The Labrador Collie mix, also know as a Borador, is a medium size dog with a high amount of energy. These beautiful furred dogs range in weight. Females generally weigh in at 40-50 pounds, while some of the bigger males will come in at closer to 55-60 pounds. They have naturally pointy ears, and have taller legs, as well as a good amount of muscle on the stomach area.
Part of the terrier breed, these dogs are very close to their owners, and loyal to their family. I am here to show you a few reasons why the Borador is a great family dog!
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1. These dogs have energy!
My dog, Sadie, has a larger portion Labrador in her, and showed that energy early on in her life. The Boradors need constant workouts and ways to burn that energy off. Fetch and making them chase around bones and frisbees are great ways to keep them entertained. Just like most dogs, they are good around children, however, can get a little nippy when anxious or wound up. They will require a lot of attention on all levels, but with proper care, they do relax over time.
It’s important to note that Border Collie Lab mix dogs are best suited for owners who are also active and able to exercise these dogs.
Border Collie Lab mixes are similar to Border Collies in terms of their intelligence, but they have a calmer temperament than their parents.
These dogs have the same energy levels as Border Collies, but they’re not as intense or obsessive about their work. They’re also more obedient than many other breeds, which makes them easier to train.
This mix is highly intelligent and has an incredible ability to learn quickly. The Border Collie Lab mix can be trained to perform complex tasks like tracking or fetching objects that have been lost or stolen, as well as using its sense of smell to find missing people or animals. These dogs need plenty of exercise every day if they’re kept indoors all day because they can get bored easily if they don’t get enough physical activity.
When you are exercising your Border Collie Lab Mix, it’s important to exercise them on the proper equipment. We recommend a front clip dog harness so you can help reduce pulling and making walking more comfortable for everyone.
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The PetSafe Front Clip Dog Harness is a great dog harness for dogs that are high energy like the Border Collie Lab Mix. This dog harness helps to reduce pulling by redirecting pressure on your dog’s chest and shoulders so they have to pull with their back legs instead. The chest strap has an easy-to-use carabiner attachment that allows you to quickly and securely attach the leash.
We also like that this dog harness is easy to put on your dog and it’s easy to adjust to fit your Border Collie Lab Mix comfortably around his neck and then fasten each side buckle to fit snugly around their body.
The front clip is adjustable and can be moved up or down depending on how high or low you want it positioned on your dog’s chest. This allows you to control how much pressure is exerted against their throat when pulling occurs, which helps prevent choking if they try to pull too hard.
2. Chew they will…. Early On.
These dogs love to chew as babies, and trust me; chew they will. Slippers, socks, paper towels, you name it, they will attempt to chew it. Training very early is important, as is making sure there are plenty of chew toys around for your puppy! For many of the early months with my Borador, Sadie, she attempted to chew everything in sight. With constant training, and attention to items left out around your dog, they do overcome it!
Sadie after kicking around pillows that were in her way
Chewing is a natural behavior that all dogs do. It helps them to keep their teeth clean and worn down, it can be a source of comfort, and can even help with teething. However, if your Border Collie Lab mix has begun chewing things they shouldn’t, it’s important to take steps to ensure they don’t become bored or anxious.
How can you help overcome heavy chewing in your dog? It’s important to help ensure your Border Collie Lab mix isn’t left to become bored or anxious. Here are some tips for preventing and stopping destructive behavior in dogs:
Make sure they get plenty of exercise each day: Dogs who are active tend to have fewer issues with destructive behaviors than those who don’t get as much exercise. A tired dog is a happy dog!
If you’re going away for the weekend, consider hiring someone to come stay at your house and take your dog out for walks or play ball with them. This will give them something fun to do while you’re away and make sure that they get their energy out before you return home.
Don’t leave chews around the house when you’re not home: Chew toys are meant for chewing when supervised by an adult human being; leave them out where your Border
3. Prepare for a very Stubborn Dog!
While these dogs are lovable, cuddly puppies that are great family dogs, they can be quite stubborn! The Female Borador from my experience isn’t just stubborn, but a Queen diva as well. They often have difficulty giving back tennis balls and catch items out of their mouths, and fetch therefore can be quite a challenge. They look to be the center of attention constantly, which can be a good thing, but for those that get overwhelmed, it may be stressful. Be prepared to accept that they are a stubborn breed. While they are stubborn, they do still train extremely quickly! Often times, with some treats involved, they will learn new tricks within a few tries!
