Cute Border Collies: Looks, Colors, and Care (With Pictures!)

The AKC breed page describes the Border Collie’s almond eyes and an intense gaze, and the AKC standard says the breed “appears in all colors or combination of colors and/or markings.” The AKC calls the breed “a remarkably bright workaholic” and says it can be “a bit too amazing” for pet parents without the time, energy, or means to keep it occupied.

The Gorgeous Look of Cute Border Collies

The AKC breed standard describes the Border Collie as “a well balanced, medium-sized dog of athletic appearance, displaying gracefulness, power and agility in equal measure.” On the AKC breed page, males stand 19 to 22 inches and females 18 to 21 inches, and the weight is listed as 30 to 55 pounds.

The AKC says the almond eyes are “the focus of an intelligent expression” and that an intense gaze, the Border’s famous “herding eye,” is “a breed hallmark.” The standard describes the expression as “intelligent, alert, eager, and full of interest,” and it says the ears are “one or both carried erect and/or semi-erect.” When an ear is semi-erect, “the tips may fall forward or outward to the side.”

Eye color varies. The standard says: “Any eye color is acceptable, but blue eyes in dogs other than merle are not preferred.” The Kennel Club (UK) gives the temperament as “Keen, alert, responsive and intelligent. Neither nervous nor aggressive.”

Coat Types and Colors

There are two coat types. The AKC breed page says “the rough coat is medium-length and feathered, while the smooth coat is shorter and coarser,” and that both are “dense, weather-resistant double coats.” The breed standard adds that “neither coat type is preferred over the other.”

Black and white is one of many looks. The standard says the Border Collie “appears in all colors or combination of colors and/or markings” and that “all colors are to be judged equally with no one color or pattern preferred over another.” The AKC lists black, blue merle, red, red merle, sable, and white and black among the colors it registers. The Kennel Club (UK) puts it this way: “Variety of colours permissible. White should never predominate.” The AKC standard allows “random white patches on the body” but says they “should not predominate.”

The white markings have a working reason, according to the AKC’s breed history. Dogs used for night work were easier for a shepherd to see and direct if their coloring made them more visible, and “the white markings around the neck, on the chest, legs, and tip of the tail were favored for this reason.”

For grooming, the AKC breed page says “grooming is the same for both” coats: going over the dog with a pin brush once or twice a week, more often if needed, to keep the coat free of mats, tangles, dirt, and debris. It adds that “during shedding season, daily brushing is required.” The standard calls seasonal shedding normal.

How Smart Are Border Collies

The AKC says Border Collies are “routinely on lists of the world’s smartest dog breeds,” and they rank among the top five of the smartest canine breeds. The standard says the Border Collie “has extraordinary instinct and an uncanny ability to reason.” It also says: “One of its greatest assets is the ability to work out of sight of its master without commands.”

That intelligence came from work. The standard says the breed “originated in the Border country between Scotland and England,” where shepherds picked dogs for “biddable stock sense and the ability to work long days on rugged terrain.” The result was “the unique working style of gathering and fetching the stock with wide sweeping outruns,” and the stock is then controlled “with an intense gaze known as ‘eye’, coupled with a stalking style of movement.”

The AKC history says the first formal sheepdog trial was held in 1873 in Wales, and the International Sheepdog Society formed in 1906. The AKC recognized the breed in its Miscellaneous class in 1955 and fully in 1995. The Kennel Club (UK) says the breed’s “intelligence, speed and versatility” have brought success in “obedience, agility and as a sniffer dog for detecting explosives and drugs.”

The AKC breed page says the Border Collie was first classified as the “Scotch Sheep Dog” and that “Collie is a Scottish dialect word used to describe sheepdogs, including Border Collies.” The Kennel Club (UK) describes the breed as “Naturally active and intelligent herding specialist and all-round worker” and says it is “still seen performing the task for which it was bred, working sheep (and cattle).”

What You Need To Know When Training

For pet parents new to training, these training tips cover the basics. For this breed, the AKC says “early socialization is especially vital,” meaning “positive exposure to a wide variety of people and situations from early puppyhood through about seven months.”

Keep training going

The AKC says obedience training that “starts early and continues throughout the BC’s life will keep him happy and provide needed mental stimulation.” It calls Border Collies “highly intelligent and highly trainable.”

Praise and treats

Positive reinforcement is a tried and true method for training dogs, and it uses rewards. Verbal praise and treats should go hand in hand when rewarding these cute pups for a job done well.

Herding and children

The AKC says that “due to their tendency to herd animals and people, they do best with older, well-behaved children.” For a related question, see whether Border Collies are good with chickens.

Keeping a Border Collie Happy and Healthy

The AKC calls the Border Collie “extremely energetic” and says it “requires daily exercise beyond just a walk around the block or a quick romp in the yard.” It adds that “a Border Collie who doesn’t work must be provided with vigorous exercise every day.” The Kennel Club (UK) lists exercise at “More than 2 hours per day.” A Border Collie is one of the dog breeds for running and hiking.

Many pet parents give that energy a job. The AKC says Border Collies often take part in herding events, obedience, agility, rally, and tracking competitions, and in sports such as flying disc and flyball, and that “having a job to perform” is “key to Border happiness.”

Eye health

VCA lists Border Collies among the breeds predisposed to collie eye anomaly (CEA), which it describes as “an inherited, developmental disease in dogs.” VCA says “many dog breeders screen for this anomaly, with examinations performed by a veterinary ophthalmologist between 6 and 8 weeks of age,” and that “your veterinarian may diagnose CEA by evaluating the dog’s retina (located at the back of the eye) while the pupil is dilated.” According to VCA, “CEA cannot be reversed.”

Feeding

The importance of a good diet for dogs applies to a Border Collie too. VCA says “the appropriate amount of a well-balanced diet is vital to the maintenance of overall health and well-being,” and that the amounts a dog needs “vary somewhat with the dog’s stage of life (growth, adult, gestation, and lactation).”

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FAQ

Do border collies ever calm down?

The AKC says: “These energetic dogs will settle down for cuddle time when the workday is done.”

Are border collies affectionate?

The AKC standard calls the Border Collie “affectionate towards friends” but “sensibly reserved towards strangers.” The AKC breed page says they “love their families but may be somewhat reserved with strangers.”

Can you cut a border collie’s hair?

The AKC standard says dogs “should be presented naturally, without excessive trimming or sculpting.” It says “excess hair on the feet, hock and pastern areas may be neatened for the show ring” and that “whiskers are untrimmed.”

How long do border collies live?

The AKC lists a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. The Kennel Club (UK) lists a lifespan of “Over 12 years.”

Sources

• American Kennel Club, Border Collie breed page
• American Kennel Club, Official Standard of the Border Collie
• American Kennel Club, Border Collie History
• The Kennel Club (UK), Border Collie breed page
• The Kennel Club (UK), Border Collie breed standard
• VCA Animal Hospitals, Collie Eye Anomaly
• VCA Animal Hospitals, Nutrition: General Feeding Guidelines for Dogs