Border Collie
Intelligent, active and very loyal.
The Border Collie is a herding dog of 14–20 kg (31–44 lb), sensitive, highly intelligent and with very high energy. It suits active people who can give it exercise and mental work every day. It is not for anyone looking for a calm dog, or anyone short of time: a bored Border Collie invents its own job.
The Border Collie is a sensitive, attentive dog with a great capacity to learn. It needs physical and mental exercise every day, and it loves being part of family life.
- Adult size
- 46–56 cm (18–22 in) · 14–20 kg (31–44 lb)
- Energy
- Very high
- Temperament
- intelligent · sensitive · active
- Care
- Medium to high
- Health
- Generally robust. Tests on the parent dogs: hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, MDR1, CEA, TNS.
Before you go on
Does it fit your life?
It is for you if…
- You enjoy activity and sports.
- You have time for games and mental stimulation.
- You want a very intelligent dog that is always with you.
It is not for you if…
- You are looking for a very calm dog.
- You cannot offer daily exercise.
- You find it hard to manage a sensitive, very intelligent dog.
Living with a Border Collie
Feeding, health and care, step by step
Eye exams and the BAER hearing test in dogs: what they detect and at what age they are done
A veterinary ophthalmologist does the eye exam, and it is repeated every year; the BAER test measures hearing in each ear and is done once, from 35 days of age. What each one detects and in which breeds it matters.
Farm dogs in Colombia: how to choose by the work, the climate and your routine
No dog is right for every farm: the right one fits your work, your climate and the time you will give it. Herding dogs, the Bernese in the cool highlands, ticks, fencing and when a working dog is a bad idea.
Hip and elbow dysplasia in dogs: what it is, how it is evaluated and what each result means
Dysplasia is evaluated with X-rays, and each body uses its own scale. What grades A to E and 0 to 3 mean, at what age the diagnosis counts, and why healthy parents reduce the risk without removing it.
Our parent dogs’ health tests
Every parent has health tests you can see and verify.
The pages of this breed’s parent dogs, with their tests and documents, are published in Meet the parents.
Climate and life in Colombia
Does your city suit a Border Collie?
It does better in cool and temperate climates: the Cundinamarca–Boyacá high plateau, Antioquia, the Coffee Region (Eje Cafetero). In the hot lowlands it is viable on a farm, with shade and water, working only in the cool hours; intense exercise in the sun is a real heatstroke risk, and the double coat should never be shaved.
| City | Altitude and climate zone | Border Collie |
|---|---|---|
| BogotáBogotá D.C. | ≈ 2,550 m (8,370 ft)Cool | Suits it wellWhere it performs best. |
| MedellínAntioquia | ≈ 1,470 m (4,820 ft)Temperate | Suits it wellA good climate for a breed that needs to move a lot every day. |
| CaliValle del Cauca | ≈ 950 m (3,120 ft)Hot | With reservationsWorkable on a farm with shade and water, working only in the cool hours. Hard exercise in the sun is a heatstroke risk. The double coat is never shaved. |
| VillavicencioMeta | ≈ 430 m (1,410 ft)Hot | With reservationsWorkable on a farm with shade and water, working only in the cool hours. Hard exercise in the sun is a heatstroke risk. The double coat is never shaved. |
Casa Trufa’s general view based on each city’s altitude; it does not replace your veterinarian’s assessment.
Frequently asked questions
What we are asked most about the Border Collie.
How much does a Border Collie cost in Colombia?
In October 2026 the third-party websites we checked advertise between COP 1,500,000 and COP 3,000,000 without registration and up to about COP 6,500,000 with ACCC registration; merle dogs usually start at about COP 2,800,000. What should change the figure are the parents’ tests: dysplasia, CEA, TNS and MDR1. Casa Trufa tells you on WhatsApp.
Can a Border Collie live in an apartment?
Only if it gets a lot of exercise and mental work every day. The size of the apartment matters less than its owner’s time: a Border Collie with two hours of activity a day lives better in 60 square meters (about 650 sq ft) than one forgotten on a farm. It is not for anyone who works away from home all day.
Does the merle color cause health problems?
A single copy of the merle gene does not. The problem is mating two merle dogs: “double merle” puppies have a high risk of deafness and eye defects. The responsible rule is to mate a merle only with a dog that is not merle: ask what color both parents are.
Which health tests should the parents have?
Hip and elbow X-rays — the ACCC requires the dysplasia diagnosis from 18 months of age — and genetic tests for CEA (collie eye anomaly), TNS and MDR1. Each should have a date, a laboratory and a document. Our parent dogs’ results are published on their pages.
Can it handle a hot climate?
It tolerates it with care, but it is not its climate. In the hot lowlands intense exercise has to happen very early or after dark, always with water and shade, because the risk of heatstroke is real. And the double coat should not be shaved: it also insulates the dog from heat.
“A dog is not just a pet; it is a companion for life. That is why every decision matters.”
Casa Trufa