Breed Information:The body of the Border Collie is slightly longer than it is tall, and has a long tail that should never be carried over the dog’s back. There are two coat varieties that are permissible for the Border Collie. One type, the ‘coarse’ type, has longer, straight hair of about 3 inches long, while the ‘sleek’ type of coat is about 1 inch long. While white should never be the main color of the coat, it is very often seen paired with black, red, and a combination of the three, or tri-colored. Border Collies can also be black and grey, or solid black. The nose should be black, and all colors, except Merles, must have dark eyes. Merles can have one or both blue eyes.Size:Dogs – Height: 19-22 inches/Weight: 30-45 poundsBitches – Height: 18-21 inches/Weight: 27-42 poundsBreed Specific Health Issues:Although generally a resilient dog, some in the breed may experience Hip Dysplasia, and a Collie-specific eye disease called Collie Eye Anomaly. Many Border Collies are also allergic to fleas and great care should be taken to keep these dogs flea-free.Life Expectancy:12-15 years is the average life expectancy for the Border Collie.Grooming Requirements:Border Collies need regular, at least weekly, brushing or combing to keep its coat from getting tangled or matted. This breed does not require regular bathing, though it should be checked often for fleas and ticks, especially if it is a working dog.

Disposition:

Border Collies are amazingly intelligent and take to training very well. They should be socialized from a very early age if they are ever to be trusted around small animals, but should do well with other dogs. Some Border Collies can get nippy with children as their natural herding instinct makes them want to tell the children where to go. It is imperative that this breed has a job to do or it will become stir-crazy. They need a great amount of attention and do not do well being left alone all day. This breed often suffers from separation anxiety and can do a lot of damage if left alone too long.

Activity Level:

The activity level for the Border Collie is through the roof. These dogs have been bred to be working dogs and as they haven’t been kept as pets for very long, that drive to work is still very strongly embedded in the dogs’ brain. Border Collies do very well in Agility tests and in Obedience trials. They are also fantastic in Flyball ® or Frisbee ® competitions. This breed is so intelligent that they often understand a game or sport before their owners which can be a problem as the dog will soon tire of waiting for their owner to ‘catch up’.

It is very important that prospective owners take into account the amount of work and exercise this breed must have and do. Simply walking around the block once or twice and playing chase will not be enough to keep a Border Collie from becoming destructive.