Borador
The Borador pairs the world's smartest herder with the world's friendliest retriever - yielding a quick, athletic, people-pleasing all-rounder that is one of the commonest and best farm-and-family mixes going.
🗓️ Last reviewed: July 2026
Overview
The Borador pairs the world's smartest herder with the world's friendliest retriever - yielding a quick, athletic, people-pleasing all-rounder that is one of the commonest and best farm-and-family mixes going. Half genius, half goofball, wholly in need of things to do.
A designer cross: the Borador is a Border Collie × Labrador Retriever mix, not a standardised breed - individuals vary more than purebreds, in coat, size and temperament alike. Average lifespan is 12-14 years.
History & Origins
A longtime natural farm cross formalised by the designer era; shelters everywhere hold wonderful Boradors - adopt-first territory.
Appearance
15-25 kg, usually black (often with white chest/paws from the Collie), athletic and medium-coated; sheds moderately year-round. Typical size: Medium-large, 15-25 kg. Coat: Short-medium double coat - sheds.
Temperament & Character
Clever, biddable, energetic and friendly - softer-edged than a pure Border Collie, sharper than a pure Lab. Some herding eye and gathering habits persist; strangers get wags.
Care
Genuine daily exercise plus brainwork - fetch, training games, scent work; weekly brushing; standard robust-dog upkeep otherwise.
Feeding & Nutrition
Measured food for an athlete with a Lab appetite; lean matters for hips and joints.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Bright AND friendly - rare combo
- More forgiving than pure Border Collies
- Superb active-family dog
- Common in shelters - adopt!
Cons
- Needs daily physical+mental work
- Sheds steadily
- May herd kids/bikes mildly
- Bored = mischief
Best Suited For
- Active families and singles
- First-time sporty owners
- Farms and big gardens
- Canine-sport beginners
Borador puppy growth chart
A typical growth curve for a medium breed like the Borador, estimated from its adult weight of 15-25 kg. Puppies vary with sex, genetics and diet, so treat this as a guide - for your own puppy, use the puppy weight predictor.
| Age | Typical weight | % of adult |
|---|---|---|
| 2 mo | 4.1-6.8 kg | 27% |
| 3 mo | 6-10 kg | 40% |
| 4 mo | 7.5-12.5 kg | 50% |
| 6 mo | 10.2-17 kg | 68% |
| 9 mo | 12.8-21.3 kg | 85% |
| 12 mo | 14.6-24.3 kg | 97% |
| Adult | 15-25 kg | 100% |
Borador - frequently asked questions
Is a Borador easier than a Border Collie?
Considerably - the Lab half rounds off the intensity and adds sociability, while keeping impressive smarts. It's the Collie experience on training wheels.
How much exercise?
An hour-plus of real activity daily plus mental games; they match energetic households beautifully and wilt in sedentary ones.
Where do I find one?
Shelters and rescues constantly - collie-lab mixes are among the most common and most underrated dogs waiting for homes.
🧠 Test yourself: guess the dog
Three clues from our quiz bank, each about another of our dogs. Can you name them?
Clue 1.One of the heaviest dog breeds on Earth, this gentle giant can top 200 pounds and once guarded estates and fought in arenas.
It's the English Mastiff - read the full profile →
Clue 2.This small, long-coated herding dog looks like a miniature rough Collie and hails from rugged Scottish isles.
It's the Shetland Sheepdog - read the full profile →
Clue 3.This small, affectionate lapdog was recreated in the 1920s to look like the longer-nosed dogs in old royal portraits.
It's the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - read the full profile →
💛 Adoptable dogs near you
Set on this breed? It is usually a designer cross, so here are dogs of every kind near you, live from Petfinder - filter by breed there if you like. We have no affiliation and earn nothing - if someone catches your eye, the link goes straight to their shelter. New to adopting? Start with our adoption guide.
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