The Border Collie Pitbull mix is an interesting dog! It combines the American Pitbull Terrier and the Border Collie, which makes it a very energetic pup, that’s likely to get into quite a bit of trouble if they are not properly exercised. This is a mix that may come about by accident, but also by planning, and breeding two purebred pups together in order to create a unique mix.
The Border Collie Pitbull mix is often referred to as the Borderbull or the Border Pit. There are many breeders that breed the Border Pit, but you are also likely to find them at a shelter if you look long enough! We always encourage you to adopt before you shop. It’s likely that you can find a Border Pit at a local Pitbull rescue, or a Border Collie rescue.
The Borderbull is going to be very independent and can be challenging to train. Borderbulls have energy for days. If you plan to bring one into your home, make sure you have plenty of room for them to run. You’ll also need to have plenty of time to train them. These pups are becoming more popular as time goes on, so let’s jump in and get a good look at this amazing mix!
Parent Breeds
To know more about the Borderbull, we really need to know more about the parent breeds. As with all mixed breed dogs, they can be a mixed bag when it comes to how they turn out. But in most cases, your pup will likely take more after one of their parent breeds than the other. Below we look more in-depth at both the Pitbull and the Border Collie.
Pitbull Terrier
The American Pitbull Terrier, unfortunately, has a pretty poor reputation as being an aggressive dog. They inherit this reputation from years of unscrupulous owners training them to dogfight while neglecting and outright abusing them. Pitbulls, later on, became popular for ranchers to use them around the ranch to keep pests at bay. They were also used during World War II for many different reasons and are often affectionately called the “nanny dog.”
There are actually four different types of dogs that fall into the category of the “American Pitbull Terrier.” The breed itself is not recognized by the AKC, which only recognizes the Staffordshire Terrier. The Pitbull Terrier is definitely an active dog and requires plenty of exercise in their own right so that they don’t become destructive. They enjoy their time with their family, and it’s quite common that they become lapdogs as they grow older and start to slow down.
Border Collie
The Border Collie originates from Scotland and is a herding dog. Many people actually refer to the Border Collie as the “king of herding dogs.” This pup is VERY active, especially in the first few years of its life. They need a job to do, so it’s always recommended that you have a big yard if you plan to adopt them, and plenty of room to let them run around.
The Border Collie is one of the most intelligent dogs alive. They can train agility, and don’t often require more than a few repetitions of a certain task before they have it completely mastered. These pups are great with kids and do fine in multi-pet households. It’s advised that you obedience train them early though, as they will nip at the heels of your children due to their natural instinct if it’s not corrected early on. As a parent breed, the Border Collie is a common mix due to its laid-back attitude and friendly nature.
Border Pit
The Border Pit is an extremely energetic mix, that will generally inherit the energy of both parents, with the loyalty of the Pitbull. Because of their energy, training them properly at an early age is recommended. The Border Pit is a relatively well-balanced dog outside of their energy levels and will go above and beyond to please their masters. They are extremely healthy and usually will be a low-cost dog for most owners.
Temperament
The Border Collie Pitbull mix is an extremely social dog! This pup will need to be with its owners as much as possible. Border Collies and Pitbulls are both known to suffer from separation anxiety, so it’s not recommended that these pups are left alone for long periods of time. Border Pits love to snuggle and will make an excellent couch companion.
This pup has the physical tenacity of the Pitbull with the energy of both parents, so having some dog toys around to keep your pup mentally stimulated is important. This mix will almost always be up for a game of fetch. While it’s not required to have a large yard to own them, it’s recommended purely because of their energy output.
Size & Appearance
The Border Collie Pitbull mix will be a medium-sized dog breed. They will typically not get larger than 50 pounds, and will not get much taller than about 15 to 16 inches at the shoulder. They are small and muscular, and that’s typical because of the activity level of the breed.
The 25 to 50 pounds they carry will be very solid, and if they take after their Pitbull parent, they may look slightly intimidating to people that don’t know what breed they are. This mix will likely look like a nice blend of both breeds and a very good-looking one at that!
Coat & Colors
The Border Pit can be a wide variety of different colors. Depending on if they inherit their Pitbull genes, they can have a blue or a coppery red coat. They can also be brindle, merle, white, black, or just about any other shade of color in between.
