Border Collie Gently Caring for Newborn Lamb Melts Hearts: 'Loves Her'

A video of a border collie, also known as a sheepdog, snuggling up with a lamb on a farm in the U.K. has delighted users on TikTok.

In the video posted by Helena, and viewed over 800,000 times, Callie the collie can be seen sitting on a stack of hay in a barn, with a newborn lamb curled up next to her as she affectionately licks its face.

The caption reads, "Callie loves her new mate."

One user commented: "You can't teach that in a collie, it's in them, so good to see!" Helena added, "She's always been super gentle and intrigued with the newborn lambs."

Often thought of as one of the most intelligent dog breeds, border collies are herding dogs developed by farmers and shepherds in the U.K. to manage and control livestock, mainly sheep.

According to the American Border Collie Association, modern dogs are the result of three hundred years of selective breeding for working abilities and they can even herd poultry.

In 2021, a 12-month-old red and white border collie named Kim broke all the records at auction, selling at £28,455 ($38,893) in Gwynedd, Wales.

The ABCA describes border collies as "intelligent, obedient, eager to please, and easily trained. They have genetic herding abilities, athleticism, and tremendous drive. Border collies instinctively go to the heads of livestock to prevent their escape. This basic heading instinct is the basis for the border collie's renowned gathering ability—rounding up a group of animals and bringing them to the shepherd."

This intelligent, ancient working breed must be active and mentally and physically stimulated—experts warn about choosing them as a pet if you can't offer it the lifestyle it needs.

The dogs were originally bred to enjoy working all day in all weathers. The Border Collie Foundation reports that they need "attention and training to make sure their intelligence is directed into constructive channels, not destructive ones."

The group warns that before you think about getting a border collie, "look honestly at your lifestyle and the amount of time and effort you are willing to devote to your dog. Border Collies can make fine pets for those who can give them the extensive time, training, and exercise they require, but if you are unable to make that commitment of time and effort, you would be better off choosing another breed—or finding a less-demanding dog at your local animal shelter."

Newsweek has reached out to Helena for comment.

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.