Breeds / Medium
Bordoodle puppies
The Bordoodle is bright, biddable and intensely people focused, taking the Border Collie's work ethic and the Poodle's speed of learning. They need long daily exercise and a structured job, and turn noisy and destructive without both.
The facts
- Size class Medium
- A cross of Border Collie and Poodle
- Country of origin Not published
- Adult weight 13.6 to 31.8 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 30 to 70 lb
- Adult height 46 to 61 cm
- Energy level Very high
- Grooming High
- Coat type Medium wavy to curly
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Usually good
- Good with other dogs Usually good
About the Bordoodle
The Bordoodle crosses the Border Collie with the Poodle, two of the most trainable breeds there are. Adults typically fall between 13.6 and 31.8 kg and stand 46 to 61 cm, carrying a wavy to curly coat that usually sheds lightly. The temperament is working stock through and through: watchful, quick to read a handler, and at their happiest when they have been given something specific to do rather than left to invent a task.
This is a demanding dog. They want long daily exercise and, more to the point, structured training or a dog sport, because a Bordoodle with nothing to do starts herding children, bicycles and the vacuum cleaner. Brushing several times a week and clipping every couple of months keeps the coat sound. Do not take one on as an easy family pet on looks alone, because that collie brain never switches off.
A cross, not a breed. No kennel club publishes a standard for the Bordoodle, because this is a cross rather than a recognised breed. The weights and heights here are typical observed ranges drawn from the two parent breeds, not figures anyone breeds to, and litter mates from a single pairing can differ in size, coat and drive, some favouring the Border Collie and some the Poodle. A first cross of two purebred parents is less predictable in coat than a puppy backcrossed to a Poodle, and a Miniature Poodle parent produces a much smaller adult than the range given here.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Bordoodle puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire them out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip dysplasia, screened in breeding stock by hip scoring or PennHIP radiographs
- Collie eye anomaly, detectable by DNA test and by eye examination of puppies before eight weeks of age
- Multi-drug resistance mutation (MDR1) from the Border Collie side, detectable by DNA test and important before certain drugs are given
- Progressive retinal atrophy and hereditary cataracts, detectable by DNA test and annual eye examination
- Idiopathic epilepsy, diagnosed from witnessed seizures once other causes are excluded on blood work and imaging
- Trapped neutrophil syndrome and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis in Border Collie lines, both detectable by DNA test
- Von Willebrand disease from the Poodle side, detectable by DNA test and a clotting factor assay
- Gastric dilatation volvulus in the larger, deeper chested individuals, an emergency recognised by retching and a distended abdomen
Your Bordoodle puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Bordoodle.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 13.6 to 31.8 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 31.8 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other medium breeds
American Cocker Spaniel
American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
American Water Spaniel
Aussiedoodle
Australian Cattle Dog
More on the Bordoodle
Previous: Border Terrier · Next: Borzoi
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- petmd.com for adult weight and height and coat type
- petmd.com for life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings and health notes
- Health notes from Bordoodle breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/border-collie. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
No published figure for country of origin, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.
Photo: Allboutdogs321, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.