Borador Care

The Borador--a hybrid of a Border Collie and a Labrador Retriever--combines the energy and work ethic of the Border Collie with the friendliness and versatility of the Lab. And the result is an intelligent, social, incredibly lively crossbreed that makes a fantastic companion for active families of any size. Overall Borador care and maintenance requires a moderate amount of work, and consists mainly of lots of exercise to satisfy these dogs' high activity levels.

Below you'll find details of caring for a Borador, including info about puppy development, exercise needs, and shedding/drooling tendencies. For answers to your questions about owning this energetic and enthusiastic crossbreed, read on!

Dogs of this breed are incredibly energetic and athletic, so Borador exercise requirements are pretty extensive overall. These crossbreeds are highly enthusiastic and lively, and will happily participate in practically any physical activities you can think of. (And if you run out of exercise ideas, your Borador will play its favorite game--fetch--anytime you're willing to throw a stick!) They make good jogging and bicycling partners as well.

The typical adult Borador, depending on its age and overall activity level, will need at least 90 minutes of proper exercise per day, which you can accomplish with a couple of long walks, jogs, or bike rides and an extended period of play. You can start exercising your Borador puppy at three months old by taking it on short (5- to 10-minute) leashed walks, then you can increase the walks' length and frequency as the puppy grows.

A few precautions to observe when exercising your Borador: first, puppies younger than nine months old shouldn't participate in activities that include a lot of jumping, running on hard surfaces, or navigating of stairs, as doing so can injure their still-developing joints and bones. And all Boradors, regardless of age, must be leashed when in public--for several reasons: they might inherit their Border Collie parents' herding instincts, and may try to control (or "herd") moving objects like people, animals, or bicyclists; they may also have high prey drives, so they'll chase interesting-looking critters (birds, squirrels, etc.); and they're exceptionally social and curious, so they'll run off in search of new playmates or environments if given the chance. So a leash is an absolute requirement for these dogs! Even when exercising in your own yard, the area will need to be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off. Other than that, Boradors are healthy and hardy, and can exercise in a wide variety of situations and weather conditions.

Safeguards aside, exercising your Borador every single day is an outright must. As the offspring of two highly energetic breeds, Boradors are incredibly playful and active--and without consistent activity (and a lot of it!) they'll become frustrated, high-strung, disobedient, and completely unhappy in general. Regular exercise will help your Borador remain the happy, fun-loving dog it already is. A few exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 30-minute walks (or 20-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: These dogs will chase a ball, stick, or Frisbee until you're tired of throwing it
• Dog Park: If properly socialized, Boradors enjoy the company of other dogs; be sure to use a leash
• Swimming: Most Boradors love the water; start swimming with the dog when it's still a puppy
• Canine Sports: This hybrid can excel at agility and obedience trials, flyball, and other events
• Hide-and-Seek: Great indoor, rainy-day activity; give the dog a treat when it finds you
• Hiking: Excellent bonding excursion; bonus if you can find a remote area where the dog can be off-leash

If your Borador spends a lot of time indoors, it's a good idea to give the dog access to one or more balls or chew-toys that will allow it to burn excess energy--which it will no doubt have plenty of! It's also recommended that you establish a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks, jogs, or bike rides after breakfast and dinner and a play period in the afternoon.

In terms of shedding and drooling, these dogs need little to moderate care. For this Lab-Border Collie mix, shedding is low to moderate depending the coat it inherits from its parents; drooling is a minor issue.

Boradors can have short, thick coats like the Lab or longer, silkier ones like the Border Collie--or more likely, somewhere in between. Though the shedding amount can vary, for the most part these hybrids shed a fair amount for most of the year, and more heavily during the spring and fall shedding seasons. Twice-weekly brushing will minimize the shedding and keep the coats in good shape, and hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will normally be necessary every few days.

And a Borador might drool a bit in anticipation of food, after drinking water, or when especially excited or nervous, but the drooling isn't a frequent problem. If your Borador is drooling excessively, it may be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is recommended.