Border Collie vs Dalmatian

Compare the Border Collie to the Dalmatian. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Border Collies and Dalmatians.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - The Dalmatian is a good choice for new owners, whereas the Border Collie is not recommended for new/inexperienced owners.
Children - Both breeds are child friendly, but the Dalmatian is the most friendly between the breeds.
Grooming - Both breeds have low maintenance coats, but the Dalmatian is easier to groom.
Barking - The Border Collie bark/howls frequently. The Dalmatian has an average level of barking.

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Border Collie vs Dalmatian

Breed Name	Border Collie	Dalmatian
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	13-16 yrs.
Height	18-22 in.	19-24 in.
Weight	27-45 lb	45-55 lb
Intelligence	High	Average
History
Origin Country	UK (England)	Croatia (Hrvatska)
Origin Year	1860 AD	1600 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Very Good	Very Good
Family Friendly	Very Good	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Good	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Good	Very Good
Stranger Friendly	Good	Good
Personality
	Affectionate Loving Stubborn Willing To Please	Affectionate Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Stubborn Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	No	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	Yes
Large Yard	Yes	Yes
Temperature Tolerance ¹	30°F to 80°F	50°F to 85°F
Barks/Howls	Very Often	Below Average
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	High	High
Exercise Required	High	High
Top Running Speed	28 mph	35 mph
Strength	High	High
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	Medium
Shedding	Low	Medium
Dander	Low	Medium
Drool Amount	None	None

¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Border Collie	Dalmatian
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	No
Average	Yes	Yes
Focused & Patient	No	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Below Average	Below Average
Chasing	Below Average	Below Average
Follow Commands	Average	Below Average
Fighting	Below Average	Below Average
Guarding	Below Average	Average
Herding	High	Below Average
Hunting	Below Average	Average
Protection	Below Average	Average
Remove Vermin	Below Average	Below Average
Sledding	Below Average	Below Average
Watch	Average	Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Border Collie	Dalmatian
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	13-16 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	Yes	Yes
Collie Eye Anomaly	Yes	No
Deafness	No	Yes
Epilepsy	Yes	No
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	Yes
Iris Sphincter Dysplasia	No	Yes
Osteochondrosis Dissecans	Yes	No
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	Yes	No
Skin Allergies	No	Yes
Urolithiasis	No	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Border Collie	Dalmatian
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	No
Single Coat	No	Yes
Smooth Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Silky	Yes	No
Straight	Yes	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Medium	Yes	No
Short	No	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black	Yes	No
Blue	Yes	No
Blue Merle	Yes	No
Brindle	Yes	No
Gold	Yes	No
Lilac	Yes	No
Red	Yes	No
Red Merle	Yes	No
Sable	Yes	No
Sable Merle	Yes	No
Saddleback Sable	Yes	No
White & Black	Yes	Yes
White & Blue	Yes	No
White & Blue Merle	Yes	No
White & Red	Yes	No
White & Red Merle	Yes	No
White Ticked	Yes	No
White & Lemon	No	Yes
White & Liver Brown	No	Yes
White & Orange	No	Yes
White, Black, & Tan	No	Yes
White, Liver, & Tan	No	Yes