Border Collie

The Border Collie is a working dog known for their herding abilities. They are beloved pets due to their gentle nature and intelligence.

Breed history

Hailing from the Anglo-scottish border region (hence the name!) The Border Collie was bred as a herding dog, specifically to herd sheep.

General Appearance

The Border Collie is a medium sized breed and has two coat varieties: smooth haired and rough haired. Collie’s are best known for their black coats and white coats but you may also find merle, tri-colour and singular colour coats. Adult Collies reach weights of up to 29kg for males and 25kg for females.

Temperament 

Collies are known for energy and intelligence. This easy to train breed is loyal and tenacious making them ideal working dogs and companions for energetic households.

Whilst Collies are generally well-mannered and good with children, it’s important to remember their herding instincts and be mindful of your Border Collie around small children. 

Health considerations 

As is often true with Pedigree breeds, there are a number of health considerations for The Border Collie, these include:

Hip Dysplasia
Due to their active nature, Collies may suffer with chronic joint pain, arthritis and hip dysplasia in their senior years. Sadly, this can really impact their quality of life. Those looking to bring a Collie puppy home should aim to buy from reputable breeders who disclose the hip scores of the parents. Diseases of the joints can usually be managed with a combination of pain relief, anti-inflammatories, joint supportive diets, like Pooch & Mutts’ Joint Care Dry Food and joint supplements such as Pooch & Mutts’ Joint Daily Care Supplement.

Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA)
This is an inherited condition where there is a mutation of a gene that helps in eye development. Reputable dog breeders will check for this anomaly, with examinations performed by a Vet between 6 and 8 weeks of age. Unfortunately, in some cases, if CEA is not diagnosed the dogs eyesight can become severely affected.

Epilepsy
Those with epilepsy will suffer from seizures throughout their life. For most, they will experience their first fit between the age of 1 and 5. As epilepsy is a diagnosis of exclusion, your Vet will need to run several tests to ensure the convulsions are not being caused by something else.

Trainability

This breed is very trainable and intelligent, which makes them an excellent working and competing canine companion. Collies are still commonly used as sheep herders to this day. Border Collies are also great competitors and excel in various canine sports, including agility, obedience and flyball.

Grooming

Border Collies are prone to shedding due to their double coated long hair. Owners should look to brush their Collies coat 2-3 times per week to reduce matting and knots forming. We recommend getting your puppy used to brushing/grooming from an early age as their highly active nature could present a challenge when trying to groom as an adult.

Exercise

With Collies, the general rule is the more exercise, the better. You should aim for a minimum of 2 hours a day, bearing in mind that Collie’s have a lot of energy to burn and are smart. Try a mixture of off-lead running, hiking, agility training and swimming to keep your Collie content. 

Feeding considerations 

Try to the new Pooch & Mutt feeding guide calculator at the bottom of all product pages to find the ideal amount of Wet and/or Dry food to feed your Collie.