The Most Loved Traits of Border Collie Mixes

Thinking about adopting a Border Collie mix? Border Collies are super smart, highly trainable, athletic, and filled with energy. Border Collie mixes often inherit some, or all of those traits — plus extra characteristics from other breeds in the mix. Let’s explore common traits of Border Collie mixes, so you can decide if this type of dog is right for you.

TLDR: Border Collie mixes often inherit the Border Collie’s high intelligence, intense focus, and herding instincts. They typically display a strong work ethic, trainability, and problem-solving abilities. Physical traits include an athletic build, keen eyes, and a coat that comes in a variety of colors (often black and white) and sheds moderately. They’re usually energetic, loyal, and thrive with mental stimulation.

Border Collie origins 

Border Collies are famous for being the most intelligent dog breed. A Border Collie named Chaser is widely recognized as the smartest dog who ever lived. Chaser, who passed away from old age in 2019, could identify more than 1,000 different objects by name and understood 1,022 words, including nouns and verbs. 

In addition to their exceptional intelligence, Border Collies have an intense focus and love learning, which makes them extremely trainable. They are energetic and athletic, making them outstanding canine athletes in the fields of agility, flyball, obedience competitions, and of course, herding — the job they were originally developed to do.

Why you should get a Border Collie mix

Border Collie mixes often inherit some or all of these great Border Collie traits, making them wonderful companions for the right households. 

Fast learners

Border Collie mixes usually pick up training quickly, thanks to their extreme intelligence and desire to please their people. Border Collie mixes can easily learn all the basic commands, plus complex tasks. The sky is usually the limit with a Border Collie mix.

Athletic partners

Border Collie mixes typically have a ton of energy and stamina, which means they not only enjoy exercise but need an abundance of it to feel balanced. Border Collie mixes can be excellent running buddies (after two years old, when their joints have finished developing), hiking partners, agility teammates, herding helpers, and more. 

Family friends 

Border Collie personality traits include devotion and loyalty to their human family, eagerness to please, and friendliness toward people of all ages, including older children. Border Collies also tend to get along well with other animals, though they might try to herd them around. 

Considerations before adopting a Border Collie mix

There’s a lot to love about Border Collie mixes, but some of the unique traits of their Border Collie side can make these dogs tough to live with. Border Collies are essentially the overachieving workaholics of the dog world. It can be hard for them to turn off their brains. Without enough vigorous exercise and constant mental stimulation each day, Border Collies, including their mixes, can become obsessive, overly excitable, destructive, or even anxious. 

Border Collie mixes are ideal for experienced pet parents who can provide the training, exercise, and mental stimulation these dogs need to be their best selves. They do well in homes with large yards and lots of property. They thrive living in the country, especially on farms or ranches with animals to herd and watch over. Border Collie mixes usually don’t fit well into homes where their people are gone many hours during the day, leaving the dog at home alone.

Depending on the other breeds involved, a Border Collie mix might have less intense needs than a purebred Border Collie, but it’s possible for a mix to inherit lots of Border Collie character traits. Before adopting a Border Collie mix, ask yourself if these typical traits will be a good fit for your personality and lifestyle. 

Intense energy and exercise needs

Border Collie mixes might need hours of exercise each day. This can be accomplished through walking, hiking, jogging, free running, and training for a dog sport or activity like agility or herding.

High mental-stimulation needs

Border Collie mixes usually have active, intelligent minds, and they crave mental stimulation through learning new commands and tasks, nosework, fetch, puzzle toys, training for sports, and exploring nature. Without enough brain stimulation, Border Collie mixes will find their own entertainment, which might include destructive chewing or digging, barking, and pestering their humans for attention.

Tendency to herd kids and pets

The herding instinct can be strong with Border Collie mixes. They might herd young kids — especially those who run and scream — by nipping at their heels, which can scare little ones. They might also try to herd other dogs, your cats, you name it. 

Overall intensity 

If a Border Collie mix inherits the Border Collie’s type A personality, they might not have an off switch. Such dogs want constant attention and engagement from their humans, which is not for everyone. 

