Smart, energetic and affectionate, Border Collies are eager to please - and work! Thriving on routine, training and heaps of attention and outdoor time, these high-energy dogs will reward you with their loyalty and cuddles once their work is done. Border Collies need a job to do and an active owner who can keep up with them and lavish them with the love they deserve.
Border Collie Facts
Take a look at a Border Collie and you’ll see this medium-sized dog oozes strength and intelligence, thanks to their almond-shaped eyes and active ears. Their coat comes in two types (medium and short) and multiple colours, like black, brown and lilac.
- Breed Group: Herding
- Height: Female: 45-53 cm, Male: 48-55 cm
- Weight: Female: 13-25 kg, Male: 13-25 kg
- Life Span: 12-15 years
- Coat: 2 types - short (smooth) or medium (rough)
- Colour: Blue, black, chocolate
What Does a Border Collie Look Like?
Border Collies are medium-sized and look athletic and strong - they’re born to be working dogs, after all! Thanks to their smart nature, you’ll see intense, expressive almond eyes - their ‘herding eye’ is their hallmark. This is matched by their expressive ears, which are often up or semi-up, and their feathered tail that stands tall to show happiness or excitement. Watch them and you’ll be impressed by their agility and speedy moves.
Although you’ll often see Border Collies in black and white, their double-coated fur actually comes in lots of colours, including blue, brindle, gold, red merle and even lilac. Their fur comes in two types: rough (medium-length) and smooth (short).
Border Collie
Border Collie Temperament: Chief Herder & People-Pleaser
Border Collies are born to work. Bred for herding sheep, Border Collies thrive on routine, training and hanging with their human(s). Lovers of order, Border Collies can find busy households with no set walk or play times overwhelming. They still make great family pets though - they’re happy to be part of a pack, as long as you give them a rule book. Because of their tendency to herd animals and people, they do best with older, well-behaved children. They also suit being the only dog to a solo pet parent, where they can enjoy plenty of one-on-one time.
Without a job to do, Border Collies might find their own slightly destructive ones, like stealing socks, digging under the garden fence and chewing the furniture. Border Collies are really active and intelligent dogs, so you’ll need to be able to provide them plenty of exercise and stimulation - they love a big garden with room to run and play.
In return, they’re fiercely loyal, affectionate and natural people-pleasers. When their work is done, expect plenty of cuddles. Loyalty can lead to protectiveness and potentially aggression around strangers or other dogs. Invest the time and energy into training them when they’re a puppy and they’ll gain the skills they need to play well with others.
Keeping Border Collies Healthy: 4 Issues to Watch Out For
Bred to be a working dog, Border Collies are normally hardy with genes that are designed for a long working life. Although they have a healthy life expectancy, Border Collies are prone to some health issues. Here’s what to keep an eye on.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia happens when the ball and socket of the hip bone don’t fit properly, which causes pain and loss of mobility. Although it can be managed with diet, joint supplements, physical therapy and medication, really bad cases might need surgery.
Epilepsy
Border Collies can suffer from epilepsy, which usually starts when they’re around 2 years old. Their seizures might be mild to severe - some Border Collies have multiple seizures which affect their quality of life. Others may only have one seizure their whole life. Some cases can be managed with anti-seizure medication. Because epilepsy can be inherited, ask your breeder for your dog’s parents’ medical history.
Eye Abnormality
Border Collies can be born with Collie Eye Abnormality (CEA). This disease can be spotted with an eye exam when your Border Collie is a puppy, although you might see one symptom yourself - cloudy, sunken eyeballs. There isn’t a cure for CEA and it can lead to the loss of their eyesight. Genetic testing of potential dog parents helps avoid breeding dogs with CEA.
Collapsing After Exercise
With their love of vigorous daily exercise, Border Collies are at risk of Border Collie Collapse (BCC). Although they won’t actually collapse, otherwise healthy Border Collies can become dazed, disoriented or confused during or after intense exercise. This can last for around 20 minutes. It’s not known why it happens, although heat might be a problem.
Caring for Your Border Collie Dog
Border Collies are super smart, but they still need help from their human BFF. As well as giving them plenty of exercise with outdoor ‘work’, love and attention and a regular routine. Here’s how to care for your Border Collie:
Grooming
Whatever your Border Collie has a smooth or rough coat, expect them to shed all-year round, especially in autumn and spring. A daily brush will keep their coat and tail smooth but a deshedding tool or rake will be essential during times of heavier molting. It also gives you a great opportunity for a bonding sesh.
Apart from a daily brush, they don’t need elaborate grooming - their dense, weather-resistant double coat is designed for heavy-duty work. That means you can skip a regular bath unless they’re super muddy (which can happen quite a lot as Border Collies love being outside).
Like with all dogs, check their ears for any waxy build-up. Regular ear cleaning can help ward off infection. Keep their nails short with regular trimming, about every two weeks. Daily tooth brushing is important to keep their teeth in check.
Nutrition
Border Collies need a well-balanced diet high in protein, calcium and carbohydrates to support their active, energetic nature. Choosing the right food will depends on things like how much they exercise, how old they are and how much they weigh.
For puppies, start them off right with the Royal Canin Medium Puppy Dry or Wet Food to support their growing, energetic nature. Then transition to Royal Canin Medium Dry Food & Wet Food, which provides a specially-tailored formula to help boost the immune system and digestive health of your Border Collie. With a high energy content, it also supports the active nature of this breed.
Keep an eye on their weight and if you’re worried about their size, have a chat with your vet. Because they’re so intelligent and active, you might be doing agility training with them. Using treats is a great training aid but feeding too many of them can lead to obesity.
Exercise
Border Collies are athletic and energetic, and appreciate having a job to do and lots of space to run. This means they need a lot of vigorous daily exercise - think 1-2 hours. A daily walk around the block or a quick play in the garden won’t cut it. If your Border Collie isn’t working on your farm or lifestyle block, you could try some agility training in your garden.
If you don’t have space for that, you could try running, long walks (maybe speed walking!) and games like fetch or frisbee (check out the Chuckit! range).
Training Your Border Collie
Border Collies find work fun, so they’re enthusiastic and excited about training. Early socialisation is really important to overcome their herding tendencies and extreme loyalty. Give them plenty of positive exposure to different people and situations from when they’re tiny through to about 7 months. Starting obedience training early and continuing it through their life will keep your Border Collie mentally stimulated and happy.
Once your puppy is about 8 weeks old, they’ll be ready for the basics like sit and stay. With their intelligence and eagerness to please, they’ll tackle more complicated things too, like shake and roll over. Keep things interesting once they’ve mastered all the training commands by doing agility training with them. It’s great bonding too.
Because of their intelligence, be prepared for them to get bored and distracted easily. They’ll love to please you though, so pile on the positive reinforcement with treats and affection to keep their attention. Short daily training sessions will be better for you both rather than long weekend sessions.