Border Collies are the most intelligent dogs, so hybrid puppies share their genius and unique personality.
Let’s discuss the history behind their origin and some essential characteristics of Border Collies and their crossbreeds.
If you still don’t know which Border Collie mix is suitable for you, our list of the most popular ones will help you find the perfect match.
Meet Border Collie — A Hardworking Ball of Energy
If we have to describe a Border Collie in two words, that would be smart and hardworking. They’re the most intelligent dogs worldwide. Throughout history, their main purpose was to herd livestock.
Having a Border Collie means you must challenge this dog to achieve new goals. Otherwise, they’ll become lame and, in some cases, aggressive.
The Border Collie Line Begins at the Roman Empire
In 43 AD, when Romans conquered Britain, the legions brought livestock and herding dogs in the country.
After the Roman Empire fell apparat, the Vikings took their turn in Britain, bringing small and spitz-type dogs. The cross between the two herding breeds resulted in new, strong, and intelligent dogs — Border Collies. The crosses went on, and today we enjoy many Border Collie mix breeds.
Recognized as Official Breed in 1906
The breed was standardized in 1906. That success was due to its working ability rather than its appearance.
Still, the AKC accepted and recognized the purebred Collie as legitimate in 1995. Since then, the Border Collie and Collie crossbreeds have been a big part of all major dog shows.
Herders That Love to Work
Most Border Collie mixed breeds are the happiest when they have a task. They’re overflowing with energy and positivity while doing it. Their willingness to work is rather demanding, so it’s beneficial and essential to give them activities throughout the day.
Their Intelligence & Agility Is a Plus
Compared to other dogs, the Border Collie is a genius. These brilliant dogs can memorize up to 250 words throughout their lifespan. As a result, their IQ level resembles that of a 2–2.5-year-old child.
When it comes to agility, these dogs are champions. They can run very fast, jump fences, and hunt from sunrise thill dawn.
Do They Make Good Family Pets?
Collie mixes can be the best family dogs as long as you meet their needs. So, if your family is active, outgoing, and has the time for a dog with such manners, your relationship will succeed.
Border Collie Mix — Find Your Perfect Fit
Because of their superior mental and physical capacities, the Border Collie is an ideal candidate for crossbreeding. As a result, there are countless Border Collie mix dogs in all colors, shapes, and sizes.
Let’s explore some of the most popular ones and hopefully help you find your perfect match.
Border Collie & Australian Shepherd
The Border Collie Australian Shepherd mix is also famous as “Border Aussie.” Considering the parents’ temperament, these dogs are energetic and playful.
The Border Aussie has a caramel, black and white mixed coat. It’s more likely to inherit the traditional white line on the parents’ coats, going from the face and snout. These puppies can grow up to 18–23 inches and weigh 30–65 pounds.
But we don’t recommend this mix for first-time pet owners. Because of their wild nature, they need a “firm hand” that can deal with their temperament.
Generally, the Border-Aussie mix is a healthy breed with few illnesses. Still, you should watch for symptoms of eye anomalies and hip and elbow dysplasia.
Border Collie & Golden Retriever
The absolute favorite mixed breed of all time is the Border Collie Golden Retriever mix.
With such parents, the puppy will have a fun and bubbly personality. These dogs are incredibly friendly people-pleasers, to the point that if a burglar breaks into your house, they may bring toys to play with them. That personality makes them terrible guard dogs but excellent family pets.
Golden Collies are around 22–26 inches tall and weigh 50–75 pounds. Like their parents, they have double coats. Also, they need daily coat brushing, a monthly bath, and regular teeth and ear checks.
The mix has a life expectancy of 10–15 years. Its most common health issues include hip and elbow dysplasia, eye problems, allergies, and ear infections.
Border Collie & German Shepherd
The Border Collie German Shepherd mix, also known as Shollie, is a perfect hybrid of two beautiful herding dogs.
A Shollie is an incredibly protective dog and isn’t prone to barking. If you want to avoid problems, you should socialize the dog with other pets and children at an early age.
The Shollie dog is quite large, with an average height of 29 inches and a weight of around 80 pounds. Because of its muscular body, it’s often used as a working dog. Also, its eye color can vary between blue and amber, and its tail is less bushy than the German Shepherd’s.
The most common health problems of this mix include eye anomaly, bloating, hip and elbow dysplasia, and degenerative myelopathy. The Shollie’s average lifespan is 13–15 years — quite a lot for such a large dog.
Border Collie & Labrador
The Border Collie Lab mix, or Borador, is fun, responsive, and adorable. What else would you expect with parents like these? Although friendly, this dog needs supervision when introduced to new people.
