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Breed Files

Border Collie

The AKC describes the Border Collie as energetic, affectionate, smart. Here’s the file: sizes, traits and what they mean for a real home.

The fileMatching printables
The numbers

At a glance.

Height19-22 inches (male), 18-21 inches (female)
Weight30-55 pounds
Life expectancy12-15 years
AKC groupHerding Group
OriginEngland/Scotland
AKC recognized1995
AKC popularity#30 of 210

Source: AKC Border Collie breed page ↗ · checked October 4, 2026.

AKC breed traits, scale 1–5

Breed traits.

  • Energy Level5/5
  • Shedding Level3/5
  • Coat Grooming Frequency3/5
  • Barking Level4/5
  • Trainability Level5/5
  • Good With Young Children3/5
  • Good With Other Dogs3/5
  • Mental Stimulation Needs5/5

Your dog isn’t a breed average. These are breed-level ratings from AKC ↗. A 2022 study in Science found breed explains only about 9% of behavior differences between individual dogs. Source: Morrill et al., Science (2022) ↗

Related clips

On the case.

No clip on this breed yet. Meanwhile, the latest cases:

WEIRD HABITS #1Clip cover: Why does your dog follow you to the bathroom?Why does your dog follow you to the bathroom?Open the case file →DOG TEST #1Clip cover: Say "banana" to your dogSay "banana" to your dogOpen the case file →
Matching printables

For your
Border Collie.

Printables that fit life with this breed. Or make your dog’s own sticker in the free Case File.

Price on EtsyINSTANT DOWNLOADDog Care Checklist & Grooming Log printed out, on a clipboardOn a clipboard
3 pages · PDF · US Letter + A4

Dog Care Checklist & Grooming Log

A monthly routine sheet with daily, weekly and monthly tasks, plus a grooming log.

Buy on Etsy ↗
Price on EtsyINSTANT DOWNLOADNew Puppy Checklist Kit printed out, on a clipboardOn a clipboard
6 pages · PDF · US Letter + A4

New Puppy Checklist Kit

Shopping list, puppy-proofing, first-week routine, first vet visit questions and a socialization tracker.

Buy on Etsy ↗
Price on EtsyINSTANT DOWNLOADDog Sitter Info Sheet printed out, on the fridgeOn the fridge
4 pages · PDF · US Letter + A4

Dog Sitter Info Sheet

Fridge-ready sitter sheet, daily routine, house rules, emergency plan and a sitter report page.

Buy on Etsy ↗
Free printable · PDF · US Letter + A4

Free: the
mini-pack.

Two pages for your fridge: a “My dog’s case file” sheet with a cut-out emergency card (poison-control numbers included), and a 7-day routine tracker with mini badges.

Optional: join The Dept. Briefing for new printables.
Download · US Letter PDF · 364 KBDownload · A4 PDF · 364 KB
Mini-pack page 1: my dog’s case file and emergency cardMini-pack page 2: 7-day routine tracker and mini badges
The sources

Where this comes from.

  1. Morrill et al., Science (2022): Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes ↗
  2. AKC: Border Collie breed page ↗

Sources checked October 4, 2026. Dept. of Dogs is not affiliated with any organization cited. General info for dog owners, not veterinary advice: ask your vet about your own dog.