This highly intelligent, graceful dog is born with an instinct to work and responds extremely well to training, which is why they are often used as a mountain-rescue or sniffer dog. Border Collies make loyal, faithful pets that thrive on company and stimulation.
Facts & advice
Border Collie
Supremely intelligent and brimming with energy
Vital stats
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| Size: | Medium |
| Coat: | Requires weekly brushing |
| Exercise | 2+ hours a day |
| Life span: | 12+ years |
| Breed group: | Pastoral |
| Temperament: | Intelligent, energetic, alert |
Border Collie temperament & personality
This alert, agile breed is incredibly quick, both mentally and physically. Developed to be excellent shepherd dogs, Border Collies relish the chance to learn and let off steam.
- Border Collies will thrive in active, outdoorsy households where they can be part of the action.
- Generally a sociable breed, Border Collies normally enjoy the company of other dogs and can get along with cats if introduced from an early age.
Border Collie training & exercise
Originally bred for herding sheep Border Collies need lots of exercise and mental stimulation to avoid problem behaviour.
Training tips
- Due to their intelligence and working backgrounds, Border Collies are responsive and pick up training quickly.
- This breed responds exceptionally well to positive reinforcement techniques, so make sure you always have training treats on hand!
- Their chasing and herding instinct means you should spend plenty of time on recall training before letting them off the lead to keep your Border Collie safe.
Exercise
- As a working breed, Border Collies need long walks daily and lots of playtime to prevent them from growing bored and mischievous.
Keeping them happy
- Border Collies make great running buddies for active owners and will love spending extra time out and about.
- This intelligent breed loves a challenge, so keep them guessing with puzzle toys and plenty of mental stimulation.
- Border Collies are eager to please and will appreciate as much praise and attention as you can give them.
Game ideas
- Flyball is the perfect activity for the energetic Border Collie. Essentially a relay race for dogs, your Border Collie will have hours of fun chasing, jumping hurdles and socialising with other dogs.
Common Border Collie health conditions
There are certain health conditions that affect Border Collies more frequently than other dogs. To help you be prepared for these issues if they should arise, we’ve taken a look at some of our recent claims data to see what conditions affect Border Collies more frequently than other dog breeds. Choosing a reputable breeder or rehoming organisation should be the first step to having a happy and healthy dog.
Border Collies are one of the breeds that are prone to lameness. This can be a result of various different conditions but the ones we see frequently are hip dysplasia and arthritis. Hip dysplasia occurs when the bones that form the hip joint don’t fit together perfectly, causing wear and tear to the joints. Like other dogs, Border Collies can develop arthritis (which means ‘inflammation of the joints’) as a result of this wear and tear.
They may show signs of stiffness (especially after lying down), and be reluctant to exercise or go up or down stairs and steps. While adapted exercises can help to keep them active, long-term treatment or surgery might be needed to help them further.
Border Collies can suffer from conditions that affect the brain, spine and some nerves. Epilepsy is a brain disorder that results in seizures or fitting, which may begin in dogs as young as six months old. Epileptic seizures look painful, but generally aren’t. However, depending on the severity, they may need to be controlled with medication for the dog’s entire life to ensure a happy, normal existence.
Vestibular syndrome is a disease that affects the nervous system, specifically a part called the "vestibular system". This part of the nervous system is responsible for helping balance, keeping objects in focus while moving and helping to orientate yourself. This means that dogs suffering from it can develop wobbly walking, loss of balance and head tilts. There are various causes of the disease so treatment can vary depending on what the cause might be.
Border Collies were bred to have strong working traits and instincts to herd and chase so need lots of mental stimulation and exercise to help satisfy their instincts. This can mean they are prone to behavioural disorders that might require professional help to improve.
Urinary incontinence describes conditions that lead to a dog losing control over when he or she urinates. Urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence (USMI), which is like a leaky tap, is the most common cause of urinary incontinence. Although it sometimes affects male dogs, it’s most common in females that have been spayed (which is not to say that all spayed females will become incontinent). Medication or, very rarely, surgery, is used to manage USMI, allowing the dog to remain active and happy.
