Borador Dog Breed

Below are details and specs for the Borador dog breed.

Boradors may grow anywhere from 14 inches up to 20 or more inches in height, and their weight may be anywhere from 35 to 90 pounds. If you insist on having one as a companion in a small space, they need to be walked and exercised very frequently.

Boradors are very friendly, highly intelligent and eager to please. They love to play long and hard, and for children who are very active, they make great pets. With strangers they can be friendly, and they are not barkers. Boradors usually get along with other pets, especially larger dogs, as they will play heartily with them. With smaller animals, however, they may imagine them as prey, so it is best to be very careful.

A lot of daily exercise is a must for your Borador, and they are high-maintenance in this respect. They are very energetic dogs that will acquire health problems if exercise is ignored. Be sure they are allowed out on long walks or let to play in a large outdoor area.

Grooming is much easier, as they shed very little if at all, and they usually have no dander and lack that "dog smell" after they've been playing for hours outside. If they do shed, it is very slight and does not come out in clumps. Brushing a little does a lot to keep them happy and their coat clean.

The Borador is a recently conceived designer dog that does not have a very detailed history. They first started being mentioned in the early 21st century. The two breeds from which it comes, however, have significant histories.

The Border Collie was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1995. This medium-sized breed, however, has a fair history that goes back more than 100 years. It is believed to date to the mid-19th century as a shepherding dog along the borders dividing Scotland and England. A distinguishing feature is the Border Collie's "gaze," a feature that to great effect has been used in a number of commercials and movies over the years.

Although not nearly as famous, the Labrador Retriever was recognized well before the Border Collie's movie fame: first in 1903 in England as a Kennel Club breed and later in 1917 when it was first registered by the AKC. It is a hunting breed that, like the Border Collie, has its own notable characteristics, namely "flushing," which is to flush out game fowl for hunters. This characteristic was developed centuries earlier when as a fisherman's dog — known then as the St. John's Dog or lesser Newfoundland dog — it retrieved fish that had just been caught.

Being crossbred, the Borador will inherit physical traits from Border Collies and Labrador Retrievers. Not all Boradors will get the same characteristics, and some will have more from the Labrador Retriever while others may have more from the Border Collie. Of course, some may show a mix of both parent breeds.

Boradors have a broad forehead that grows into a tapered muzzle that ends in a pointed black nose. There are also those that may inherit the webbed feet of a Labrador, but that doesn't always mean they will like swimming.

They may be medium-sized like a Border Collie, or gain the taller height of a Labrador. In any case, they will almost always be slim and athletic-looking, and are slightly longer in the torso than they are in height. Their coats vary greatly, and may be short and smooth, medium-length and fuzzy, or somewhat long and wiry. They usually have medium-sized ears, and the tail is also of medium-length and often held about halfway up but not straight out.

As there is basically only one size each of the Border Collie and the Labrador Retriever, there is likewise little variation of the Borador in its short string of generational hybrids. As for the generations produced, there is little more than F1, F1b and the occasional F2 available; there seems to be no desire to create a purebred "Borador."

1. The F1 is 50% each of the two parent breeds. Even within a single litter, the puppies may turn out differently from each other in appearance and temperament.

2. The subsequent generation that may be produced, the F1b, is when an F1 Borador is bred back to one of the parent pure breeds.

3. F2 Boradors come from breeding two F1s, but these tend to be avoided as they have a higher chance of inheriting the very health problems.

Of the two coat-centric varieties produced, the short-haired Border Collie Lab mix seems to be the one most desired. F1b Boradors bred back to Labs have a better chance at having that highly sought short-haired coat.

Boradors are joyful, smart and curious dogs that love to please. As they are dependent on traits they'll inherit from their parents, their temperament will be dependent on that. If they get more of their behavioral traits from the Labrador parent, they can possess a very good work ethic. (Labradors are the best assistance dogs for blind and disabled people.) If, however, they get more of their demeanor from the Border Collie side, they may be easily excitable — something that can be managed with good training.

Overall, they are very loyal but not aggressive. Because of their intelligence, they are easy to train. They love to play with new friends, especially people and other dogs, and they have a remarkable amount of stamina. They prefer to be constantly on the move, and while they appreciate attention, they are not lapdogs and usually don't like to be held for too long. They are great for very active people.

The Borador's life expectancy is 12-14 years. Although being a hybrid helps to lessen the impact of many diseases that may be worse, individually, for its parent breeds, they are still prone to ear infections and eye problems.

Boradors are subject to a handful of health problems, most of which are the result of too little exercise and not enough at-home care that can be easily prevented. Bloat (constipation) can occur if your Borador is not allowed to be frequently active. They may also have allergies. They are prone to joint dysplasia, and for this reason they should be trained to not jump on and off furniture and other items too much.