Border Collies were not developed as a distinct breed until the late 19th century. However, their ancestors had worked as sheepdogs along the border of Scotland and England since the Romans occupied the British Isles. Border Collie puppies don’t really care about borders, and in the last couple of centuries, they have spread out over the face of the Earth.

Highly regarded for their trainability, loyalty, and intelligence, Border Collie puppies are everywhere. For your delight and amusement, we’ve herded these 11 Border Collie puppy photos from as near as my home state of North Carolina, and as far afield as Australia and Brazil. Let’s join Border Collie puppies at play, at work, and then tuck them in for the evening!

Fun and games: Border Collie puppies at play

You may have heard of Chaser, a Border Collie living in South Carolina with a retired Psychology professor. From the time Chaser was an eight-week-old puppy, she received rigorous, consistent, and positive training. Not every owner has the time or patience to teach their dog to recognize 1,000 words, but it shows that for Border Collie puppies, anything is possible.

Border Collie puppies are active little babies with energy to spare. Minälska here lives in Denmark and enjoys nothing quite so much as being outdoors. Outside time is essential; Border Collies need room to stretch their legs and a constant stream of activities to occupy their growing minds and bodies.

These precocious puppy pals need not only places to play, but interaction as well.

Our next pup is Opie, who has twice as much fun when his owner is around. Engaging with Border Collie puppies can take any number of forms: obedience training, tummy rubs, and walks among them. The look in Opie’s eyes says he’s ready for some tug-of-war!

This tiny baby Border Collie puppy and its mother are delighting in some family time. Dashing across the hills above the seaside town of Eastbourne in southern England, these Border Collies could run and play all day. Mom entices the puppy to wrest the twig from her mouth, freeing up their owner to capture this precious moment of Border Collie enthusiasm.

Punch the clock: Border Collie puppies at work

For centuries, sheep were the business of Border Collie puppies, and business is clearly good for little Sydney here. Owners of Border Collie puppies can attest that without a flock of sheep to look after, the herding instinct still manages to surface. In the absence of pasture-grazing ruminants, Border Collie puppies are known to ply their wonted trade by rounding up small children and other household pets.

Welcome to Brazil, where this young Border Collie puppy is being put through his paces by a magnificent horse. No matter how much energy their owners may have, there’s nothing quite as exhilarating for Border Collie puppies than testing their speed and agility against real competition. Can you look at this photo without a “wow” escaping your lips?

Border Collie puppies love to be involved in any way they can, no matter the task. Just over an hour outside of Brisbane, Australia, in the Beerburrum State Forest, we find a Border Collie puppy named Mondo. Mondo’s owner is doing some location scouting, and what better company in this spectacular sylvan landscape than a Collie puppy?

Tuckered out: Border Collie puppies at rest

After a long day of training, physical exertion, or youthful mischief, Border Collie puppies enjoy a restorative snack and a nice nap. This adorable puppy was recently born in Madrid, Spain. He hasn’t seen much of it yet, though. Milk is almost all this Border Collie puppy knows about food, and learning how to stand on all four legs encompasses the entirety of his mischief.

This extra-tiny baby puppy is named Madeline. Only a few days old, Madeline is a Blue Merle Border Collie who seems to have fallen asleep in the palm of someone’s hand! Can you process — can you even begin to comprehend — how a creature so small may one day wander forests, herd sheep, or strive with horses?

The last entry in our roundup of cute Border Collie puppies is Braeburn, a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix puppy. Braeburn is a ward of the Carolina Hearts Aussie Rescue, a non-profit organization in North Carolina dedicated to finding homes for herding dogs. Since herding dog breeds like Border Collie puppies are so inherently active, they tend to fare very poorly in shelters. Braeburn is dreaming of a forever home and a loving family!

Share your experiences with Border Collies!

Photos of napping Border Collie puppies are enough to make anyone sigh, perhaps even to coax a tear from the eye. Nap time won’t last very long, though. The energy level of any puppy tends to be high, but for Border Collie puppies, sleep is only a pause between adventures. Have you ever owned a Border Collie? Share your experiences and memories of these hardy herding dogs in the comments!