Most Boradors have black coats. But if the Labrador parent is chocolate or yellow, they will be gold or brown with white markings. If you notice a merle Borador puppy, it’s more likely to have genetic issues, like eye disorder and deafness.
On average, a Borador can weigh 30–80 pounds, with an average height of 20–22 inches. These dogs are suitable for big families because they hate being alone.
The working genes inherited from its parents give the Borador a competitive and intelligent personality. Also, the mix is excellent at police work, like search and rescue tasks.
Border Collie & Husky
The Border Collie Husky is a mix with a mesmerizing look. It’s pretty easy to fall in love with this dog.
What makes the mix unique is its wolf-like head shape and semi-erect ears. Also, the eyes are almond-shaped and can be blue or hazel. Some dogs may have different eye colors, making them even more adorable.
The Border Husky mix is a medium-sized dog with an average height of 18–22 inches and weight between 30 and 45 pounds. Also, the most common coat color of this designer breed is black and white.
They’re famous as pack dogs, meaning they’ll get along with other animals in the household unless they sense danger. What’s more, they require a lot of attention and physical activity. Otherwise, they can be destructive and aggressive.
When it comes to health issues, you should be aware of eye and ear infections, heart problems, and hip dysplasia.
Border Collie & Corgi
Another interesting hybrid is the Border Collie Corgi mix. These dogs won’t sleep if they’re not sure their family is safe and sound, making them excellent watchdogs. A common issue is their herding instinct and their habit of treating children as flock members.
A Borgi puppy can vary in height. It can inherit the stumpy legs of its Corgi parent, which significantly lowers its size. The expected range for this hybrid dog is around 10–22 inches. Also, it can weigh around 28–55 pounds and have either pointy or long and floppy ears.
The Border Collie can be very stubborn and independent, and the Borgi dog often inherits these traits. Unfortunately, this dog is prone to serious health issues, like epilepsy, intervertebral disc disease, and achondroplasia. The hybrid’s lifespan is between 14 and 18 years.
Border Collie & Blue Heeler
The Border Collie Blue Heeler mix comes from two of the best-purebred herding dogs — the Border Collie and Australian Cattle Dog, known as Blue Heeler. It’s an intelligent dog. Its cunning characteristics can sometimes outsmart the owner and the animals around.
The mix is middle-sized, with 17–20 inches in height and 35–50 pounds in weight. Because of their flexible gait, the Border Heeler is perfect for physically active families. They’re ideal running partners with boundless energy.
The hybrid has a shedding coat, making it unsuitable for people with allergies. Overall, it’s a healthy mix, but you still have to watch out for signs of joint and hip dysplasia.
Border Collie & Poodle
These hybrid puppies have all the best genes and are becoming more and more popular. After all, Bordoodles look like living teddy bears, and they behave like that, too.
Such Border Collie mix-breeds are small, with curly fur and an entertaining personality. Most are about 20 inches tall and weigh 40 pounds.
The amount of energy and physical activity this dog needs depends on the dominant genes. A Bordoodle can be hyperactive like a Border Collie or reserved like the Poodle.
These dogs can be very greedy eaters and are prone to gaining weight. We recommend avoiding chicken as a protein source in their meals and including more carb-rich food with fiber and vitamins. You should also check for signs of an inherited eye anomaly, hip and elbow dysplasia, and bloating.
Border Collie & Beagle
Your new best friend may be the Border Collie Beagle mix dog. It’s a perfect match between the high-energy Border Collie and the laid-back Beagle nature. These dogs can be challenging to train, so they’re not the best choice for first-time pet owners.
The Collie Beagle mix usually gets no taller than 15–16 inches and weighs around 25 pounds. Also, it can inherit the Beagle’s smelling ability, making it the perfect hunting companion.
The Border Beagle is a quick learner and loves to be the center of attention. These dogs tend to nip and herd during playtime due to their Border Collie herding genes. Also, they’re overly vocal and bark at strangers, making them good watchdogs.
The Border Beagle doesn’t have a sensitive stomach, so raw dog food options or kibble would be perfect for it.
Throughout these dogs’ lifespan of 10–13 years, they can suffer mostly from patellar luxation, epilepsy, or eye infections.
Border Collie & Boxer
The Border Collie Boxer mix is suitable for big families that can dedicate most of their time to this crossbreed.
The Boxollie is pure genius. It can learn new commands in less than 10 seconds. But it’s a hyperactive dog that will bark constantly. Also, you might want to prepare a chew-resistant crate pad because the mix can develop undesirable habits, like digging and chewing everything.
