Border Collie dog breed

It’s very important to keep an eye on your Border Collie’s weight. An adult dog should weigh between 12 and 20 kg. This depends on their size, which will be between 48 and 56 cm. Usually, male dogs are bigger and weigh more than females.

Active dogs need to eat more food, so they don’t become underweight. Food measurement guidelines and nutrient content can be found on the back of the dog food packaging. You can ask your vet if you’re unsure of how much to feed them and what’s the best diet for your dog.

Feed your dog once or twice a day, or three or four times a day if you’ve got a puppy. Border Collies should be fed at least 2 hours before exercise. If not, their stomach can swell and twist. This can cause life-threatening blockages and will require surgery.

Collies can have either a short and sleek coat or a long and coarse coat. Both types normally need brushing once a week. However, during spring and autumn when they shed a lot, you’ll need to brush them more often. This will collect their falling fur and help keep your home and furniture free from dog hairs.

Border Collies are a very active breed and need at least an hour of exercise a day. They should be walked off lead so that they have the chance to run around. They’re obedient so with the right training they will come back when you call.

They love to play fetch and will often bring you something to throw. Playing games is a great way to add extra exercise to their day and burn off excess energy.

Border Collies are used for sheep herding because they’re obedient and easy to train. They’re great at agility and flyball. Use a ball or treats as rewards during your training sessions.

Working dogs are usually kept in an outside kennel. This means they’re able to go to the toilet when they want. If your dog is living indoors, it is important to start house training your dog from a young age. Luckily, puppy toilet training is easy, and your dog will pick it up quickly.

CEA is a hereditary disorder that is present from birth. It causes holes in layers of the eye that affect your pet’s vision. First signs can be detected in puppies between 5 and 8 weeks old. But in most cases, it goes undetected until signs of vision loss in later life.

The disorder can lead to blindness in both eyes if the holes continue to appear, but some dogs don’t develop any further holes. This means that they’ll have some vision loss but will still be able to see.

Diagnosis is difficult, and there is no treatment for this disorder. However, dogs with vision loss can still lead happy lives.

This condition affects the ball-and-socket hip joint. The joint surfaces rub together instead of sliding smoothly into place. It’s a hereditary disease but can also be caused by diet and exercise. Overweight dogs are more likely to suffer from the condition.

If your dog has hip dysplasia, it will become lame on the affected leg. Hip replacement surgery may be needed if the condition is severe. This is complex and expensive. If surgery is not required, your vet will give your dog pain relief and anti-inflammatory drugs. These will need to be taken for the rest of your pet’s life.

Hip dysplasia will lead to arthritis in the hip joints in later life. Your dog’s joints will become stiff and movement will be painful. But with medication, most animals still live a good quality of life.

TNS is an inherited condition that stops white blood cells from being released into the bloodstream. This causes a weakened immune system. It usually appears when puppies are around 11 and 12 weeks of age.

Dogs with this condition will have delayed development, fever and at least one swollen joint. They’ll also have noticeable facial differences, with narrowed ‘ferret-like’ features. Diarrhoea is also common.

Fluid therapy treatment has proven to help with symptoms, but in most cases, the dog will need to be put to sleep. Thankfully it is not a common condition. Reputable breeders will carry out DNA testing for the condition before breeding. Always ask your breeder about this testing before buying your puppy.