Border Collie grooming
Originally from the border region between Scotland and England, this breed has a thick double coat to protect them in all weathers.
- Border Collies commonly have black and white or red merle (tan and white) coats, and have two main coat types – smooth and rough, which some dog lovers refer to as ‘short haired’ and ‘long haired’.
- Although their amount of hair can vary, Border Collies are generally agreed to be heavy shedders, especially during moulting seasons.
- Regardless of their coat type, your Border Collie will need to be groomed at least once a week, but they rarely require trimming or trips to a professional groomer.
Border Collie nutrition
As they were traditionally prized for their working ability, adult Border Collies can reach a range of weights and sizes and so their nutrition requirements vary.
- With so many variations in size and weight, it can be a good idea to ask for advice from your vet or breeder on the best food for your Border Collie – many recommend feeding a high-quality pet food twice a day.
- Try to stick to the portion size guidelines on the back of the pet food packaging, as with the right diet and exercise these dogs have a long life span.
What to know before you buy or rehome a Border Collie
Considering welcoming a Border Collie into your home? Before you buy or adopt one, here are a few important things to remember.
- Border Collies’ energetic nature makes them a popular choice as a fun family pet, but they require plenty of time, exercise and attention to keep their mischievous side in check.
- As a rule, Border Collies get on well with other dogs, and can get on with cats as well, provided they are introduced and socialised early on.
- Choose a licensed and reputable Border Collie breeder if you’re buying a puppy. ‘Lucy’s Law’ dictates that new puppies or kittens must be bought directly from a breeder or adopted from rescue. Third party sellers are illegal.
- Like all dogs, Border Collies can suffer from a range of health conditions so always look carefully at the veterinary cover provided when shopping around for pet insurance as not all policies are the same.
Border Collie frequently asked questions
Yes! In general, Border Collies are energetic, even-tempered and eager to please, making them a good choice for a family pet. They get along well with children and other pets provided they are introduced properly. Border Collies are very playful and can be boisterous so may be better suited to households with slightly older children. As with all dogs, you should always supervise playtime between your Border Collie and children to make sure everyone is safe and happy.
As a larger breed, Border Collies can take a bit longer to reach their full size. Puppies tend to reach their adult height by a year old, but will continue to fill out for a little longer. Most Border Collies will be fully grown by around 15 months, but larger dogs may take around 18 months to reach their full adult size.
As they shed more than other breeds, Border Collies are not recommended as suitable for allergy sufferers. It’s important to remember that no dog breed is truly hypoallergenic, but some breeds are better for those with allergies than others.
Border Collies are extremely intelligent and energetic dogs and usually continue to act like a puppies well into their adult years; generally, Border Collie owners see their dogs start to calm down at around 3 years old however this depends on your dog’s personality. Border Collies need plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise to keep excessive energy and behavioural problems at bay.
Whilst Border Collies are not considered to be an aggressive breed by nature, they’re high intelligence and energy levels can lead to behavioural issues if not properly channelled. Border Collies can also become dominant if they don’t receive good training and socialisation from an early age. Plenty of games, training and long walks will help to keep your Border Collie happy and prevent any behavioural issues from rising.
As one of the dog world’s most intelligent breeds, Border Collies are quick learners. Combined with their eager-to-please nature, training a Border Collie is fairly easy but their high energy and intelligence means they’re not the best choice for first time owners. Border Collies can be over-enthusiastic and are easily distracted so clarity, consistency and short training sessions are best to prevent both of you from getting frustrated.
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Border Collie insurance considerations
One of the top 5 claims that we see for Border Collies is behavioural conditions, and unlike some other insurers our policies are designed to cover behavioural conditions if this is a treatment recommended by your vet. When choosing insurance for your Border Collie make sure you check what breadth of cover is being offered as not all dog insurance is the same.
We always offer these things as standard:
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy & pet therapies
Along with physiotherapy, which is covered within the Vet Bills benefit, we also cover Pet Therapies like herbal medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture. You can also claim for hydrotherapy, up to £500 per illness/injury in dogs and cats (no additional limit for rabbits).
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