| Border Collies are medium-sized dogs, with a double coat anywhere from slick to lush, that comes in many colors, with black and white being the most common. His ears are either fully erect, fully dropped, or semi-erect. His eyes vary from deep brown to amber or blue. Occasionally, and usually seen with the merles, the Border Collie may have one eye of each color. |
| Height: |
Male: 19-22 inches; Female: 18-21 inches |
| Weight: |
30-50 pounds |
| Color(s): |
Black and red; less predominant colors include gray, blue merle, red merle, lemon and sable; may have white trim, or be accompanied by tan points |
| Coat: |
Varied lengths: long (with well-feathered forelegs, breeches and tail, and an abundant mane), medium or smooth; straight or wavy |
| Description: |
The Border Collie originated in the border country of England and Scotland, and is a herding dog. They are still frequently used on farms all over the world for assisting with the handling of livestock, and they have also become popular as pet and sport dogs. The Border Collie has good body balance, which enables him to change directions and speed quickly. Border Collies have a highly developed sense of smell. Coupled with their high drive, this makes them good tracking dogs and, because of this skill, Border Collies make excellent Search and Rescue dogs. |
| Temperament: |
Border Collies are highly energetic, and are widely regarded as the most intelligent dog breed. Though known to be reserved with strangers, Collies can be protective of a human family member, and affectionate to those they know. Generally very well behaved, they can be very excitable dogs. In an appropriate home, with a dedicated, active owner, a Border Collie can be an excellent companion. Border Collies can be motion-sensitive, and may attempt to control the movements of family members, cats, squirrels, bicycles, cars, or anything else that moves, if not given enough mental and physical stimulation. Consequently, Border Collies are not generally suited for households with small children. |
| Training: |
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| Care & Grooming: |
Exercise sufficient to meet the Border Collie’s high level of energy is required. Their intelligence, and instinctive desire to work closely and intensely with a human handler, makes them well suited for agility training and dog sports. |
| Shedding: |
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| Health: |
Hip dysplasia, Collie eye anomaly (CEA), and epilepsy are considered the primary genetic diseases suffered by this breed. CEA is a congenital, inherited eye disease, resembling conjunctivitis, that involves the retina, choroid, and sclera. In Border Collies, it is generally a mild disease and rarely significantly impairs vision. Elbow dysplasia or osteochondritis, deafness, and hypothyroidism may also occur in the breed. Dogs with a double merle gene are likely to have eye and/or hearing problems. Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is a rare but serious disease that is limited to show Border Collies. NCL results in severe neurological impairment and early death; afflicted dogs rarely survive beyond two years of age. Trapped neutrophil syndrome (TNS) is an inherited autosomal recessive disease which results in mature neutrophils being unable to migrate from the bone marrow into the blood stream. Puppies affected with this disease usually succumb to infection. Because TNS is an immune deficiency, the puppies can present a variety of symptoms depending upon the type of opportunistic infections they contract; as a result, TNS has largely gone undiagnosed in the past. Once thought to be rare, TNS is now believed to be responsible for many cases of "fading puppies". DNA testing can detect CEA, NCL, and TNS. X-rays can also be taken to determine a dog’s hip and elbow quality. |
| Lifespan: |
12.25 years median |
| Litter Size: |
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