Cute Border Collie lounging on a white sofa

Border Collie Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Intelligent, agile and extremely friendly &ndash; it&rsquo;s little wonder Border Collies are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world.&nbsp;If you&rsquo;re looking for an clever, caring canine companion who&rsquo;s not afraid to get their paws dirty, the Border Collie could be the perfect fit for you.

Collie

Type

10 - 17 years

Lifespan

Medium

Size

12 - 20 kg

Weight

46 - 56 cm

Height

Energetic, intelligent, responsive

Temperament

120 mins per day

Exercise

Low maintenance

Grooming

Originating in the Scottish Borders, the Border Collie is breed primarily bred for sheepherding and their working ability. The word Collie can be traced back to an old Celts/Scots language meaning &lsquo;useful&rsquo;. The Border Collie often carries more cognitive ability than other breeds, and can learn new commands in as little as five seconds.

A Border Collie is a medium sized dog breed and they tend to reach its fully formed height aged between 12 to 15 months. However, it could take two years for it to become a mature adult.

What is the life expectancy of a Border Collie?

A Border Collie&rsquo;s typical lifespan is 12-15 years. To help give them the best life expectancy possible, it&#39;s important to look after your dog as best you can. This includes regular vet health checks, grooming sessions, a good diet, and as much exercise as you can keep up with.

Twice a year, as Border Collies prepare for and recover from the colder weather, shedding season is in full effect. Regular brushing and bathing will help reduce shedding.

No breed of dog is fully hypoallergenic. How they are raised and groomed will affect the amount of dander they produce. If you&rsquo;re a dog allergy sufferer and unsure how you&rsquo;ll get on with a Border Collie, spend some time with the litter and see how it goes.

<ul>
	<li>Vetstream Lltd (online) Border Collie. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/breeds-pages/border-collie" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Dog Border Collie page">https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/breeds-pages/border-collie&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>Brooks D E &amp; Oliver J (online) Collie eye anomaly. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/diseases/collie-eye-anomaly " target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Dog Collie Eye Anomaly page">https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/diseases/collie-eye-anomaly&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>Harari J &amp; Langley-Hobbs S (online) Hip dysplasia. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/diseases/hip-dysplasia" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Dog Hip Dysplasia page">https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/diseases/hip-dysplasia&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Hip dysplasia. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/owner-factsheets/hip-dysplasia " target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Dog Hip Dysplasia Factsheet">https://vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/owner-factsheets/hip-dysplasia&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>Batchelor D &amp; Tappin S (online) Trapped neutrophil syndrome. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/diseases/trapped-neutrophil-syndrome " target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Dog Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome page">https://vetstream.com/treat/canis/diseases/trapped-neutrophil-syndrome&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>Bagley R, Garosi L &amp; Lowrie M (online) Epilepsy: idiopathic. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/diseases/Epilepsy-idiopathic" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Dog Epilepsy Idiopathic page">https://vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/diseases/Epilepsy-idiopathic</a></li>
	<li>Garosi L &amp; Vetstream Ltd (online) Epilepsy (seizures). In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/canis/owner-factsheets/epilepsy-(seizures)" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Dog Epilepsy Factsheet">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/canis/owner-factsheets/epilepsy-(seizures)</a></li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

Content provided from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/canis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="link to vet experts Vetstream's website">Vetstream&#39;s Vetlexicon Canis</a>

Vetlexicon is the world&rsquo;s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world&rsquo;s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

That’s All You Need to Know About Border Collies

This intelligent breed needs lots of physical and mental stimulation to keep them healthy and happy. They&rsquo;re not afraid of hard work or getting dirty and are better suited to rural living where they have lots of room to run and play. Welcome a Border Collie into your home and they&rsquo;ll quickly become a loved member of the family... As long as you&#39;re prepared to be herded a little every now and again.

With their glossy coats and button-bright eyes, the Border Collie is one of the most alert and agile breeds out there. They&rsquo;re certainly not the type to lay about &ndash; so make sure you can keep up with them.&nbsp;

Originally bred as a sheepherder, Border Collies thrive on having a job to do. They&rsquo;re one of the hardest working and intelligent dog breeds, but can become easily bored. <a href="/all-things-pet/crufts-worthy-dog-training-tips" title="Link to Everypaw's dog agility training tips">Training and agility classes</a> are an ideal way to keep them busy and strengthen your bond.

They love to work hard and play hard, so can be a <a href="/all-things-pet/best-dog-breeds-for-families-with-kids" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to tthe best dog breeds for families">great family pet</a>. Though sometimes their working dog instincts kick in, so you may come in one day to find them herding the kids. But if you&rsquo;re as keen as they are to get out and about, the Border Collie could be the <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Breed Guides">breed of dog</a> for you.

Originally bred as a sheepherder, Border Collies thrive on having a job to do. They&rsquo;re one of the hardest working and intelligent <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Breed Guides">dog breeds</a>, but can become easily bored. Training and agility classes are an ideal way to keep them busy and strengthen your bond.

They love to work hard and play hard, so can be a <a href="/all-things-pet/best-dog-breeds-for-families-with-kids" title="Link to Everypaw's Guide to the best dog breeds for families">great family pet</a>. Though sometimes their working dog instincts kick in, so you may come in one day to find them herding the kids. But if you&rsquo;re as keen as they are to get out and about, the Border Collie could be the breed of dog for you.

