It seems the earlier Collies were shaped more by temperament selection, intelligence, and health and not so much by ''breed standard" appearances. They seem to have had a more balanced nervous system, and not as obsessive in behavior as modern Border Collies, 'throw the ball!, throw the ball!, throw the ball!' They worked and they were able to relax.
The difference between loose eyed and strong eyed in herding breeds:
The strong-eyed dogs tend to have speed, intensity and a lot of drive – all traits that help them to excel at covering stock in large areas and taking control of the livestock. The International sheep dog trials that are commonly seen on television are designed to show off these points. These strong-eyed dogs have been bred to work in this style. They have also been bred for working temperament, to be biddable working for and with their handler. Many give easily to pressure, reacting quickly to handler’s training techniques.
In comparison, many of the loose-eyed dogs have been bred to work independently, learning from other dogs on the farm, or through trial and error. These dogs excel working in small pens, stockyards, feed lots and sorting chutes doing ranch or farm chores. They use their presence and/or voice to move a large group from the rear when the stock at the front cannot see them. Many are versatile; they will work cattle in chutes one day and move geese, ducks or sheep the next. The independence they are bred for can make training very frustrating, especially for the beginner handler. They are bred to push into pressure, which means their reactions will differ from the strong-eyed breeds and the training techniques being used.
https://downriver.allbreedherding.com/loose-eye-versus-strong-eye/
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