What You Should Know About the Bordoodle Dog Breed

Heritage and Registry

History

Are you still torn between a Border Collie and a Poodle? Then why not a Bordoodle instead?

Also known as Borderpoo, Borpoodle, Borderdoodle, and Borpoo, Bordoodle is a hybrid dog breed produced with the cross-breeding between purebred Border Collie and a Poodle.

Where and when the Bordoodle originated from is still unclear because research shows that the targeted crossing between a Poodle parent and a Border Collie parent is quite new. It is only recently that the demand for the designer breed grew in number. However, it is also very likely that the Bordoodle has been existing for a long time already, albeit not purposely.

A Bordoodle is the right combination of the best traits of a Poodle and a Border Collie making it a charming and fun companion to those around it.

Registry

Unlike their purebred Border Collie and Poodle parents, Bordoodles are not recognized by the American Kennel Club.

They are, however, recognized as Borpoodles by the following organizations:

• American Canine Hybrid Club,
• Designer Breed Registry
• Designer Dogs Kennel Club
• Dog Registry of America
• International Designer Canine Registry.

Parentage

Border Collie

The name of the Border Collie parent of a Bordoodle gives a clue on where it originated – the “border” of Scotland and England where it was used as herding dogs. It is medium-sized with either a smooth or a rough double coat that normally comes in a black and white combination.

This purebred is known to be extremely workaholic and smart. It is even considered as the smartest dog breed that excels on its every task. This is why it is not surprising that there are Border Collies that hold world record titles in various categories.

Border Collies are not just your typical Einstein because their pleasing personality also allows them to be good family dogs. They are good with adults and children alike which allows their integration into any family a smooth process.

Poodle

The Poodle side of a Bordoodle, on the other hand, can trace its history in Germany where this breed was used to be fowl hunters. This is one of the most popular dog breeds due to its elegance and unique hairstyles.

Poodles have thick hair that comes in a wide array of colors such as apricot white, black, gray, brown, blue, silver, etc. They come in different sizes too such as the standard poodle which grows over 15 in, the miniature poodle with a height between 10-15 in, and the toy poodle that grows up to 10 in tall.

Poodles are also active and smart which makes them among those dog breeds normally trained to be service dogs especially to people with disabilities. They can be very mischievous too. But all in all, they make good pets for a family.

General Information on a Bordoodle

Physical Appearance

Descending from the cross-breeding between its Border Collie and Poodle parent, there is no absolute way to say how a Bordoodle would look like. There are just many possibilities depending on the dominant traits of its purebred parents.

Bordoodles are still categorized as medium-sized dog breed at 12 to 22 in tall and 30 to 60 lbs weight. They are known to have floppy ears, brown eyes, and black noses at the end of their slightly long muzzle. They can have a medium or long fluffy coat that can either be curly or wavy.

The color of the coat can be two or more combinations of black, white, brown, and gray. It can also be hypoallergenic like the hair of a Poodle. The coat of a Bordoodle is enough to protect it from the weather. However, it won’t hurt to provide Bordoodle additional protection, especially during winter.

There is not much difference between a female and a male Bordoodle aside from the former being smaller in stature.

Grooming

The coat of a Bordoodle is manageable given that it falls it is normally on the no to minimal-shedding side. Thus, thorough brushing using a good slicker brush paired with a metal comb once or twice a week should do the trick.

Brushing

In brushing a Bordoodle, you should be able to get all the tangles as much as possible and cover all possible areas so you won’t have to deal with a tangled mess. Remove all the dirt, leaves, sticks, and other debris that got stuck in the Bordoodle’s fur. Make sure to also check for ticks and other parasites especially if your Bordoodle goes out frequently and plays with other dogs.

Note that ticks and parasites need to be dealt with immediately because otherwise, this may not just be uncomfortable for a Bordoodle but can cause illnesses too.

Bathing a Bordoodle

Bathing a Border Collie – Poodle mix should be done every few months or whenever it becomes necessary, such as during those times when it decides to play on the mud and when it somehow becomes smelly.

