Border Collie Puppies for Sale

overview of the Border Collie Dog Breed

Are you looking for a hard-working, athletic, intelligent companion?
Check out our Border Collie puppies for sale!

Known as the best herding dog in the world, Border Collies are happiest living on a farm, ranch, or large property where they can run, work, and keep a careful eye on the animals and people in their care.

Highly intelligent, determined, athletic, and full of energy, Border Collies excel at dog sports, obedience, search and rescue, farm work, and anything else you give them!

When given proper physical and mental stimulation, they make excellent companions.

Purchase your Border Collie puppy today and welcome a loyal, intelligent friend into your family!

You can also take a look at our variety of other dogs for sale on our “all breeds” page.

Border Collie temperament

High-Energy: Border Collies love to move! They will not be a calm, laid-back dog. Make sure you have space and activities for a Border Collie before adopting one. A Border Collie will not be happy in an apartment unless you are an extremely active person!

Intelligent: One of the smartest dog breeds, they thrive on mental (and physical) stimulation. Border Collies without jobs to do can become compulsive and destructive.

Alertness: Border Collies are very observant and alert to their surroundings. Their attentiveness makes them excellent watchdogs.

Work Ethic: These dogs are bred to be working dogs, particularly in herding livestock. They have a strong work ethic and a natural drive to perform tasks.

Intense Focus: Border Collies are known for their intense concentration. Their hypnotic stare inspires sheep to move, and it may even inspire you to give them something they want!

Loyal: Although Border Collies are independent, they are loyal and bond deeply with their owners. They will be warm and friendly in a family setting, and, like many herding breeds, they’re wary of strangers.

All-Star Student: Border Collies are athletic, smart, and easy to train. They excel at agility, obedience, frisbee, flyball, and, of course, sheepherding. They also make great search and rescue dogs. Their intelligence, determination, and desire to please make them good at anything they set out to do.

It’s essential to understand that Border Collies require an active and stimulating lifestyle to thrive. Their intelligence and energy levels make them best suited for families and individuals who can provide plenty of physical exercise, mental challenges, and companionship. Without proper stimulation, they may become bored and develop behavioral issues.

Border Collie Breed history

In 43 AD, the Romans invaded Britain and brought their sheep — and their sheepdogs with them. When the Vikings invaded Britain in 793, they crossbred their dogs with the Romans’ dogs, creating the predecessor to our modern-day Border Collie.

This sheepdog was quick, agile, full of stamina, and ideal for herding sheep in the rocky, mountainous border between England and Scotland.

Different regions and farmers bred their own versions of “collies” (a word of Scottish dialect used to describe sheepdogs). There were various sheepdog breeds, including Welsh Sheepdogs, Northern Sheepdogs, Highland Collies, and Scotch Collies.

In 1860, these Scottish sheepdogs were shown at a dog show, and a short time later, a sheepdog caught the eye of Queen Victoria. She quickly became a fan of the breed.

In 1876, sheepdog trials began. Credit is given to R. J. Lloyd Price for starting the trials.

In 1906, breed standards for our modern-day Border Collie were established.
The AKC accepted Border Collies in 1995. The breed is now split into show lines and working lines.

Border Collies from working lines are considered the best herding dogs in the world and are still used by farmers, shepherds, and ranchers everywhere.

Border Collies are similar to Australian Shepherds, Shetland Sheepdogs, and German Shepherds.

Border Collie Average size

Adult Border Collies are 18-22 inches at the shoulder and weigh 30-45 pounds.

Average Border Collie lifespan

Border Collies usually live 12-16 years.

Border Collie body features

Border Collies have a sturdy, muscular build with pointed, eager ears. 

Black and white is the most familiar color combination; however, Border Collies can have various markings and colors, including brown, white, blue, merle, red, brindle, and sable.

They are known for their intelligent, alert eyes and intense stare that moves sheep.

grooming Your Border Collie Puppy

There are two types of Border Collie coats: rough coat (long and feathered) and smooth coat (short and smooth). 

Both the rough and smooth coats are double coats which means they are dense, weather-resistant coats. This also means they will shed heavily twice a year and moderately the rest of the year. 

Brush your Border Collie’s coat regularly to keep it free of tangles, mats, and dirt. 

Other grooming includes regular bathing, nail trimming, and teeth brushing.