Border Pits will likely not have fluffy hair like their Border Collie parent, nor will they have the short hair of their Pitbull parent. They will likely be somewhere in between, and will not shed as much as Border Collies do.
Exercise & Living Conditions
Border Pits are HIGHLY active dogs! You will want to carve out at least one full hour per day so that you can walk your dog. We recommend taking them to the park or taking part in other outdoor activities. If you cannot do that, you should have a larger yard. You want to have the ability to go outside and throw the ball, play tug of war, or interact with your dog in other ways to help burn off the energy.
These dogs will turn to destruction if they are not properly exercised on a daily basis. We recommend finding the strongest dog toys you can so that they can withstand the abuse your Border Pit may throw at them. While they can live in an apartment, we don’t recommend that unless you can exercise your dog for the time commitment we’ve mentioned every day.
Training
Start obedience training early with the Border Pit. This breed loves and wants instruction. They are highly trainable and can do almost equally as well as their Purebred Border Collie parent when it comes to agility and basic obedience training.
They will also be very receptive to learning tricks. Borderbulls will likely need a bribe though, so you’ll want to leverage treats to keep their attention. Border Pits will respond well to being trained with fruits and veggies like Pineapple chunks or cooked Zucchini in order to keep them motivated.
Health
The Border Collie Pitbull mix is an extremely healthy breed. The mix of the two parent breeds together all but alleviates almost all of the health issues that both parent breeds bring to the table.
The life expectancy of the Border Pit can stretch all the way out to 12 or more years if they are fed nutritional food from the time they are young. Depending on which parent breed your pup takes after will determine their size. The most common health ailment your Border Pit will experience is hip Dysplasia.
Nutrition
Food type will depend on which parent your pup takes after. If your pup is slightly larger, we will recommend you stick them on a Kibble more suited for Pitbulls, whereas if your pup is on the smaller side, there are dry kibbles formulated for Border Collies.
We recommend feeding your pup some whole foods like Sweet Potatoes in addition to dry kibbles, just to make sure that they will have additional vitamins and antioxidants. The Border Pit shouldn’t get much larger than 50 pounds, so they will eat roughly 2 to 2.5 cups of food per day.
Grooming
The Border Collie Pitbull mix is a shedder! While they may not shed as much as their Border Collie parent, they are still a double-coated breed and will shed regularly, and blow their coat twice a year. Because of this, you’ll need to be prepared to groom and de-shed them regularly. Because their Pitbull parent is known to have sensitive skin, we recommend bathing them with shampoo that’s formulated for sensitive-skinned dogs.
Puppies
You can expect to pay about $700 and up for a Border Collie Pitbull mix. If you, however, are able to find them at a rescue, you can find them for a much lower cost! We’d recommend that you avoid backyard breeders, who sometimes practice unscrupulous breeding practices including generations of inbreeding. Always look for a breeder that’s been breeding Border Pits for at least a couple of generations.
Breeders
If you adopt from a reputable breeder, they should have papers for at least their Border Collie parent. Since Pitbull Terriers aren’t an AKC registered breed, you won’t have papers from their Pitbull Parent. You might have them if it’s from the Staffordshire Terrier class of Bull Terrier Breed. Ask to see health certifications if possible from both parent breeds to ensure that you’ll have a healthy pup.
Rescues & Shelters
If you are struggling to find a Border Collie Pitbull mix, we always recommend checking local shelters and rescues. You can likely find a Border Pit for a reduced cost than compared to a breeder if you are willing to put in a little extra work. Most rescues and no-kill shelters will adopt dogs out for less than $500. We’d recommend looking at local rescues that specialize in the Pitbull and Border Collie breeds.
As Family Pets
The Border Pit can make a fantastic family pet. We always recommend proper introductions to a multi-pet household before you adopt. If you are bringing home a puppy, it’s generally going to be easier to get them to adapt to your home. This is simply because you can train the behavior you want from a very early age. The Border Pit is generally going to be good with strangers once they’ve’ been accepted by their family.
Final Thoughts
There are many different mixes that will do just fine as family pets. But the Border Pit can make a GREAT companion, especially if you have lots of space and room to roam. This pup will live a very long time, is healthy, and will likely be one of the lowest-cost dogs you’ll own. Yes, you’ll need to keep up with the grooming and taking care of the shedding. But if you can handle the maintenance, you’ll likely have a dog that might turn out to be the best friend you’ve ever had!