Red’s getting the greatest gift a border collie can receive today in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, he will get to herd sheep two or three times. Red hails from County Tyrone, Ireland, and he is a worker, a charmer and a flirt, three great Irish traits. Although Red is from Ireland, I was reading up last night on the history of the border collie and Old Hemp deserves a nod, even though he was from England. Almost all border collies today are believed to be descended from a mythic dog called Old Hemp (1893-1901), a stud dog considered to be the progenitor of the Border Collie breed. Owned by Adam Teller or Northumberland, he was used as a working dog to herd sheep. His style was very different from the rough and tumble herding dogs used before him. He worked much more quietly and efficiently than the other sheep dogs of the time was considered much more intelligent and in tune with human beings.

Border Collies have a complex relationship with sheep, they are herders, not hunters and the good ones herd with their eyes and body, not their teeth or mouth. Old Hemp was the first herding dog to embody this now famous traits. Reading about him, I saw that he was much like Red – professional, careful never to hurt the sheep, calm and responsive.

This style was embraced by other breeders and trainers and shepherds and become the standard for Border Collies with a few generations. Shep’s descendants are among the most successful international sheepdog champions to this day. Happy St. Paddy’s day to you, Red and you too, Old Hemp, whose offspring were quickly adopted by Irish sheep farmers. It is certain that Red has some of Old Hemp’s blood in him, as all working border collies do.