The baby Border Collies are puppies of a Border Collie that originated in the British Isles. The very name “border” takes its coinage from where they were developed, that is, along the borders of England and Scotland. The meaning of “Collie” in the Scottish language is a “sheepdog.” The term “Bordered collie” was first used by James Reid in 1915, the secretary of the International Sheep Dog Society that was newly established.
Border Collies are brilliant, acrobatic, high-energy, athletic dogs. They were initially used for herding and were excellent at disc dogs, dog sports, and agility. During the middle 1800s, Queen Victoria remarked them as “The ideal sheep-herding canine breeds.” In 1995, AKC had officially recognized Border Collies.
Baby Border Collie Overview
Elegant in gait, high in spirits, Border Collies are well suitable for country living, not apartment living. They are high-energy dogs that need a lot of activities. Otherwise, they can become ferocious. However, their intelligence makes them quick learners, and they respond well to appraisals and rewards. Their herding instincts make them excellent guard and watchdogs for their family and surroundings. They can be reserved with strangers.
Different Types of Border Collies:
There can be color variations in the Border Collies. However, the physical features like height, weight, coat texture, and mental abilities remain the same.
Black and White Border Collie:
This color variant of the Border Collie makes the signature color of Border Collies. When you think of Border Collies, you end up imagining them in this color. This is the most prevalent coat color in the Border Collies. The black color is the result of dominant genes.
Black tri color Border Collie:
The tri-colored Border Collies are the second most well-known color variant born due to each parent’s two copies of the recessive genes. They resemble the black-white colored Border Collies. Thus, a pair of tri-colored Border Collies begets a tri-colored baby Border Collie.
Blue and White Border Collie:
When a black color in the Border Collie is diluted, it results in a Blue-White Border Collie, so they are not solid blue colored. The recessive dilute gene makes a Blue-White Border Collie. Two copies of the recessive genes from each parent should be present for a Blue-White baby Border Collie to happen. There is a possibility that this puppy has a condition called color dilution alopecia. This may cause loss of good skin tone and may lead to skin complications.
Blue merle Border Collie:
Blue Merle Border Collie will have a modified dominant gene. the result seen in these Border Collies are patches of pigmentation across the body. The base coat is white-grayish in color with black-bluish spots and patches. The gene affects the fur, eyes, and nose. For example, it may have a pink nose and bright blue eyes, sometimes two different colored eyes. Since the gene – merle is dominant, the Border Collie puppy needs only one copy of the gene to make up to this coat. However, pet parents should consider whether the blue merle has two copies of merle genes while bringing the Blue Merle Border Collie home. The gene can cause deafness, mild blindness, small abnormal eyes, or overall, a poor-quality health condition.
Slate merle Border Collie:
Like the Blue Merle Border Collie, the Slate Merle has two copies of diluted recessive genes and one copy of merle. The “slate” color is the dilution of black, blue, white coat color. There can also be a Slate tri-color Border Collie, for which there should be a pairing of the tri-colored gene with the dilute genes. Unfortunately, AKC doesn’t recognize this as an official Border Collie color.
Blue tri-color Border Collie:
The presence of the dominant merle gene makes Blue tri-colored baby Border Collies. The Blue tri-colored baby Border Collie has two copies of tri-color genes and one merle gene. It has the same base coat color as the Blue merle baby Border Collie, with some copper or tan markings in either all these parts or some parts such as the chest, bottom, legs, cheeks, eyebrows, and under the tail.
Chocolate and White Border Collie:
People of the US call this Border Collie fondly by the name “Chocolate.” However, this is not the official name. The chocolate-white border babies have shades that range from light milky chocolate to dark brown chocolate. They have white markings around the chest, neck, and bottom. Its eye color matches its coat color, and this makes Chocolate-White Border Collies stand out. Just as their coat color, their eye color also comes in variants like light to medium brown, golden yellow, or green. So, to get a Chocolate-White baby Border Collie, two copies of recessive chocolate genes from each parent should be passed down.
Chocolate tri-color Border Collie:
This color variant Border Collie has recessive genes of chocolate. Therefore, to get a chocolate tri-colored baby Border Collie, there should be a combination of two copies of chocolate genes and two copies of tri-color genes. The result will be a baby Border Collie with a chocolate base with tan or copper-colored markings on the chest, cheeks, eyebrows, bottom, legs, and under the body’s tail.
Lilac Border Collie:
As unique as it is, the Lilac Border Collies look similar to Chocolate-White Border Collies or sometimes a combination of Blue and Brown Border Collies. However, they have both the chocolate and dilute genes, which means two recessive gene copies of both colors make up Lilac-colored baby Border Collie. So, depending on the genes, the baby Border Collie can be a lilac merle, lilac tri-color, or lilac tri-colored merle.