It is not advisable to bathe a Bordoodle frequently because it will remove the natural oils on its coat that keep its skin moisturized and healthy, making it look dry instead.

When you bathe your Bordoodle, you can use good-smelling, detangling shampoo to make grooming easier. However, make sure to protect its ears from bath water and shampoo because this might lead to an ear infection.

Other Grooming Needs

Included in the grooming process also is the clipping of your Bordoodle’s nail, trimming its hair especially near the eye part, cleaning its ears, and even brushing its teeth. This should be more regular than bathing, especially the latter because a Bordoodle is prone to dental diseases.

It is understandable that you may feel scared and overwhelmed doing the above-mentioned grooming tasks. Fortunately, there are plenty of professional groomers out there that would help you out. They are very thorough so you have nothing to be worried about. They can even style your Bordoodle depending on the hairstyle you want.

It will do your Bordoodle good to have it professionally pampered every once in a while.

Food and Feeding

Food is among the bare essentials needed by a Bordoodle to survive. This is the reason why this should never be compromised. It doesn’t matter whether you choose to feed a Bordoodle wet food, kibble, or even cooked food. The important thing is that the food you feed your Bordoodle contains the right amount of nutrition it needs daily.

Dietary Requirements

A Bordoodle needs a diet that consists of high-protein, good fats, vitamins, and minerals. Yes, it also needs carbohydrates, but this should only occupy a small portion of the total diet of a Bordoodle because otherwise, this may lead to excessive weight gain that may cause diseases.

There are many dog food brands for wet food and kibble that are being sold commercially that would satisfy these dietary requirements of a Bordoodle. The trick is to be critical of the ingredients so you can make the best choice. Avoid those dog food with fillers because a Bordoodle would have nothing to gain from those.

Cooked food is gaining popularity also. However, keep in mind that this can be expensive compared to those ready-made versions and could take time due to all the preparations needed. This is also tricky because you need to pick the right ingredients that would make a cooked food balanced enough for a Bordoodle. Not to mention, this can trigger the allergy of your pooch which you might not be aware of previously.

You can check with a vet if you don’t know how to proceed with the proper diet for your pet.

Feeding Schedule

When it comes to feeding schedules, this also varies from puppyhood to adulthood.

For instance, during puppyhood, the feeding schedule can be as often as 4 times a day in small portions of dog food to assist the Bordoodle’s growing body. However, as it reaches adulthood, the frequency of feeding can be reduced to 2 times a day.

An adult Bordoodle would need an average of 2 cups of kibble per day. But this should still be adjusted based on the size of a Borpoo or its activity. The more exercise you give it, the more it needs nutrition to supplement its energy needs. You can even boost this further with the help of vitamins which promote a stronger immune system and help their bones properly develop.

You can gauge if you are giving the right serving based on the roundness of a Bordoodle’s stomach. If you notice it rounding fast, then this is a red flag that you may be overfeeding your Bordoodle.

Physical Activity and Exercise

The Border Collie – Poodle mix can be content staying in because they are not overly active dogs. But this doesn’t mean that you would just let it be a couch potato. Like any other dog breed, a Bordoodle also needs daily exercise.

Exercise would help maintain the physical fitness and ideal weight of a Bordoodle. It also allows their body in the best condition at all times. Further, it keeps their mind stimulated and prevent them from misbehaving.

For a Bordoodle, a simple walk in the park for an average of 30-45 minutes would do. You can also allocate a few minutes of playtime with your Bordoodle, or go for a short run with it if you prefer. You can even think of other activities to challenge it every once in a while which would no doubt help strengthen your bond with your fur baby.

Training

Being a descendant of smart parents, there is no doubt about the intelligence of your Bordoodle. This makes it easy to train as long as you have the patience and is consistent in doing it. You will find that it would be eager to please you which makes the job a lot easier especially if you are just a new dog owner.