Sadie Snuggles up against her owners legs
Stubbornness can be frustrating in dogs, but it’s important to be patient with your Border Collie Lab Mix. In fact, stubbornness is often a sign of intelligence in dogs, and you can use this to your advantage when it comes to training.
Border Collie Lab Mixes are intelligent dogs who need mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy. If you’re looking for an easy-to-train dog, this isn’t the breed for you. But if you’re willing to put in the time, a Border Collie Lab Mix will quickly become one of your best friends — he’ll just expect you to follow through on all those promises about throwing balls and going for walks!
Border Collie Lab Mixes are not recommended for first-time dog owners because they can be difficult to train and need consistent leadership in order to thrive in a home environment. Still, and as with all dogs, training using positive reinforcement training techniques is important with your Border Collie Lab mix. You want to reward your dog when it does something right and ignore him when he does something wrong.
It’s also important to note here that socializing is key. Socialization with other dogs is important when raising your Border Collie Lab Mix dog from puppyhood so that he can learn how to interact with other dogs and be comfortable in a variety of situations.
4. They show great affection!
Sadie sticks by our side through sickness and through health. Often times, Boradors will want to always be around you. They love to show affection to children as well. Whatever room you may be in, they just want to be a part of the family.
While they are good around children, you have to keep an eye out, as they often like to run with toddlers, thinking the toddlers are playing a game, and may try and jump at the defenseless child. They are constantly trying to keep entertained, and thus are quick to beg for your love! The Borador is very attentive, and will often turn their head to the side in order to adjust the view of your speech. This is showing to you that they are paying attention!
Boradors will turn their heads slightly to read your lips better
Border Collie Lab Mix dogs are not the ideal dog for first-time dog owners, but they can be excellent companions for active families who have an understanding of working breeds.
These dogs are very affectionate and enjoy the company of their human pack. Border Collie Lab Mix dogs can get along well with other dogs and cats, as long as they are introduced properly and supervised at all times.
5. They May not be the Best Walkers
With this type of breed, research suggests 1-2 hours minimum a day of exercise. Walks for Boradors are a great way to get them out of the house and explore what is on the outside. My dog Sadie however, is not a very good walker. Even with walking training, she is still so energetic and interested in everything around her, that she begins pulling. While this may be common in other dogs, the Borador seems to be towards the top of the list of dogs that are exhausting to take for a walk. Keeping treats with you on your walk, and rewarding them when they stay focused ahead can be helpful.
As we discussed above, Border Collie Lab Mix dogs can pull on their leash. This can make it tempting to invest in aversive training equipment like prong collars or choke chains, which we recommend against.
In fact, prong collars and choke chains can actually be dangerous and damaging for your dog both physically and emotionally.
These tools are designed to cause pain when the dog pulls on the leash. They work by tightening around the neck when they are pulled taut and then release when tension is released. The idea is that if you apply enough pressure to discourage pulling, your Border Collie Lab Mix will learn not to do so. Unfortunately, this type of training method only works if your dog is already sensitive to pain.
These collars are designed to hurt, and if your Border Collie Lab Mix does not respond positively to pain then you could end up causing serious injury with these tools.
On top of this, many dogs hate wearing these types of collars or even seeing them out in the open because they associate them with something painful happening during walks or other times when they wear them at home. Dogs associate things like this with negative experiences.
Instead, we suggest again investing in front clip harnesses that help to redirect your dog back to you if he should pull without causing him pain or discomfort.
6. Maintenance
The Borador overall is an easy dog to groom. While these dogs sometimes will dig in the dirt and lay in mud, they do not need frequent baths. They are very clean dogs which may vary in shedding. The Border Collie portion of the dog is a moderate shedder, while the Labrador will most likely shed more. I would recommend brushing the Boradors hair 1-2 times a week at minimum to keep their coat fresh and the natural distributions of their oils consistent. Their ears and teeth should be consistently cleaned to avoid any dental or ear issues. With our Borador, my wife will use a quick spray ear drops once a month, and I try to brush her teeth once a month as well.
Boradors Love Water
While grooming the Border Collie Lab Mix is relatively simple, it’s still important to have a good grooming routine set up so you can ensure your dog is maintained and kept healthy.
Here are some helpful tips on how to groom your Border Collie Lab mix:
Brush your dog regularly with a slicker brush or pin brush. This will remove any loose hair and help distribute the oils in their fur evenly throughout their coat so they look shiny and healthy.
Trim the hair around their ears and paws every few weeks so they don’t get matted. You can use special scissors or clippers to do this task yourself or take them to a professional groomer if you feel uncomfortable doing it on your own.