If understimulated, these dogs can become aggressive. So, it’s not a good idea to leave them alone for too long. The Boxollie mix has an athletic build with a maximum height of 25 inches, and an average weight of 45–85 pounds.
Regular vet check-ups are a must because the mix can suffer severe heart and eye problems.
Border Collie & Great Pyrenees
If you’re looking for a large dog, the Great Pyrenees Border Collie mix might be perfect for you. They can reach up to 20–32 inches in height and weigh 30–120 pounds.
Their intelligence can often lead to stubbornness, so obedience training might be challenging. That’s why they need a strong and experienced family member to help get them in line. Otherwise, their independence can predominate your command.
The Great Pyrenees Border Collie mix is great with kids and will get along with other pets in the house. Despite their intimidating look, they’re childish by nature. Also, the mix is more of a watchdog than an attack dog. The crossbreed is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, deafness, obesity, glaucoma, and patellar luxation.
Border Collie & Chow Chow
The Collie Chow is a designer dog with brilliant parents. The mix is very popular and highly energetic. Depending on the dominant genes, its lifespan can be roughly 10–16 years.
The Collie Chow loves admiration, so be ready to provide enough positive reinforcement and handclapping. Most are medium-sized dogs, with an average height of 17–22 inches and weight between 30 and 70 pounds.
Because of their inherited herding instincts, these Collie mixed puppies need regular walks and running to keep their energy levels down.
Also, they have exquisite nutritional needs and should stay away from overeating. Excess weight can provoke health issues like hip and elbow dysplasia. It’s a good idea to give them fish oil and vet-recommended glucosamine for dogs as supplements to their diet.
Border Collie & Doberman
The mix is an excellent example of how two different temperaments can produce something special like the Doberman Collie pup. It’s a unique combination of Collie’s sweetness and Doberman’s aggression.
These dogs are timid around strangers, so it’s better to socialize your Collie mixed puppies from day one.
Doberman Collies are hyperactive dogs. Depending on the fur type they inherit, you may have to brush and trim their coat regularly. Also, if you want to get their full attention, you’ll need a lot of treats.
The Doberman Collie’s lifespan is between 10 and 17 years. These dogs might suffer gastric torsion, Wobbler’s syndrome, and hyp dysplasia.
Border Collie & Dachshund
The Border Collie Dachshund mix is always in the mood for a good run in the park. You’ll also need a lot of cool dog toys to keep this dog entertained. Because of their long and narrow build, some call them “Wiener dogs” or “Sausage dogs.” They can average between 8 and 20 inches and weigh around 13–25 pounds.
The Border Weenie is a great family member. These dogs love children and can live in a “pack” with the other pets in the house. Also, the Border Weenie is hardworking and always eager to please.
Since they’re brilliant, a simple walk in the park might not be enough. They require constant mental stimulation, like learning new tricks, playing hide and seek, or solving puzzles.
With proper care and lots of love, these dogs can live up to 20 years. Their common health issues you should be aware of include epilepsy, hip dysplasia, slow metabolism, and eye infections.
Border Collie & Pug
These are among the friendliest dogs of all the Collie mixes. They’re fun to be around, and their small appearance makes them even more adorable. Their average height is 10–12 inches, and they usually weigh 14–18 pounds.
The Collie Pug is bred to work and run all day, so you better prepare physically and mentally for this dog. Although small, they’ll try their best to serve as a watchdog and protect your family if needed.
Collie Pugs are heavy shedders, so we advise you to invest in a good vacuum cleaner. Also, be careful with baths because water may dry their skin. Avoid overfeeding these dogs, as they’re prone to hip and elbow dysplasia.
Fun Facts About Border Collies
Here are some interesting facts about Collie dogs that will impress you even more:
- On the earliest recorded sheepdog trial, Border Collies could herd sheep only by hand signals and whistles by their owners.
- Queen Victoria was a big fan of these dogs.
- A Collie mix breed named Sweet Pea set a record for balancing a can on her head while walking 100 meters in 2 minutes and 55 seconds.
- Chaser, a famous Border Collie, was recognized as the world’s most intelligent dog, with a vocabulary of more than 1,000 words.
This little dog comes with a lot of character — no wonder why it’s adored by so many people worldwide.
Wrap up
With crossbreed puppies, you can’t be sure what color, height, or weight they’ll have. But when it comes to a Border Collie mix, you can be sure of its intelligence, energy, and working habits.
Whether you want a modern city dog or a hardworking farm dog, these puppies can do it all. They live to make you a proud dog parent, and in return, they only ask for your attention and love.
Every Collie mix is unique in its own way, and you’ll fall in love with all of them. So, don’t be surprised if you find more than one perfect match on our list!