Sable Border Collie:
Sable are rare Border Collie colors. However, they are recognized officially. Sable color is a result of the hair that has a combination of all color shades. Therefore, there can be sable patterns on distinct color bases. For example, a black or lilac base can have a sable pattern.
Red Border Collies are recent fame. The US has recognized this color variant, and the UK refers to them as golden or Aussie red. This is because the two red recessive gene copies result in red baby Border Collies.
Baby Border Collie Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
They are hardworking and trust-worthy
Can become ferocious if not given enough exercise or left alone.
They are good at agility and canine sports
Not suitable for Apartment Living
They are brilliant and easily trainable
Not suitable for homes with small children due to their herding instincts.
Baby Border Collie Highlights
Since Border Collies are active and herding dogs, they should be kept busy with physical and mental stimulation. Else, they become weary or destructive. So, it is best to let them focus their energy in positive ways.
Always go for a reputable breeder who does health testing and checks for genetic disorders passed from parent dogs to puppies.
Even as a puppy, the Border Collie is very sensitive. They are very responsive to the most exemplary commands and understand their owner’s inclination beforehand.
Border Collies generally don’t indulge in loafing; however, their wit and inquisitive nature can get them out of the fence.
Border Collie’s instinct of herding can be complex at times; they herd whatever comes across, be it other pets and children or any moving objects like cars, bikes. Hence a fenced yard is indispensable.
They can nip, bark, and nudge if they get stimulated by the noises of people.
Early socialization, while they are puppies, can prevent them from shying away.
Baby Border Collie Basic Information
Name – Border Collie
Size – Medium
Height – 18 – 22 inches
Weight – 30 – 45 pounds
Coat – Double Coat
Color – Solid black, blue, blue merle, blue brindle, red, red merle, sable, sable merle, white and black, white and blue, white and blue merle, white and red, white and red merle, white ticked, lilac, and gold.
Markings: Tan, brindle, white, and mixture of white, tan, and brindle.
Energy – High
Origin – Borders of England and Scotland.
Activities – Herding, agility, dog sports, and chasing.
The Border Collies are intelligent, sensitive, constantly vigilant, and watchful of their surroundings. They have a smooth coat when their fur is short and wavy or coarse as they grow longer. While males stand 22 inches tall and weigh about 45 pounds, female Border Collies measure 21 inches and weigh about 42 pounds when fully grown. They bear a double coat that is either rough or silky. The coat color is either single solid color, bi-color, tri-color, merle, or brindle.
Friendliness Overview
Affectionate with family
High
Friendly with Pets
Medium
Friendly with Kids
Medium to High
Friendly with Strangers
High
Adaptability Overview
Adapts well to Apartment Living
Low to Medium
Good to New Owners
Low to Medium
Sensitivity Level
High
Tolerates Being Alone
Low
Tolerates Cold Weather
Medium to High
Tolerates Hot Weather
Medium to High
Baby Border Collie Physical Features:
Head – The head of a baby Border Collie is somewhat square, has a powerful pair of eyes, and resembles a teddy bear. The head has a white marking from the top that runs down to the anterior end of the body. A black nose, pointed ears that drop at the tips, and a wide mouth, gives them a look of a happy face.
Neck – The neck of a Border Collie is broad and is furry black or other color variants on the posterior and white on the anterior side.
Topline – The topline that starts at the end of the neck is even, has short and smooth hair.
Body – The body of the Border Collie looks squared and consists of fore and hindquarters.
Tail – Border Collies have a long, luxuriantly hairy tail, just like Golden Retrievers or German Shepherds.
Forequarters – The forequarters of the Border Collies are muscular and are covered with white markings on the coat that sometimes extends to either of the feet.
Hindquarters – A sturdy hindquarter with thigh bones that has color variants and help in running faster.
Feet – Feet of Border Collies comprise forequarter and hindquarter. The feet are relatively lean and have a furry texture at the back.
Coat – There are two varieties of coat in Border Collies – the rough and the smooth. Both are double coated and have a bristly outer coat and a silky undercoat. The rough-coated Border Collies have a medium length of feathery hair on the legs, belly, and chest. On the other hand, the smooth variant has short hair and is bristly in texture with a minimum feathery hair than the rough-coated Border Collies. The coat length varies somewhere between one to three inches.
Color – Border Collies come in many different color coat combinations bi-color, tri-color, solid, sable, and merle, except pure white like black-white, black-gray, blue, blue-merle, blue – brindle, gold, lilac, red-merle, red – white, complete black or tri-colored.
Gait – A Border Collie has a steady gait, thanks to their strong bones, enabling them to run elegantly and effortlessly.
Baby Border Collie Temperament
Border Collies are brilliant, wise, and obedient dogs. They are trustworthy, reserved, and very protective. They are very energetic and hardworking, so they readily wait for your commands. They inherit their ancestral qualities of chasing and herding; hence they love chasing.