Give them baths about once or twice per month if necessary (depending on how dirty they get). When bathing them make sure to use a shampoo that’s formulated for dogs because human shampoo can cause irritation on their skin and cause infections in some dogs.
7. They Enjoy Water!
Pools, hoses and Lakes; The Borador seems to love their water! Our dog Sadie will constantly drink water outside, tip over bowls, and enjoys to jump in the kiddy pool and be sprayed with water hoses! I highly recommend taking them to local parks and watering holes, as they will have a blast!
The Borador enjoys cooling off constantly, especially on those hot days. They often will walk right into a nearby lake, and after investigating the body of water, may attempt to swim. One of our favorite moments with Sadie growing up was her constant seeing of her shadow in her outdoor bowl, which caused her to dig and splash her water all over herself!
Taking your Border Collie Lab Mix to the lake or beach is an excellent form of exercise for this dog! Of course, it’s important to keep in mind that the way you introduce your Border Collie Lab Mix to water early on will help determine his or her love for the water.
Just because many Border Collie Lab mix dogs love water doesn’t mean all will, especially if they are forced into the water.
If you want your Border Collie Lab Mix to enjoy swimming, there are a few things you can do:
Start small. Take your Border Collie Lab Mix into the bathtub when he is young and get him used to being in the water. This way, he’ll learn that being in the tub isn’t scary at all!
Use positive reinforcement. When your Border Collie Lab mix enjoys being in the tub, start throwing treats into the water while he’s in there with you. This will encourage him to go after them and swim around more!
When he’s ready for bigger bodies of water, take him out onto a dock or another type of platform where he can jump off into deeper water. If you are worried about your Border Collie Lab Mix dog’s safety, you can always invest in a canine life jacket, which we highly recommend.
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The Vivaglory Ripstop Dog Life Vest is a great investment for owners of dogs that like to swim. Not only does it help keep your dog safe in the water, but it also makes them more visible to others.
We like that this life vest comes in several sizes, as well as three colors including black, orange, and purple. This vest is made with heavy-duty fabric and has reflective piping for visibility. It also has a D-ring for attaching a leash or other accessories, as well as a handle so you can easily grab your dog if you need to.
The Vivaglory Ripstop Dog Life Vest is made to be comfortable and easy on your dog’s body, which means they won’t mind wearing it while they paddle around in the water.
Some dogs may not like wearing vests, but this one is made with an adjustable strap so you can get it just right for your pooch. The adjustable strap also makes sure that the vest fits securely over your dog’s body so they don’t slip out of it while swimming.
8. Health Concerns
Heart disease, epilepsy and eye problems are also common among Borador dogs. If your dog has any of these issues, they will likely require medication or surgery to combat them.
The best way to ensure that your Borador stays healthy is by giving him plenty of exercise and regular veterinary checkups. You should also make sure that you choose a high-quality food for your puppy when he is young so that he can stay strong and healthy throughout his life.
While the Borador is a happy, entertaining dog, the combination breed, just like any other dog, does have some health concerns to look out for throughout their life.
- Hip Dysplasia– Many Labradors will have problems with their hips when they get older.
- Cataracts- More common in the Labrador breed.
- Skin Problems (Minor)- Our dog Sadie had some allergies and redness in her skin this past year, and Boradors overall can have these skin issues.
- Deafness (Minor)- More common in the Collie Breed, deafness could be possible as your dog grows older.
The most common health concern that I have learned about for my Borador is the Hip Dysplasia. Because the Boradors are so active, enjoy jumping, and depending on their living situation, may be entertained constantly by other family dog(s), they may be prone to bad joints/hips later in life. Consistent scheduled trips to your Vet for checkups and staying up to date on shots will help you keep an eye out for signs of the above.
Heart disease, epilepsy and eye problems are also common among Borador dogs. If your dog has any of these issues, they will likely require medication or surgery to combat them.
The best way to ensure that your Borador stays healthy is by giving him plenty of exercise and regular veterinary checkups. You should also make sure that you choose high-quality food for your puppy when he is young so that he can stay strong and healthy throughout his life.
Boradors will get nervous and almost looked worried
9. They Get Nervous
Just like most dogs, they get nervous around certain scenarios. People yelling, moving too quickly, or overwhelming the Borador will cause your dog to get nervous. A few things you can look for in your dog that my Borador shows are:
- Head ducks down, ears go flat: It is almost as if you can see their shoulders tense around their neck. The ears will go flat to the back of their head, when they are normally pointed and alert.
