By Lucy Notarantonio
Copyright newsweek
Border Collies are renowned for their intelligence and trainability—but one owner’s story takes it to another level. Her dog is so sharp, he’s even mastered tricks using imaginary objects.In a viral TikTok video shared to an account for three dogs (@3bordercollies_zrs), Roman, a brown and white canine, can be seen sitting next to a black and white one called Storm. Both sat extremely still but only one was asked to “stay,” and it wasn’t Roman.Storm has a tennis ball on her head but “Roman thought he had [to] balance a ball too,” and he is doing a great job in doing so.The hilarious footage quickly went viral, gathering almost 379,000 views and over 57,000 likes since it was posted on September 11.”He’s helping via Bluetooth,” concluded one user. Another wrote: “Poor little Roman—he’s so cute just being still pretending there’s a ball on his head.”A third said: “Bruh [stayed] in character the whole time,” and another agreed: “He’s locked in.””He’s just mad [because] he doesn’t have a ball and he’s showing you he could have won the competition,” noted a fifth user.Why Border Collies ExcelThis display of canine cleverness comes as no surprise to experts. Stanley Coren, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of British Columbia and a renowned dog researcher, tested 120 breeds in the early 1990s and again in 2006, consistently ranking this breed among the top 20 for intelligence. A 2023 study confirmed Coren’s conclusions, finding the breed not only exceptionally intelligent but officially ranking it as the smartest.Bred for BrillianceThe American Kennel Club notes that Border Collies were bred to herd sheep, a job they master thanks to their strength, stamina, intelligence, and their intense “eye”—a piercing stare that directs the flock. At the first recorded sheepdog trial in Bala, Wales in 1873, spectators marveled as these dogs herded sheep into a pen using only hand signals and whistles.Incredible Tricks and On-Screen StarsTheir intelligence is legendary, with records of Border Collies performing remarkable feats—from setting world records by skateboarding 100 meters in under 20 seconds to learning over 1,000 object names. Another dog has taken Storm’s trick even further, balancing a can on her head and walking 100 meters in only 2 minutes and 55 seconds.Alongside their skill with tricks, Border Collies make great actors, shining on screen in movies such as Babe, Animal Farm and Snow Dogs.Beyond entertainment, their focus and agility make them exceptional search-and-rescue dogs.Newsweek reached out to @3bordercollies_zrs for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
