its not the parents you should be looking at, it's the grandparents.
Either way you look (and we would advise you to look both ways) what you see in a bloodline is only an indication of what the dog may turn out like as it grows.

Pups from the same litter sometimes end up either end of the scale.

To generalise, Border Collies, as a whole, have very amiable temperaments when properly bred exercised and mentally stimulated. They are normally a quiet and thoughtful breed, very loyal to their owners and often forming a strong attachment, particularly if dog and owner spend time doing something fulfilling for the dog.

To keep a balanced temperament the dog will need some downtime, or 'me' time to itself, preferably at night, in a place where it feels secure and relaxed.
Dog crates under a kitchen unit or stairs or just covered over top, back and sides performs this function.

If frustrated or wound up Border Collies can be easily stimulated into hyperactivity.
Being an intelligent breed, strong leadership is required to enable them to feel confident that their needs will be attended to so they do not start to think that they have to make their own decisions about personal space, exercise, sleeping arrangements and food.
Once a Border Collie gets into this frame of mind it takes some convincing to get its mind changed and this is where temperament issues begin to raise their heads.
They can become possessive over space and food and aggressive if they feel their rights in these areas are compromised.

Exercise is essential for the long term health of the dog but there is no point in walking your Border Collie 6 miles a day morning and evening if you do not provide it with mental stimulation. Mental stimulation is far more important.
If you are a runner or jogger and train daily putting in a few miles as a steady pace this will provide some of the mental stimulation a Border Collie would need because it would see the session as working in partnership and enjoy it as such, but walking is rather boring and the chances are that if you just walk your Border Collie daily and allow it to run around a bit, when you get home it will be ready to go out again immediately.
Frustration from lack of mental stimulation - boredom if you like - is going to have an adverse effect on a dogs temperament.

Border Collies are not a breed to share space with young children.
They can grow intolerant or envious or over protective very quickly, all of which lead to problems.
The crying of babies can frighten, confuse or simply overstimulated them up as can the jerky movement of toddlers.
The high pitched voices and quick movements of youngsters can also stimulate instincts best applied to working sheep and they can become 'herdy' and nippy.
Boys tend to cause this more than girls, perhaps because they are more inclined to hyperactivity than girls.

In some cases a Border Collie can become overprotective of their owners and consider a child to be a threat and in some cases they will consider the child to be lower in the family pecking order that they are and subject to their will.
As young children often lack the confidence and capability to control a dog they can easily find themselves on the wrong side of a Border Collies tolerance level and end up being bitten.
Couple this with their size in comparison with a Border Collie and the proximity of their face to the dogs, it is a serious risk.

Instinct plays a great part in a Border Collies temperament as does socialisation as a puppy and subsequent handling and training. Bear in mind that everything you do with, and to, a Border Collie is training it, so consistency is very important.
A dog with strong sheepdog instincts and no way to fulfill them will become frustrated and its temperament, even if initially it was very happy and tolerant, will retrogress.

Instinct to herd is common, to one degree or another, in most Border Collies.
Instinct to herd is not one inclination, it is a combination of of factors all of which will ultimately affect a dogs temperament if not considered and accounted for in its handling.
Chasing, retrieving, flanking, eying, working with handler, an association and bond with one individual, all contribute. Individually and collectively they make an individual Border Collie pups temperament difficult to accurately pin down.