Border collies are one of the most athletic and intelligent dog breeds. These dogs are highly trainable and full of energy. Known as exceptional herd dogs, the usual litter size for border collies is four to eight puppies. On average, a collie mum gives birth to six pups.
Border collies are medium-sized, athletic herding dogs. They are known for their soul-piercing gaze and extreme awareness of their surroundings. Border collies are a popular choice for their high trainability and their full energy. If you want a working dog and a companion, this breed is easily the top pick.
If you own a pregnant border collie, then you’re in luck. This breed has one of the biggest litter sizes in the canine world. You can expect to get a herd of border collie pups at your feet months after they were born. But before that, there is a lot of preparation to be done.
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Border Collies Litter Size
A pregnant border collie can give birth to at least four puppies and a maximum of eight. On average, the litter size is usually six. You might need to prepare a big nursing room for the mum and the pups after the birth labor. On average, canine breeds typically have a litter size of five puppies, so border collies are pretty generous.
Taking care of puppies can be challenging, especially if your litter is full of energetic border collie pups. With its athletic and agile built, collies would require a lot of exercise and work. You might need to have your own yard or a spacious place to house your pups and their mum.
How To Take Care Of Border Collies During And After Birth
The gestation period of a pregnant dog usually lasts up to 68 days or more than two months. Prepare your nursing room before the due date. If you’re only fostering a pregnant dog and don’t know the pregnancy’s age, it’s better to don’t let the mum left unattended. Labor and delivery signs usually start 24 hours before the labor, in which the mum’s temperature usually drops.
The first pup should be out within the time frame of 2 hours. If this doesn’t happen, you might want to contact a veterinary doctor to help you with the delivery. The mum will have a few hours of resting phase before delivering the rest of the litter.
Once all the labor phases were over, the mum and the pups need a dry and clean area to take some rest. Usually, the mum will do the cleaning herself, and you might only need to assist a little. Give your dog, and her new pups clean bedding and good quality food for the mum. Don’t forget to leave clean water in a safe and easy-to-access container.
From then on, make sure to provide the mum with nutritious and highly digestible food. You can treat your mummy dog a few tasty nibblers every once in a while. But make sure that the food is about 29% protein and 17% dietary fat, with 5% dietary fiber.
When Can You Adopt A Border Collie Pup?
Getting a new pup is always an exciting event, especially if you helped the mum take care of her litter at a very young age. However, you might wait for at least eight weeks before bringing a puppy home or giving a puppy for adoption. Veterinary professionals recommend this age to get the right nutrition from their mother’s milk. Additionally, this is just the right period to give them toilet training.
However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. If the mum is too sick to take care of her pups, you might want to get some help in taking care of the litter. As a rule of thumb, Border Collie or not, puppies should stay with their mum for at least eight weeks. Earlier than that, you might encounter a few health or behavioral problems as the puppy gets older.
4 Things To Know About Border Collies
Even if you love having a dog as a pet, certain breeds simply won’t work based on your lifestyle and location. Each dog breed has its pros and cons, and border collies are not exceptions. You might keep them as an intelligent companion, but you need to keep up with their energy to do so. Here are five things you should know before adopting this breed.
1. Border Collie Is An Energic Breed
Border collies are one of those athletic breeds that will need to exercise to release their energy bomb. These dogs are bred to help in working with farms, usually to herd sheep and other animals. They can be a fun companion due to their energetic nature, but expect destruction once they get bored. So if you’re planning to get your border collie, make sure to keep them stimulated.
2. Border Collies Are Highly Trainable
Since border collies are working dogs, they are very obedient and feel rewarded when you call them a “good dog.” And since these dogs are also known for their intelligence (studies found out that they can understand over 1,000 words!) You would often see them performing on obstacles or playing frisbee or fetch Training your border collie is the best way to keep them entertained and exercised.
3. Border Collies Have Long Life
You can enjoy your border collie’s company for quite a long time. On average, this breed usually has 12 to 15 years of lifespan. With proper exercise and diet, they can live for up to 17 years or more. Just make sure to get regular checkups, as this breed is prone to hip dysplasia, epilepsy, deafness, and collie eye anomaly.
4. Border Collies Have Two Coats
This breed can either have a rough coat or a smooth coat. The rough coat is of medium length and quite feathered. In contrast, the smooth one is shorter and has a rougher texture. Regardless of the coat, border collies need to be combed with a pin brush. Take note: collies are frequent shedders, so you must have to brush them regularly (preferably, 2-3 times a week.)
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