Border Collie Collie Care

The Border Collie (BC)--a medium-sized, incredibly athletic, sweet herding breed--has long been considered the premier shepherd dog in the world. With livestock herds, these dogs' abilities are simply unmatched, but they make excellent pets for active families as well. A word of warning, though: caring for Border Collies isn't easy. Overall Border Collie care and maintenance will take quite a bit of work--much of which will be providing these tireless dogs with a huge amount of daily exercise.

Here you'll find plenty of details on raising a Border Collie: puppy care and development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and much more. If you see an advertisement reading "Border Collie Needs New Home," by all means adopt the dog--and get answers to your questions about raising Border Collies in the following sections!

These dogs are athletic, intelligent, energetic, and task-oriented--so Border Collie exercise requirements are extensive. BCs will need a variety of daily physical activities like walking, jogging, and fetch; mental exercise for Border Collies--games or canine sports, for example--are needed as well. BCs can also be excellent bicycling companions.

Specifically how much exercise does a Border Collie need daily? Adult BCs will do well to have 90 minutes or more of dedicated exercise each day, with the total amount depending on the dog's age and overall activity level. You can start your Border Collie puppy exercise when the little pup is three months old by taking it on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length as the puppy grows.

Precautions with Border Collie exercise needs:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're nine months old
• Strong herding instincts mean a leash is required when exercising in public
• Yards must be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off
• Prone to separation anxiety; exercises should be done together with people

Exercising your Border Collie every day is an absolute must. These dogs have seemingly endless energy and stamina--and without frequent activity they'll become highly anxious, misbehaved, and destructive. Regular exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind! A few Border Collie exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 30-minute walks (or 20-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: BCs will love chasing a ball, stick, or Frisbee
• Hide-and-Seek: Great indoor activity; give the dog a treat when it finds you
• Dog Park: If properly socialized, BCs enjoy the company of other dogs
• Canine Sports: These dogs are fantastic competitors in agility, obedience, or herding trials, flyball, and many other events
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity

When indoors, give your Border Collie access to plenty of balls or toys, as these will allow the dog to burn excess energy. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks, jogs, or bike rides after breakfast and dinner and playtime in the afternoon.

In terms of overall maintenance, these dogs don't need a ton of care. Border Collies' shedding is seasonal: fair for most of the year, but heavier during the twice yearly shedding seasons. Border Collie drooling, though, isn't an issue.

Some Border Collie shedding information: these dogs have two coat types. Rough (medium-length, with distinct feathering) and Smooth (shorter and coarser) BCs both have double-layered, weather resistant coats. So does a Border Collie shed? Both coat varieties shed moderately most of the time--but when they blow their undercoats in the spring and fall, the shedding is more profuse. Owners can brush their BCs twice a week or so with a pin brush to minimize the shedding, and hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will be necessary from time to time. (Brushing and cleanup will obviously be required more often during shedding season.)

A BC almost never drools, however. If your Border Collie is drooling excessively, that might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.

The Border Collie diet should include animal proteins, healthy carbs, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids--nutrients every dog needs to maintain its health in the long term. This means the best dog food for Border Collies is premium dry kibble, as it has balanced portions of the above-listed ingredients. If consistently fed a premium brand like Royal Canin, Border Collie dogs will be much healthier and longer-living.

And how much should a Border Collie eat? Border Collie dog food portions for adults, depending on their age, size, and activity level, is about 2½ cups of dry food per day, divided into two meals. Border Collie puppy food portions are a bit less: again depending on age, about 1¾ cups per day, divided into three meals (not two) until six months of age.

For more info on how much to feed a Border Collie from puppyhood through maturity, see this Border Collie feeding guide:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by mixing in adult formula with the puppy formula, in slowly increasing amounts with each meal, for one week.

Try if possible to stick to the above-listed portions. Though not especially prone to obesity, if these dogs are constantly overfed (and under-exercised) they certainly can become overweight--and fat Border Collies will have numerous health problems and potentially shortened lifespans. You can help control your BC's weight by having consistent feeding and exercise schedules, by not feeding the dog table scraps, and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time.

If you're worried your Border Collie is overweight, try this simple test: run a hand along the dog's side, and if you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time--which means less food and more exercise!

Thogh some opinions differ, a majority of veterinarians, breeders, and owners agree that the best dog food for a Border Collie is premium dry kibble. This high-quality food, while more expensive, fulfills a BC's daily nutritional needs much better than cheap, generic foods that contain mostly empty "filler" ingredients.

The best dog food for Border Collies is the kind formulated for active breeds. Royal Canin, Dr. Tim's, and SportMix are three recommended brands that carry excellent lines of premium high-energy food.

Technically speaking, this breed's physical abilities and personality make the Border Collie a house dog and an outdoor dog. While BCs will need lots of outdoor activities on a daily basis, they'll be much happier living inside with the human family members they love so much! And for the Border Collie, apartment living is not at all recommended, as these dogs are simply too energetic for such confined spaces.

In regards to climate, BCs are adaptable to a wide range of weather. A Border Collie in cold weather will be fine--and the breed handles heat with equal ease.