The Border Collie is a British breed of herding dog. It is believed to have originated along the border between England and Scotland (hence the term ‘border’ collie). It was originally bred to herd sheep, and today is most common in regions of the world with communities that herd livestock. In addition to sheep, they are also used nowadays to herd cattle, poultry, pigs, and even ostriches! They are also popular as companion animals, since they are very social, easy to train, protective, adaptable, and open to strangers. They are considered one of the most, if not the most, intelligent breeds of dog. The Border Collie is no stranger to the toy animal community, and has been produced by several major companies, including Schleich, Safari Ltd., Papo, and Mojö Fun. Today we will be looking at the 2024 version by CollectA, which replaces their earlier model that was produced in 2006.
The dog stands approximately 5.0 cm at the shoulders. Based on the American Kennel Club (AKC), that puts it at a scale of 1:9.7-1:11.2 for a male specimen, which it is clearly sculpted as.
The sculpt is really well-detailed. The dog is posed upright and alert, displaying a very playful manner. The hair is meticulously sculpted all over the body. The ears are semi-erect. One of the neatest features of this figure is a tennis ball sculpted into its mouth, emphasizing the playful nature of the breed. I know a lot of collectors don’t like accessories permanently attached to the animal, but I think the tennis ball here gives the figure a degree of charm. The plastic does seem a bit softer than other recent dogs, however. While the figure is firm and stands just fine, if one were to squeeze it at the legs, they are somewhat pliable. I doubt this will affect display over time, but it seemed out of the norm for CollectA’s recent dogs.
Border Collies can come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, but today’s CollectA comes in the standard black-and-white. It is painted with a somewhat semi-gloss (so sorry for the glares in the pic; they were hard to avoid). The inside of the mouth and tongue are pink and the eyes appear to be red-brown, the latter of which is acceptable by the AKC. The footpads are brown.
In 2020, CollectA started taking their dog figures to a new level, starting with a Toy Poodle and continuing with a Boxer (2021), Beagle (2021), and Rough Collie (2023). It was this new wave of dog figures that got me interested in expanding domestic dogs in my collection. This 2024 Border Collie continues the trend. For those who collect toy animals generally, or pets, dogs, or livestock specifically, and don’t yet have a Border Collie in their collection, this one comes highly recommended. Some may not like the tennis ball, as I previously mentioned that some collectors don’t like accessories permanently attached to their figures. If so, the 2009 model by Papo might be a nice alternative. When I started expanding domestic dogs in my collection, I almost bought the Papo version; I am glad I decided to hold out!
