Borador - Breed Pictures, Characteristics & Facts

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We are certain you are familiar with Labradors and Border Collies but have you ever heard of Borador?

Borador is a mixed breed, a combination of Labrador and Border Collie.

History

Boradors are extremely cute, kind, intelligent, and high-energy dogs believed to have originated in the United States. They are quite a new breed. First, Borador was bred in the early 2000s. No wonder someone wanted a combination of Labrador and Border Collie, considering these breeds are one of the most intelligent and loving ones.

The Borador breed has gotten the best from both breeds. Boradors are extremely talented dogs often used as service dogs, guide dogs, rescue dogs, and police, bomb, and drug detection dogs. They have also inherited herding and protective instincts from Border Collie’s side.

Fun fact: Boradors are often referred to as Border Collie Lab and Border Lab.

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Appearance

Boradors are medium to large dogs; usually 48-61 centimeters (18-24 inches) tall, and they weigh about 18-30 kilograms (40-70 pounds). Female Boradors are a bit shorter, and they weigh a bit less. Their coat comes in different colors and sizes, depending on whether the puppy takes after his Labrador parent or after the Border Collie side. Usually, they have short or medium-length coat.

The coat color can be

• Black
• Brown
• Chocolate
• Yellow
• Sometimes with white markings

However, most often, they are solid black or black and white. The coat is almost always glossy.

They have strong bone structures and sturdy constitutions. Their head is the broad head, and their jaw is strong. The neck and the back are also strong and broad. 

Personality

If one parent is a Labrador and the other one is Border Collie, it is not hard to assess the character of that mixed puppy. Boradors are friendly, outgoing, and playful dogs. They are energetic and active and require proper exercise and stimulation.

Also, because of Boradors' genes inherited from Border Collie's parents, puppies are often born with herding instinct. The Borador is eager to please the family dog, devoted to all family members, including kids. They are rarely aggressive. Because of their gentle, kind, and playful personality, Boradors are not dogs you will choose for protection. They will bark at intruders, but that’s pretty much everything they’ll do to them.

Companionship is what they are there for. They show great affection and want to be a part of everything their humans do.

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However, remember that these dogs can be very stubborn, always looking to be the center of attention and doing things their own way.

Fun fact: Yelling, loud noises, and moving too quickly will make a Borador dog nervous. Nervous Borador is easy to recognize – the head is ducked, the ears go flat, and the tail goes under the body.

Care and grooming

The level of grooming needs and coat care depends on whether Borador inherited his Labrador parent’s short hair or whether he is a mix of his parents and has medium-length hair.

The short-haired Boradors shed, but short-haired coats are easier to maintain. Once a week, brushing is all your short-haired Borador needs most of the time. Of course, grooming needs increase during shedding seasons in spring and autumn. In these periods, Boradors, like any other dogs, require daily brushing to keep their coat neat and the home they are a part of clean.

If the Borador has a medium-length coat, the maintenance of the coat is also simple, but more brushing during the week. Contrary to popular opinion that all designer breeds are hypoallergenic, the Borador is not, so keep that in mind if you decide to get one.

Another important thing to know is that Boradors should have their ears and teeth cleaned regularly to avoid problems in that area (build-up of debris, ear infection, plague, etc.).

Training

Although sometimes very stubborn, Boradors are usually easy to train, thanks to their intelligence. They are quick learners and can learn new tricks in only 5-10 repetitions. Boradors are capable of learning pretty much anything, but it is important for the trainer to be consistent and to avoid holding training sessions with fully energetic Borador because it will just not work out.

Before starting training, play a bit with your Borador to spend some of his energy for the training to be successful. Boradors love to eat and will do what they are asked to if they will be rewarded with food. Make sure that you have some delicious treats during training to give your Borador as positive reinforcement.

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Exercise

Boradors are, as already said, extremely energetic and playful dogs. Make sure that you provide your Borador with enough mental and physical exercise. If they do not properly spend all their energy, they can become destructive and start chewing on your shoes or couch. They don’t like to be bored.

For Borador to be a happy and healthy dog, he needs to be provided with mental stimulation. Besides mental stimulation, they also require a lot of physical exercise. Swimming is something every Borador loves to do! Apart from swimming, Boradors need to be given the opportunity to walk, run, play catch, jump and/or hike for 1-2 hours a day. Lack of proper exercise can also lead to rapid weight gain. 

Fun fact: When Boradors are not jumping around, they love to sleep. Usually, they spend about 14 hours a day sleeping.

Socialization 

As for any other dog breed, for Boradors is also important to be properly socialized. They need to learn how to interact with other dogs while they are puppies to avoid unpleasant situations when they grow up to be big, strong, sturdy dogs. If socialized properly and from an early age, Boradors will be great with other animals.

Borador and kids

Boradors are great with kids! They are affectionate and loving family dogs. However, when around kids, their herding instinct might wake up, and they might try to start ankle-nipping children in order to keep them in one place. Luckily, this kind of behavior can be easily curbed with training.

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Health problems

Boradors have a lifespan of 10-15 years and are generally healthy. However, there are some health problems that Boradors can suffer from. This includes hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, ear infections, epilepsy, collie eye anomaly, progressive retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism, and allergies.

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World Dog Finder team