What kind of Border Collie mixes are there? 

There are many different types of Border Collie mixes, though you’ll see some combinations more frequently than others. Here are some of the most common Border Collie mixes you’re likely to encounter during your adoption search. 

Borador

A Border Collie and Labrador Retriever mix, often called a Borador, is typically medium to large in size. Border Collie–Lab mix’s personality might lean more toward either the Border Collie or Lab side, but these dogs are generally high energy, trainable, friendly, and loyal.

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Border Aussie

A Border Collie and Australian Shepherd mix combines two highly intelligent, energetic, and athletic herding breeds — so prepare for a dog who’s raring to go at all times. This combination is likely to have serious herding instincts, which could be put to good use on a farm or in herding competitions. This mix is typically medium to large in size.

Coltriever

A Border Collie and Golden Retriever mix might be similar to the Borador: social, eager to please, and smart, with energy to spare. Goldens are known for their sweet and loving personalities, and these traits might carry over to a Coltriever. This mix will likely be medium to large in size. 

Bordoodle

A Border Collie and Poodle mix might inherit the low-shedding, curly coat of the Poodle, or they might have a coat that sheds, more like a Border Collie. (This mostly depends on how much Poodle is in the mix.) Poodles are considered the second-smartest breed after the Border Collie, so this mix is almost certain to be bright and trainable. If the Poodle parent is a standard-sized Poodle, this mix could potentially be quite large and tall. If the Poodle parent is a miniature-sized Poodle, a Bordoodle might be small- or medium-sized.

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Border Collie and German Shepherd mix

As a combination of two intelligent herding breeds, the Border Collie and German Shepherd mix should be highly trainable and loyal. Plan for a lot of time to provide this large-size mix with the daily exercise and mental stimulation they need.

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Border Collie and Husky

If there is a breed who has even more energy than the Border Collie, it might just be the Siberian Husky. Although Huskies are smart, they can be a touch stubborn and might not be as easy to train as a Border Collie. Knowing this, a mix between these two breeds will probably require extreme amounts of exercise and lots of consistent training. This mix will likely be medium to large in size.

Border Beagle

Border Collie and Beagle mix traits could be interesting. Beagles are not known for being easy to train and can be somewhat stubborn, tending to get quite distracted by scents detected by their powerful noses. This small-to-medium size mix will certainly have a lot of energy, and will likely be quite loving and affectionate, too. 

Where can I adopt a Border Collie mix? 

If you’re ready to adopt a Border Collie mix, a pet adoption site like Adopt a Pet will help you search for Border Collie mixes in animal shelters and private rescue groups in your area. Adopting a Border Collie mix usually costs a small adoption fee, which covers the costs of caring for the dog before their adoption. 

Commonly asked questions

What are common Border Collie traits? 

Common Border Collie traits include intelligence, high energy, athleticism, intense focus and drive, passion for learning, excellent problem-solving skills, and innate herding instincts. 

How much do Border Collie mixes cost? 

Border Collie mixes cost different amounts, depending on where you get them. Adopting a Border Collie mix from an animal shelter or rescue group is the least costly option, with adoption fees averaging from about $50 to $400. These fees often include vaccines, deworming, a health exam, and sometimes spaying or neutering. Buying a Border Collie mix from a breeder costs much more, typically $500 to more than $2,000. 

References

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“Individual and Group Level Trajectories of Behavioural Development in Border Collies.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol. 180, 1 July 2016, pp. 78–86, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159116301113, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2016.04.021. 

“New Study Dispels Myth That Purebred Dogs Are More Prone to Health Problems.” Tamu.edu, 30 Apr. 2024, stories.tamu.edu/news/2024/04/30/study-dispels-myth-that-purebred-dogs-are-more-prone-to-health-problems. 

“Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome (TNS) in Border Collies | Veterinary Genetics Laboratory.” Vgl.ucdavis.edu, vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/tns-border-collie.

“Working Breeds Study.” The Canine Brains Project, 2025, sites.harvard.edu/caninebrainsproject/working-breeds-study.