Keeping Your Border Collie Puppy Healthy

Border Collies are a hearty and healthy breed; however, here are some conditions to be aware of:

• • Hip dysplasia – Hip dysplasia is common in medium and large breed dogs. This is a malformation of the hip socket. Genetics, weight, and excessive exercise can play a part in hip dysplasia.
  • Collie Eye Anomaly – this is an inherited condition that can sometimes lead to blindness.
  • Epilepsy – this condition causes seizures. Epilepsy can be managed with medication.

• • Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (CL) and trapped neutrophil syndrome (TNS) – these are fatal genetic disorders that occur in Border Collies. DNA testing can reveal if the parents are carriers.

You can protect your dog from one of the most common health problems: obesity. One of the best ways to extend your dog’s life is by feeding them the correct amount of food and giving them adequate exercise.

Like all dog breeds, they are susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia, two of the most common health issues among dogs.

Hip and elbow dysplasia occurs when the leg or hip becomes weakened, resulting in arthritis or potential lameness if not addressed.

One of the best ways to prevent this is by keeping your dog from running too much on hard surfaces, especially when they are puppies.

Typical Border Collie Allergens

Allergens are caused by dander, which is dead skin cells.  Both animals and humans shed these dead skin cells. Dander is attached to the hair that animals shed. 

Because of their thick, double coats, Border Collies are not an allergen-friendly dog. 

You can keep allergens lower by brushing and bathing them regularly. 

If you or someone in your home has animal allergies, please consult your healthcare provider before adopting a puppy.

• 1. Do Border Collies try to herd humans?
  Border Collies try to herd anything that moves. It might be kids, adults, cats, dogs, cows, cars, or anything else she thinks needs to be in a flock. This instinct cannot be trained out of a Border Collie. But obviously it’s not okay to herd humans, and definitely not cars! So you will have to channel your dog’s energy and drive into other activities instead. Your Border Collie will have to have a job!
• 2. What kinds of jobs can you give your Border Collie to keep him mentally stimulated?
  Border Collies are smart and they will need a job to do to stay happy. They excel at activities like obedience, flyball, agility, tracking, and flying disc competitions. Some other things you could try include: puzzle toys, puzzle food dishes, long walks or explorations, new tricks, obstacle courses, or jogging. Your Border Collie will be happiest if you keep him tired out, so be sure to tax him mentally and physically.
• 3. Do Border Collies make good apartment dogs?
  You can make an apartment dog out of a Border Collie if you treat her right. Just remember that Border Collies are active and intelligent. They were bred to run 50+ miles a day on the Scottish hillsides. If you want to keep her inside a little apartment you’ll have to keep your dog busy and give her plenty of exercise! Don’t waste all that energy and drive by making her sit on the couch all day.
• 4. Are Border Collies friendly to strangers?
  Border Collies tend to be pretty open and friendly with strangers, but they can become shy if they don’t get a lot of socialization when they are young.
• 5. What is the Border Collie “stare?”
  If you have ever watched a Border Collie herd sheep (which is well worth watching if you get a chance!) you may have observed them seem to stare down the sheep with a piercing gaze. This is part of their herding behavior, and the dogs use it to herd the sheep where they need to go.
• 6. Are Border Collies good with kids?
  Border Collies normally do well with kids, although their tendency is to try to herd them with small nips and barks. But you can train them to be wonderful family dogs, and on the whole they are kind and gentle and would never hurt a child unless strongly provoked.
• 7. Do Border Collies wander off easily?
  Border Collies aren’t a breed with an incurable wanderlust, but they are curious and intelligent. That can cause them to become escape artists and they may wander off and explore if they have a chance.
• 8. Do Border Collies bark a lot?
  Border Collies do like to talk. They are alert and easily stimulated, which may explain some of their barking tendencies. The good news is that they are very eager to please their masters, so they can easily be trained not to bark excessively.
• 9. Are Border Collies easy to train?
  You won’t find a dog that’s much easier to train than a Border Collie! Border Collies are as smart as they come, and they love to please, so they should be an absolute breeze to train. They can learn anything you have the time and patience to teach them.
• 10. Do Border Collies get separation anxiety?
  Border Collies are intensely loyal to their masters and love human interaction. That kind of loyalty means they may get upset if their master leaves them. The good news is that you can still leave your Border Collie alone for short periods of time if you give him proper training for it. Just know that your Border Collie is going to love you more than life itself and may get upset if you go away!