Borador (Border Collie and Lab mix)
 What is a Borador? The Borador is a crossbreed dog between a Border Collie and the Labrador Retriever. Energetic, friendly and outgoing these pups have inherited the best character traits from both their parents. Highly intelligent and easily trainable, the Border Collie mix inherited the gentle and friendly nature of the Labrador Retriever as well as the strong work drive of the Border Collie.
Being cross breeds from two purebred dogs, the Borador will demonstrate mixed traits from their parents. However, it's impossible to predict the extent to which they can inherit characteristics from either parent. Some Boradors will favor the Labrador Retriever more, while others will get more traits from the Border Collie.
Also known as the Border Collie Lab or the Border Lab, this medium to large sized dog can be a great service dog. Boradors make perfect companions for active owners who indulge in activities such as walking, running or swimming. Boradors are known for their high energy levels and their vulnerability to gain weight if they get overfed or receive insufficient exercise.
To keep your Borador fit and healthy, you must offer him lots of exercise activities. This is because the Border Collie mix has high energy levels and will easily get bored if left unattended to. Border Collie Lab cross dog does well with children and other pets in general, although active singles and energetic couples with grown children may be the most suitable owners for this hungry for attention Lab mix.
Border Collie Lab Mix Life Expectancy
What is the lifespan of Borador dog? A Borador is expected to live between 14 to 15 years, if taken care of properly through well-balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. To ensure your Borador enjoys a healthy life, ensure to have routine health checks so that your veterinarian can detect any health problems early on.
Borador Size
How big do Boradors get? Since the Borador is a hybrid breed dog created from mixing a Border Collie and the Labrador Retriever, she can be either large or medium. In most cases, Boradors weigh about 40 to 64 pounds while their height ranges between 19 and 24 inches at the shoulder. Boradors can be very inconsistent in size due to the hybrid nature of this dog. Even pups from the same litter may differ significantly in size when full-grown.
Border Collie Labrador Retriever Mix Temperament
Boradors are happy and loyal companion dogs that love showering affection to their owners as well as other family members. They make great companions for people who enjoy going for long walks, jogging or even swimming. If you are not the active type of a dog owner then Borador may not be the right dog for you. Border Collie Labrador mix dogs do quite well in households with a large fenced yard available where the Lab Border Collie mix dog can run around and stay active to put their excess energy to a good use. If left unattended, Border Collie Lab mix dogs will start developing unwanted behaviors such as digging and chewing on things that are not meant for the dog to chew on.
Once Bordadors get a good amount of exercise, Boradors will lounge on a sofa with your children, follow you closely around the house and will be more calm for some time until they regain all the energy and are ready for more exercise. How much exercise do Boradors need? In addition to several long walks every single day, Borador dogs need some mental activities in a form or play or training that helps to keep the dog mentally engaged. Interactive dog toys and various dog sports may be great opportunities to keep your pet in good mental and physical shape.
Border Collies are herding dogs with a strong herding instinct that can transfer to the Borador. Some Boradors will be prone to chasing anything that moves and to herding family pets or even kids. This is a natural behavior and although it is possible to curb the instinct to some degree with training. Keep intelligent and energetic Borador pup mentally and physically engaged throughout the day and you will have a happy and healthy dog.
Borador Exercise requirements
Boradors require daily walks or runs of at least an hour or a couple of hours daily to keep their weight on track and also to burn all the excess energy in them. Despite the weather, Boradors will enjoy playing and running around outside. They thrive well with human companions who make time to run, walk or engage Borador in dog sports.
Boradors are more suitable for living in houses that are securely fenced with yards where they can run and play as much as they wish. Living in a small city apartment is not suitable for this dog that is full of energy and needs plenty of space to spend it.
Considering their intelligence and active minds, Boradors will require engaging and productive tasks that keep their minds stimulated. Due to their high intelligence and task-oriented nature, these pups cannot be left unattended and bored for long periods of time. If you need to step out for some time, be sure to provide the dog with plenty of exercise prior to leaving the dog at home for an hour or so. Also leave some chewable dog toys to help keep your active pet busy while you are not around. Don't be surprised if you find your home destroyed if you leave the dog alone for longer periods of time without company or exercise that he needs - the dog will find ways to stay busy but you may not be happy to find out how he or she managed without you around.
Given that Boradors are intelligent, social, friendly, affectionate and outgoing they do fairly well with children. However, you will need to teach your kids on how to properly and safely interact with the pup. At times these dogs can exhibit herding behaviors towards kids and may tend to have nipping or herding habits, which is something you should also teach your children to handle.
As with other pets in the homestead Boradors do quite well, so long as they are introduced and socialized at a very tender age calmly and slowly. In other instances, some Boradors will not do well with other dogs, so it all comes down to training and socialization.
Borador puppies come in a litter of about nine young ones. Extra care and supervision should be taken especially when interacting with young kids due to their fragile nature.
As the Borador puppy grows, start socializing sessions between the puppy and other pets in the house. Borador puppies that reach about two months of age are ready to start basic training.
What do Boradors look like?
