Border Collie vs Siberian Husky

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

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - Both the Border Collie and Siberian Husky are not recommended for new or inexperienced owners.
Children - Both breeds are child friendly, but the Siberian Husky is the most friendly between the breeds.
Grooming - The Border Collie is easier to groom than the Siberian Husky.
Barking - Both the Border Collie and Siberian Husky are very vocal and will bark/howl frequently.

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Border Collie vs Siberian Husky

Breed Name	Border Collie	Siberian Husky
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Height	18-22 in.	20-23 in.
Weight	27-45 lb	35-60 lb
Intelligence	High	Average
History
Origin Country	UK (England)	Russia
Origin Year	1860 AD	900 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	Very Good
Personality
	Affectionate Loving Stubborn Willing To Please	Affectionate Enjoys Attention Jealous Loving 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	-70°F to 65°F
Barks/Howls	Very Often	Very Often
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	High	High
Exercise Required	High	Medium-High
Top Running Speed	28 mph	28 mph
Strength	High	Very High
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low	Medium-High
Shedding	Low	Medium-High
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	Siberian Husky
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	No	No
Family/Pack	Yes	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	Yes
Average	Yes	No
Focused & Patient	No	No
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Below Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Below Average	Average
Chasing	Below Average	Average
Follow Commands	Average	Below Average
Fighting	Below Average	Below Average
Guarding	Below Average	Very Low
Herding	High	Average
Hunting	Below Average	Very Low
Protection	Below Average	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Below Average	Very Low
Sledding	Below Average	High
Watch	Average	Below Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Border Collie	Siberian Husky
Lifespan
Lifespan	12-15 yrs.	12-15 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Allergies	Yes	No
Cataracts	No	Yes
Collie Eye Anomaly	Yes	No
Corneal Dystrophy	No	Yes
Epilepsy	Yes	No
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	No
Osteochondrosis Dissecans	Yes	No
Progressive Retinal Atrophy	Yes	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Border Collie	Siberian Husky
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Double Coat	Yes	Yes
Coat Texture
Silky	Yes	No
Straight	Yes	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Medium	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black	Yes	Yes
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	No
White & Blue	Yes	No
White & Blue Merle	Yes	No
White & Red	Yes	No
White & Red Merle	Yes	No
White Ticked	Yes	No
Agouti & White	No	Yes
Black & White	No	Yes
Black, Gray, & White	No	Yes
Black, Tan, & White	No	Yes
Brown	No	Yes
Brown & White	No	Yes
Brown, Black, & White	No	Yes
Copper & White	No	Yes
Gray & Black	No	Yes
Gray & White	No	Yes
Red & White	No	Yes
Sable & White	No	Yes
Tan	No	Yes
Tan & Black	No	Yes
Tan & White	No	Yes
White	No	Yes