You can start with potty training first to prevent your Bordoodle from using your home as its bathroom. You definitely won’t want to unintentionally step on an “accident” and spread it throughout your house. The trick in making this training successful is to create a schedule on when to let your fur baby out and be aware of the signs telling you that your Bordoodle needs to go.

You can also proceed with simple obedience training and teaching your Bordoodle tricks that would make you proud. Given the sensitive nature of a Bordoodle, a reward-based approach is still the best way to help you with this feat.

Although a Bordoodle has a gentle temperament overall, it still helps that you train it to socialize at a very young age. This will teach them how to better get along with those people around them.

Health Concerns

The fact that the intentional breeding of a Bordoodle started only not long ago, it is understandable that there is not a lot of information available to determine the possible health conditions they can suffer from.

Generally, Bordoodle is a healthy breed. The cross-breeding between a Border Collie and a Poodle gave Bordoodles the edge to be a lot healthier than their parents. However, this doesn’t eliminate the chance that they might still develop some genetically transferred issues. Some of them are the following:

Hip Dysplasia 

Hip Dysplasia affects many dog breeds, big or small. This is common especially for Border Collie dog breeds although there are Poodles who suffered from this too. This is when the ball and socket joints of the hips do not fit together which caused them to rub against each other instead, causing extreme pain for a Bordoodle.

Depending on the severity of the Hip Dysplasia, this can be treated by pain medications, physical therapy, or surgery.

While it is believed that Hip Dysplasia is a hereditary health condition, it is also possible for this to result from obesity and injuries from extreme physical activity. Thus, it is also important for a Bordoodle to have a healthy diet and regulated exercise.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

This is a genetic disorder that results in a total loss of vision after a while. It affects the retina of a Bordoodle, especially the photoreceptor cells which slowly degenerate.

Bordoodles affected could be observed to have difficulty seeing at night. Their eyes also develop a cloudy look as the disease progresses.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease. But it is important to note that this is not the end for an affected Bordoodle. It can still live a healthy life with the help of its owner.

Ear Infections

Let’s admit it. While the floppy ears of a Bordoodle are among the things that make them adorable, they have disadvantages too.

For instance, the makeup of the ears of a Bordoodle doesn’t allow proper air circulation and makes it easier to trap debris and moisture which leads to the propagation of bacteria when not regularly cleaned. This, later on, could lead to ear infections.

Your Bordoodle may be suffering from an ear infection if its ears start emitting a bad odor. There would also be a lot of scratching in the area and possible discharge. Worse, there might also be a loss of hearing.

If this is the scenario, then your Bordoodle might need medications already to counteract the infection. Veterinarians can help prescribe the right medication for your Bordoodle. Just to be on the safe side though, make sure to regularly clean the ears of your Bordoodle using cotton and ear solution. Remove also the ear wax to prevent it from accumulating.

Allergies

Bordoodles can suffer from allergies which they can inherit from their Poodle parent. Depending on the Bordoodle, this can be caused by a lot of things it might be allergic to such as dust, pollen, mildew, or even food.

You can tell that a Bordoodle may be suffering from allergies when it is constantly scratching and chewing its skin, has a runny nose and watery eyes, and develops red patches on its skin. A vet could provide the right anti-histamine for this and can help assess what your Bordoodle might be allergic to through various tests.

Lifespan

Based on studies, the average life expectancy of a Bordoodle is between 12 to 15 years.

This is still, however, dependent on the health of the Border Collie-Poodle mix. This is the reason why it is a must to maintain the Bordoodle’s good condition at all times through good diet and exercise.

Temperament

The characteristics of both the Border Collie and the Poodle parents would give you a glimpse that you are in for a highly intelligent mixed dog breed with a Bordoodle. Pair this with its naturally happy disposition and friendly personality, you are in for a good companion with this pooch.

This is the reason why it has been one of the most popular choices for a designer dog breed in recent years.