Designer dogs such as Boradors will either resemble one parent more strongly than the other or will resemble both parents' physical traits. In size, Boradors are within the range of sizes of their parent breeds - from medium to large size dogs. Coat colors of Borador dogs may be in an array of colors that includes red merle, blue merle, tan, black, brown and markings may also be present. Border Collie Lab cross dog's coat can be medium length and can vary in texture from coarse to smooth. Some Borador puppies have webbed feet that make them great swimmers. There is a potential for many variations in appearance of Borador dogs due to the mixed genetic that comes from Labrador Retriever and Border Collie parents.
Borador dog is believed to have originated in the United States of America about two decades ago. Breeders started intentionally crossing Border Collies and Labrador Retrievers to create an intelligent dog with a strong work ethic.
The combination of two great working and intelligent parents gives Borador dogs an array of talents which includes a keen sense of smell, herding prowess, strong work drive and intelligence. It's because of these amazing qualities that Boradors are rising in popularity among dog owners.
Borador dogs can be trained to a high standard and are suitable to be successfully employed as a police drug and bomb detector in both search and rescue missions. The Borador is also used as a guide to blind persons and also tends to do well in agility, competition, tracking and obedience trials. This dog has proved to be up to the task every time and is an excellent working dog that always excels in any task assigned.
Because the Borador is a hybrid dog between the Border Collie and the Labrador Retriever it is not recognized by the American Kennel Club. However, other hybrid institutions recognize Border Collie and Labrador Retriever mix and include the following:
Designer Breed Registry100
Designer Dogs Kennel Club
International Designer Canine Registry
Dog Registry of America
American Canine Hybrid Club
How to groom a Borador dog?
Borador is a low maintenance breed when it comes to grooming with the exception for abundant shedding that Border Collie Lab mix dogs produce. The length of Borador's coat will depend on which parents' genes between the Labrador Retriever and the Border Collie dominates in the pup. Pups carrying more Border Collie genes are more likely to have longer coats. In general, Boradors have short to medium length hair. The good thing is that both coats are relatively easy to groom. Regular brushing helps to keep mats and tangles at bay and helps to remove a bulk of shedded hair.
In the summer and autumn seasons, these pups have heavy molts and will require more regular brushing to avoid hair deposits around the house. When it comes to their ears you will need to clean them using an ear cleaning solution for dogs per instructions.
As with all other dogs, teeth brushing should be carried out daily. To become effective and avoid inconveniences this practice should be practiced early on while the dog is still a puppy. This will help the dog be comfortable with the practice even in adulthood.
Borador dog's nails should also be clipped regularly. As a dog owner do not wait too long before clipping them as you should not hear them clicking on the floor. Clip them with lots of care to ensure that the dog does not suffer discomfort. When the practice is also introduced at puppyhood it becomes less stressful for both the dog owner and the dog.
Border Collie Lab Mix potty training
How to potty train a Borador puppy? Boradors are intelligent and look forward to pleasing their owners at any given moment. So long as you practice patience and consistency expect potty training a Borador to be an easy task. Below are a few steps to follow while potty training your Borador.
Choose a place that your Borador puppy can use as a toilet area.
Identify an area within your yard where your pooch will be doing his business every time the need arises. This will help keep the other parts of your yard beautiful.
Take your Borador dog outside frequently for a toilet break to instill good habits.
Boradors will require to go outside for a poop after eating, drinking or napping, an approximate of about thirty minutes to a maximum of one hour, depending on age. Take the puppy to the potty place as you use words like "go potty" this will help him connect the words with the potty area.
Make use of treats for good behavior
Since your Borador puppy looks forward to pleasing you, when he successfully does the business, shower him with some praises and tasty treats. This will encourage the dog to always do the business in the right place.
Redirect
As your dog grows older he is most likely to have grabbed your command words. Observe the dog for signs that he wants to go potty which may include sniffing the ground, circling in one area or restlessness. Open the door if it was shut and use words such as "go potty" as you had trained him earlier. Your pet should be able to take himself to the potty area outside.
Accidents
When accidents occur in the house as your puppy continues to develop do not punish the Borador dog. Interrupt the dog if you catch him in the act and then carefully then take him outside. Yelling at him or punishing him will not work the trick, instead, it will discourage the pup from doing it well next time. Punishments also spoil the bondage between you and the dog.
Clean up quickly in case of an accident
After accidents have happened in the house, make a quick point of cleaning the area with enzyme-based cleaners recommended for that job. This will help get rid of the poop smell completely and the dog will not be tempted to do it again at the same spot.
Leaving the place unattended for some time will cause the dog to think that this is the potty area and your Borador will be tempted to use that area for toilet in the future. Soon as your pooch gets used to the cycle, you will be a happy dog owner who doesn't have to worry about potty issues now and then.
As reflected in their success as working service dogs, Boradors are very trainable dogs. Socialization and behavioral training should begin as early as when the puppy reaches 8 weeks of age. Training Boradors only requires one to be firm and patient since they easily learn various tasks which include: competitive obedience, search and rescues, narcotic detection, and other service jobs.
Using positive reinforcement during training could also go a long way in enhancing a well-trained dog. Considering that these pups are activity and food-oriented, any milestone should be appreciated with a treat to boost their attention during training.
New or seasoned dog owners should not be worried about this dog's trainability since Boradors are easily trainable. Spending more time while training this pup will surprise you by just how many tricks this dog can learn. Boradors do best when trained frequently but the training sessions need to be short (about 5 minutes per training session) and rewarding (make sure you have treats to reward good behavior right away).
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