Border Collies are easy to train and quick learners. Thus, it is a challenge for the owners to keep them engaged always. They catch every cue of their pet parents and respond to the stimulus, thus posing them as highly sensitive. Finally, Border Collies are an excellent companion to their family. They love their family.
Baby Border Collie Exercise Needs
Border Collies are very active and need a great exercise schedule. Their mind and body should be kept occupied. Otherwise, they may face anxiety issues. A minimum of long walk and on-leash would be suitable for Border Collies. It is suggested to take your Border Collies on a leash. Since they have herding instincts, they may start chasing anything that they find.
Border Collies were initially chosen for dog sports. Pet owners can play games like throwing a ball and fetch, disc games like frisbee, and agility activities. Since they have an excellent chase drive, you will have a happy time with Border Collies. They need vast areas to roam. So, apartment living is not suitable for them. They need an urban or a rural housing area where they are left to run and play in yards. Yards should bear a tall fence since dogs like Border Collies can get distracted by vehicles or people on the other side of the fence.
When left alone, Border Collies might get bored. Sometimes they engage in activities like chewing furniture, digging, nudging, barking, and nipping. Hence pet owners should be cautious if they breed other smaller breeds or have children.
Border Collies are very sensitive to unpleasant sounds. This has an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage is they will get alert and caution you of any strange activities or people. The disadvantage is they may become cranky and show undesirable behavior. For example, a baby’s continuous cry or loud noise like thunder or fireworks makes your pet behave unusually.
Hence, socialization and training at a very early age, as early as a puppy, can make you comfortable while breeding. So why we are here to discuss all that you need to know about baby Border Collies.
Exercise Needs Overview
Energy level
High
Intensity
Medium
Exercise Needs
High
Potential for playfulness
High
Baby Border Collie Trainability
Alert, attentive and intelligent, the baby Border Collie is very easy to train. Training done when they are puppies will be easier. They are curious and love to learn anything new. They are not challenging learners but “ready to take your commands” type of dogs. They should not be let off-leash; they have herding instincts. Early socialization to baby Border Collies will result in better breeding. Training a baby Border Collie will take time. So, the pet parents should be patient. It is always best to pose yourself as the alpha to your baby Border Collies. This will be favorable to you in the long run. The baby Border Collies are ranked number one under the category of most intelligent dog. They require less than five repetitions to learn a new skill. However, individual differences can be.
It is best to get started while the puppies are as young as eight to twelve weeks after leaving their mother dogs. They can be molded when they are small. Starting with basic commands for the first few weeks, you would require some training pads initially. Reward them when they follow your commands. Spend time with your puppies to build a strong bond. It is better if you can wait till your baby Border Collie turns six months old to start training them with complex skills. Your baby Border Collie should now be listening to the basic commands like sit, stay, and potty training. Their hyper-activity nature can make them lose their concentration. Thus, you cannot expect your dog to have an hour-long of continuous training. That would be too much to expect.
Each practice session should consist of a few commands so that they don’t get confused. You can even make your training sessions happier by making it game-time for your baby Border Collies. Throw a frisbee or ball and ask them to fetch it. You can give them simple tasks like bringing safe, unbreakable goods, such as newspapers, baskets, and bags, or walking to the bus stop with your children. You can spend some time employing your dog’s skills in agility training.
Border Collies are highly athletic and can perform well. Crate training can help your dogs feel secure when you would not like to share your bed with them. Reward-based crate training can yield the best results. Do not let them in the crate for more than 8 hours since they may find it difficult to pee or poop.
Baby Border Collies have an instinct of chewing or biting things like shoes or furniture. This starts with a gentle mouthing on objects or even on the pet parents. It is best not to encourage this and stop it before they start biting hard at six months. Things like toys or treats can be given to chew; this can also be a great training tool. When your puppy has the urge to bite or chew, it is better to put a check and give a toy instead. This might give your baby Border Collies an understanding that they should chew only dog treats or toys when the urge arises. Provide training to them to walk on a leash from an early age. Teaching them from a young age to be on a leash is essential. For baby Border Collies, you can use a harness not to hurt them while moving faster.
Trainability Overview
Easy to Learn
High
Intelligent
High
Potential for Mouthiness
Medium
Prey Drive
Medium
Tendency to Bark or Howl
Low to Medium
Tendency to Chew, Nip, or Bite
Medium
Wanderlust Potential
Medium
Baby Border Collie Grooming
The baby Border Collies bear a double coat- a coarse outer coat, and a smooth under coat, which often doesn’t need grooming, except during shedding seasons. However, it is better to brush weekly to keep the natural oil distributed and not get matted or tangled.