It is uncommon that you will find a Bordoodle that is aggressive. They are loyal to no end and are highly protective of their humans but they are not known to just attack with no cause especially when they are well-trained. In fact, their capability to assess threats is what makes them more endearing to those people around them.

Getting a Bordoodle as a Family Dog

With their good temperament and moderately active lifestyle, there is no reason why a Bordoodle would not be a good family dog. It is not only smart and affectionate, but it is also very loyal and patient too which makes a good companion especially to growing children.

There is not even an issue if a Bordoodle needs to get along with other pets because that is not impossible too. It is a highly-sociable mixed breed which makes getting along with other animals an easy task.

This works best if a Bordoodle was raised along with other pets. If not, this is workable too. All the fur parent needs to do is to let the Bordoodle and other pets go through controlled and supervised socialization until they are already comfortable with each other.

A Bordoodle is also a low-maintenance low breed and it is only moderately active. Thus, it doesn’t need much to be happy with a family.

The only thing that an owner should be on the lookout for is the tendency of a Bordoodle to act upon its herding instinct especially among little children. It tends to round up those around it which can be exasperating during some instances. However, this won’t be an issue for a family with older kids.

The Cost of a Bordoodle

You have to have at least around USD700 to USD1500 if you want to get a Bordoodle puppy from a reputable breeder. This is already a decent amount given the priceless characteristics of a Bordoodle. In fact, it can be a lot more depending on its characteristics and pedigree.

You should start to be wary should you be offered a Bordoodle that is cheaper than the price above-mentioned because it is likely that it came from just a backyard breeder and not a reputable one. Although tempting, this might cost you more in the long run because backyard breeders are not known to have a strict breeding program that would guarantee healthy Bordoodle puppies. Thus, you may end up with a Bordoodle puppy with health conditions that would need expensive treatments or medications.

It is also important for a would-be owner to consider that the cost of owning a Bordoodle is never-ending. The cost just grows as a Bordoodle matures because of all the essentials it needs to have a comfortable life such as food, health care, dog accessories, and even grooming. It is imperative to assess all these before deciding to take home a Bordoodle puppy so it won’t end up homeless and neglected.

Conclusion

Generally, there is no reason why a Bordoodle would not be a good choice for any pet owner.

Its high intelligence alone, coming from naturally smart purebred parents, is enough to communicate its value to its would-be owner. Add the fact that it is low-maintenance, has a good temperament, and is only moderately active makes it an excellent addition to any family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are Bordoodles good dogs?

A: Bordoodles have a good temperament which categorizes them as a good dog breed. They are not known to be aggressive too which adds to appeal. However, it is still a must to let them get the training and socialization they need as early as possible to ensure that a Bordoodle will not develop any bad behavior as they grow older.

Q: Do Bordoodles bark a lot?

A: There are many reasons why your Bordoodle barks a lot. For one, it may want to communicate something to its fur parent such as a threat or its excitement. It is possible that your Bordoodle just wants some extra attention from its fur parents. Also, it is likely looking for an outlet to release its pent-up energy.

If you think it is because of the latter, then it is possible that the Bordoodle does not receive the daily exercise it needs so this should be addressed by its fur parent. Walking for 30-45 minutes in the neighborhood would be a good exercise for a Bordoodle especially if its fur parent is not that athletic. You can play fetch with your Bordoodle too at a nearby dog park or even in your backyard.

Q: How big do Bordoodles grow?

A: Bordoodles are mixed breed canines that are medium-sized. They are observed to grow between 12 to 22 in height and 30 to 60 lbs in weight.

Q: How much do Bordoodle puppies cost?

A: If you are keen on getting a Bordoodle puppy, then you should be aware that you need to prepare at least USD700-USD1500 for one that will come from a reputable breeder.

If the Bordoodle is something less than USD700, then you should start asking why. Most often than not, you may likely be buying something of low quality that is prone to health issues which would cost you more in the long run. This is why getting a Bordoodle puppy from a Backyard breeder is not recommended.