- Tail goes in, under their body: When Sadie gets nervous, her tail will quickly go from wagging to folded in under her back side.
- They may move quickly away: Wherever area they are feeling frightened, they will scamper/jog away from that area.
- They may turn their head away from you on an angle: This shows that they are skittish.
If you see any of these features, notate the scenario, and try your best to comfort your dog.
The Border Collie Lab Mix is an intelligent, active, and affectionate dog, and sometimes this can mean that this cross is more likely to struggle with anxiety. This is especially true if your Borador is not kept properly exercised or mentally stimulated.
It is important to note that all dogs can experience anxiety from time to time, as we discussed above, but some breeds are more prone to it than others. If you are concerned about the possibility of your Borador having anxiety issues, there are some things you can do to help them cope.
1) Make sure your dog has plenty of exercise every day. This will help them release any pent-up energy and calm them down after a stressful event like thunderstorms or fireworks.
2) Feed your dog a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as these have been shown to reduce stress levels in dogs by up to 75%.
3) Provide plenty of toys and chewable items for your dog so they have something else to focus on besides their anxieties.
4) Spend time playing with your dog every day so they feel loved and wanted by their family members – this will help reduce any feelings of abandonment they may have developed due to being left alone for long periods of time while
10. They Can Be Finicky Eaters!
Boradors seem to take their time when eating their meals. When Sadie eats, she will only take a few bites, then walk away from her meal for hours. It will often take her until the middle of the day to finish her breakfast, and the end of the night to finish her dinner.
The Borador primarily eats dry dog food, and will most likely still eat two cups of food a day, just at their own pace. Do not panic if they do not eat all of their meals in a day! Usually, they will eat a lot more the next day. Just like any dog, if they do not eat much the following day, check in with your Veterinarian for a medical opinion.
Sadie Relaxes on her favorite lounger
Remember, diet is incredibly important when it comes to the health of your Border Collie Lab mix, but keeping your dog on a good diet can be tricky if your pup is a finicky eater!
Feeding your Borador a quality brand of dog food that meets their nutritional needs is essential for their overall health and well-being. Dogs are carnivores and their bodies are designed to digest meat-based proteins, like chicken or lamb (although some dogs eat fish!).
When you see “complete and balanced nutrition” listed on the packaging of any dog food product, it means that it has been carefully formulated so that all nutritional requirements are met by using specific percentages of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals (such as calcium) in each serving size.
As with all dogs, the Borador should eat dog food that is specified for his age, weight, and activity level.
11. They Love to Sleep
While they are highly active, energetic dogs, they do love a good nap! Often, the Borador will sleep on and off throughout the day. They will find a favorite spot or two in your home, and will make it their lounge area. For our Borador, Sadie, we have an old lounger outside that is now officially “her lounger.” She loves to lay on it for long periods of time, and will often drift off sleeping in the sun. Most nights, the Borador will sleep calmly through the night without waking them up.
Sadie Takes an afternoon nap. Boradors sleep very well.
Keep in mind that most healthy adult dogs need about 13.5 hours of sleep a day. So if your Borador is sleeping quite a bit off and on, don’t worry – this is normal.
However, if you notice unusual sleep patterns in your Borador or if you notice that your Border Collie Lab Mix is especially lethargic, off-balance, or uninterested in food, play, or walks, it may be time to consult your veterinarian.
The Border Collie Lab Mix – Let’s Sum Him Up!
The Border Collie Lab Mix certainly makes an excellent dog for the right owner or family. This is a high-energy, affectionate, intelligent crossbreed that does great with children and other pets when properly trained and socialized, and we hope this article was helpful for those looking to bring a Borador into their family.
Are you considering a Borador hybrid to call your own? Share your thoughts with us about the Border Collie Lab Mix in the comment section below.
Jen Jones is a professional dog trainer and behavior specialist with more than 25 years of experience. As the founder of ‘Your Dog Advisor’ and the ‘Canine Connection’ rehabilitation center, she applies a holistic, empathetic approach, aiming to address root causes rather than merely treating symptoms.
Well known for her intuitive and compassionate approach, Jen adopts scientifically-proven, reward-based methods, encouraging positive reinforcement over punishment. Jen specializes in obedience training, behavior modification, and puppy socialization. Her innovative methods, particularly in addressing anxiety and aggression issues, have been widely recognized. Jen has worked with many of the world’s leading dog behaviorists and in her free time volunteers with local animal shelters and rescue groups.