Bathing occasionally is sufficient to keep them clean, provided they don’t get dirty and smell bad. Since Border Collies are always on their toes, their nails may worn-out. Regular checking and trimming of the nails are required.
It is essential to take care of Border Collie’s dental health. Brush their teeth two to three times a week and on occasions when they are given sweet treats to avoid tooth decay and tartar build up. Ideally, daily brushing can prevent bad breath and gum diseases.
To avoid ear infections or fungal infections, it is better to check the ears near the folds and clean with cotton balls to prevent excess moisture. Also, keep a habit of checking your dog. At the same time, you groom to keep him away from sores, redness of the skin, rashes, or swelling of any body parts to prevent potential health issues later.
Grooming Overview
Amount of Shedding
Medium
Drooling Potential
Low
Easy to Groom
Medium
Baby Border Collie Health
Though Border Collies are generally healthy, some dogs exhibit diseases or illnesses acquired from the parental genes. So, it is always better to check for any conditions before adopting or bringing a puppy home.
Hip Dysplasia: Hip dysplasia is an inherited condition in which the thigh bone would not fit into the hip joints. X-ray screening for hip dysplasia can be done in the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. It is challenging to breed dogs with hip dysplasia. Do not buy a puppy without asking the breeder for proof that the parents have been tested and are hip dysplasia-free.
Osteochondrosis of Knees and Shoulders: The condition of improper cartilage growth in the elbow, knees, and shoulder joints. The stiffness of the joints makes it unable to move or bend its elbows and knees. Osteochondrosis can be detected in puppies as early as four to nine months. Overfeeding of formulas causes this disease.
Epilepsy: A disease that causes mild to severe seizures, often an inherited neurological disorder. A long-term prognosis for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy is generally good.
Hypothyroidism: An abnormality in the thyroid gland secretion can cause this condition. It holds responsibility for medical disorders like epilepsy, alopecia, obesity, lethargy, hyperpigmentation, pyoderma, and other skin-related diseases. A proper diet and medication help treat this issue.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy: An eye disorder that causes blindness from the loss of photoreceptors at the back of the eyes. It can be detected earlier; a very later stage is blindness. Dogs with this condition can survive for several years since they have other senses to compensate.
Allergies: Canines like Border Collies are usually allergic to various substances, including pollen to chemicals like shampoos or dog-body wash, since they are hyperactive and keep roaming. If your Border Collie is licking his paws or rubbing his face, get him checked by your vet immediately.
Anesthesia Sensitivity: Border Collies are sensitive to anesthesia. Hence, care should be taken during any surgical procedure. It is best to caution your vet on this issue to prevent life risks.
Baby Border Collie Specific Health Conditions:
Collie eye anomalies: This is a genetic condition seen in Border Collies that causes eye issues and can result in blindness. This problem occurs when the dog turns two years old, and unfortunately, there is no treatment for this anomaly. The disorders include:
Choroidal Hypoplasia: This is an abnormal growth of choroids.
Coloboma: This is a flaw in the optic disc of the eyes.
Staphyloma: Thinning down of sclera and retinal detachment.
Cerebellar Abiotrophy is an inherited neurological disease that affects certain dog breeds like Brittany Spaniel, Kerry Blue Terrier, and Rough-coated collies. Symptoms include goose-stepping, falling, muscle tremors, and being unable to nurse, to mention a few.
Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis: They are a kind of inherited disorder especially seen in Border Collies that cause neurodegenerative lysosomal disease. It is seen in cats, dogs, sheep, goats, humans, and cattle. The condition can show symptoms like change in gait, posture, muscle twitching, and even cause premature death.
Health Overview
General Health
Low to Medium
Potential for Weight
Medium
Size
Medium
Baby Border Collie Diet and Nutrition
The recommended daily diet for Border Collies is one and a half to 2 cups of dry dog food divided into two meals. This might vary depending on the height, weight, size of dogs, and baby Border Collies. Consider providing exercise daily to avoid obesity.
Baby Border Collie Living Condition
Border Collies are dogs that are to be kept busy with mental and physical activities. They are not ideal for the apartment lifestyle. An urban housing area that has space to move around is perfect. They would do well in a vast fenced yard. Border Collies are herding dogs; hence they should be kept in the watch. Else, they may plunge off the fence to chase the vehicles or other animals on the roads. However, they can be engaged with dog sports and agility.
Border Collies can manage hot and cold weather conditions. Still, pet owners should see that they are not left out for longer to absorb excess heat in the body and can shiver in cold climatic conditions if left out unnoticed.
Did You Know?
Since baby Border Collies are good at herding and sensitive, they are utilized for detecting bombs, police work, detecting narcotics, in searching and rescuing operations.
Border Collies are recently chosen for AKC show rings.
They are excellent guide dogs.
Border Collies became famous among the upper-class English people during the nineteenth century.
