Search Store

Border Collie Rescue: What You Should Know Before Adoption Day

Jul 04, 2021 by Leo Roux

Border collies have built up a reputation as being one of the most intelligent breeds of dogs out there. From their ability to easily learn new tasks, to their rich history as a herding dog, the border collie is a remarkable breed of dog for sure. You may think that border collie adoption might be straightforward given how intelligent this breed is.

However, there is plenty you should learn about the border collie dog and their care needs before adopting one. You might also be interested in hearing about the different border collie colors before deciding to adopt as well.

Preparing Your Home

First and foremost, you need to understand that the Border collie is a very physically active dog. They need lots of room to run around and excerpt their natural “herding dog” energy. On that same note, they also need plenty of mental stimulation. A border collie can become bored very easily if they are cooped up at home with nothing to do or play with for hours on end.

Keeping plenty of appropriate toys in your home for your border collie to play with when you’re not home is important. Otherwise, you may come home to some chaos that your border collie created out of boredom.

Border collies are naturally intelligent dogs but have a not-so-intelligent habit of chasing after cars. Meaning, having a large yard for a border collie to run around on is only beneficial if you have some sort of fence to keep them safe while they’re outside. A fence and lots of good training practices are crucial for keeping your border collie safe.

Border Collie Personality

The border collie is a smart and lovable family dog with deep roots in the herding profession. They are great with children and in homes with family. But on occasion, their herding nature can come out unexpectedly.

Your border collie will love to run and play with you and your children if you have any (Or plan to have them one day). This is due to their naturally energetic personality. However, something to keep in mind is that if a border collie is calm and children at play get them worked up their herding instinct may show. Meaning if worked up by children playing a border collie is known to try and “herd” them. They may nip, nudge, and possibly even bark at the children in an attempt to get them in line. These are important traits to consider before adopting a border collie.

Another important personality trait of the border collie is that they are a very sensitive breed. They are very trainable due to their high intelligence. But you will notice that it doesn’t take much to get them to follow a command once they learn it. Border collies are very sensitive and seem to quickly pick up on how their owner thinks, and at times will be able to predict what command they are about to be given.

Grooming and Hygiene

The grooming needs of your border collie will depend on whether you get a rough or smooth collie. This is in reference to the type of fur coat that they are sporting. Both have double coats, but the rough collie has longer, more coarse hair than the smooth collie.

Experts on collie care will suggest weekly brushing. This is to keep up with loose hairs and keep the shedding down in your home. Semi-frequent brushing also helps to bring the oils out to the top layers of their fur. Keeping that layer of fur healthy and shiny.

Bathing, on the other hand, should generally be limited to every couple of months or as needed if your collie becomes excessively dirty sooner than later. Bathing any breed of dog too frequently will strip their fur of the layer of natural oils that they need.

Dental hygiene care is also a need of the border collie. Daily tooth brushing with a toothbrush and toothpaste that’s made for dogs is a great practice to prevent dental problems and bad breath. Not all dogs are a fan of this practice, so even a couple of times a week should do the trick with your border collie.

Border Collie Diet

A good diet for border collies consists of 1 and a half to 2 cups of dry dog kibble divided into 2 meals daily. Any high-quality dog food will do, as long as your border collie doesn’t have any known food allergies.

Serving size and frequency can change depending on your border collie's age, size, and activity level. This is something you should run by their vet if you are uncertain of how much and how often to feed your border collie.

Conclusion

The border collie is a wonderful, active, and intelligent breed of dog. They love their family and always enjoy being involved in whatever is going on. Border collies especially love to play and run around with their kids in the family. Although sometimes their herding habits will come out when playing with kids. This is something that can be worked on when you train your border collie and work with them on socialization.

Do border collies shed?

Border collies shed a consistent amount of fur throughout the year. There are seasons, like Spring and Fall, when the amount of fur that they shed increases for a period of time. Meaning, your grooming routine with your border collie may need to change or increase in frequency during these periods of time. If you’ve noticed that you tend to sneeze or get watery eyes more so when you’ve been around dogs, the border collie may not be the breed that you want to adopt.

How big do border collies get?

Border collies are medium-sized athletic dogs that typically grow to be around 18 to 22 inches tall and 30 to 40 pounds in weight. These are the measurements of healthy, well-taken care of border collie on average.

Are border collies good with kids?

Border collies are generally great with kids. The border collie breed is a loyal and loving breed of dog that would fit in perfectly with nearly any family that plans to treat them with love and affection.