Growth & Weight of Border Collies

The growth and weight of border collies depends on what stage of life they are in and what they are used for. The Border collie is an extremely intelligent breed that requires a bit more of a commitment from an owner than a less active breed does in order to stay trim. Because border collies are known to live for up to 14 years, they complete three to four different life stages during that time.

  1. Puppies and Adults

    • As with all breeds, healthy a border collie puppy should have clean skin, ears, eyes, nose and coat, as well as a plump, but not fat body. Eyes should be bright; the breed standard calls for an alert head and ears, producing a interested, watchful look. The border collie are is a medium size, athletic dog that should not be under 30 pounds or over 50 pounds as an adult. Adult males reach 22 inches at the shoulder, whereas females only reach 21 inches.

    Pregnant Females

    • During the pregnancy, most border collies grow and add on the weight of a litter even though they have stopped growing themselves. In the first five to six weeks, a pregnant border collie may act completely normal; however, beyond that she begins to become less active, which lasts until about one week after delivery due to litter weight and nutrient requirements. Pregnant border collies should be able to maintain an adequate amount of daily energy even if they are not competing. Fat and obese mothers have a more difficult time.

    Senior Canines

    • Senior canines have are at risk of being either underweight or overweight. Underweight border collies are difficult to spot but can be felt for. Ideally, ribs should be healthily meaty and showing no signs of malnourishment. Obese dogs lack definition and may exhibit breathing difficulty in severe cases.

    Considerations

    • Border collies are active companions at any age and should present an agile and fit body line as an adult all throughout life because these dogs were bred for longevity and workability. While puppies are wonderful for experienced border collie handlers, a senior border collie is more mature, already trained and less anxious, which makes it a wonderful starter pet for the new border collie enthusiast. Optimal growth and weight maintenance is important for a long-lived and happy border collie at any life stage.