Border Collie puppy leaning on a wooden fence

Border Collie <a href="/puppy-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Puppy Insurance page">puppies</a> are highly intelligent and quick learners, but they are also playful with high energy levels. They want to be on the go all the time and thrive when testing their mental and physical abilities.&nbsp;

Tiring a Border Collie out is a challenge. Their curiosity will keep them on their feet for hours. Teaching them herding or obedience work from a young age will provide them with the stimulation they seek.

A Border Collie&rsquo;s enthusiasm and personality can be infectious &ndash; they&rsquo;re forever on the move and keen to learn new things. You&rsquo;ll often find them displaying their deep-rooted herding instinct, whether it&rsquo;s during a spirited game of fetch or a training session.

While their herding nature may seem cute, it is not unheard of for a Collie to herd people, including children. Now this could be handy when it comes to getting the kids moving, but part of this herding instinct can be to nip. If you have children and are thinking about getting a Border Collie consider training to try and reduce this behaviour.

Border Collies are among the liveliest of dog breeds, so a healthy balanced diet is essential. Keep your dog fighting fit with advice from your vet about how much they should eat and how often. If they&rsquo;re not getting the amount of physical exercise they need &ndash; two hours a day or more for walks &ndash; they might resort to chewing your furniture.

Whether long or smooth on top, Border Collies have a dense double coat that needs a brush at least once a week. They can grow rather fetching manes that often require detangling.&nbsp;

Bathing your Border Collie once a month is fine, unless they come home covered in mud. Be sure to clean their ears during <a href="/all-things-pet/dog-grooming-101" title="Link to Everypaw's dog grooming guide">grooming sessions</a>. These are a prime place for dirt to build up, potentially leading to infection.

Border Collies need big workouts, not quite full on dog sports, but you&#39;ll still need to sure there&rsquo;s plenty of safe space outdoors where they can burn off all their energy. Try to teach them new games and tricks to <a href="/all-things-pet/the-dog-exercise-guide" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Exercise Guide">stimulate the physical exercise</a> and <a href="/all-things-pet/top-tips-for-dog-brain-training" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Brain Training Guide">mental stimulation</a> they need.&nbsp;

Proper training is essential &ndash; they&rsquo;re naturally wary of new people because they&rsquo;ve still have their herding dog habits that can be difficult to shake. Border Collies might chase, bark or nip at others to try and herd them.

Link to get an Everypaw Dog Insurance quote

You may want to think about getting Border Collie insurance so you can focus on getting to know your new addition when they come home. At Everypaw, we offer comprehensive Border Collie insurance &ndash; there&rsquo;s no need for a fine-toothed comb when it comes to our cover.

Everypaw&rsquo;s are all about the <a href="/Home/lifetime-pet-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Cover</a> for dogs, with a range of levels of insurance to choose from. All you need to do is choose the level of cover that works best for you and your Collie.

You may want to think about getting Border Collie insurance so you can focus on getting to know your new addition when they come home. At Everypaw, we offer comprehensive Border Collie insurance &ndash; there&rsquo;s no need for a fine-toothed comb when it comes to our cover.

Everypaw&rsquo;s are all about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/lifetime-pet-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Cover</a>&nbsp;for dogs, with a range of levels of insurance to choose from. All you need to do is choose the level of cover that works best for you and your Collie.

First signs of Collie Eye Anomoly (CEA) can be seen in puppies as young as 5 weeks old, but mostly affects older dogs. It is a hereditary disorder that causes holes to form in the layers of the eye. If the holes continue to increase in size, it can lead to complete blindness.&nbsp;

Unfortunately, there is no treatment and diagnosis can be difficult. But dogs adapt well to vision loss and can still lead a long, happy life. 
&nbsp;

<a href="/all-things-pet/hip-dysplasia-in-dogs" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to hip dysplasia in dogs">Hip dysplasia in dogs</a> is an inherited condition that affects the ball-and-socket joint. The surfaces of the joint rub together causing damage, pain and leg weakness. This can lead to arthritis in later life. The severity of the condition is affected by weight, growth rate and exercise.&nbsp;

Restricting exercise and controlling your dog&rsquo;s diet will help with the symptoms. In severe cases, complete hip replacement is needed to resolve the issue. Smoothing the surface of the joint has been effective in mild cases.

Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome (TNS) is an inherited condition involves neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) not being released into the bloodstream. This leads to a weakened immune system, which causes delayed development, swollen joints, facial abnormalities and fever. TNS has been seen in puppies that are 11-12 weeks old.&nbsp;

Fluid therapy has shown improvement of symptoms but in most cases, the dog will need to be put to sleep. It is an uncommon condition that can be tested before breeding.

<a href="/all-things-pet/epilepsy-in-dogs/" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to Epilepsy in dogs">Epilepsy in dogs</a> is a condition that causes fits (seizures or convulsions) due to abnormal brain activity. They cause the dog to fall on their side, followed by rapid leg movements. Usually, the fits last for a few minutes and injuries are rare, but if the fit lasts more than 10 minutes it may cause brain damage. During a fit, releasing of the bowels or bladder is often seen.

There is no cure for epilepsy, but medication can be given to control the fits.

Common Border Collie Health Problems by Vetstream

Border Collies are lively and generally healthy breed of dog, but they can be susceptible to certain health conditions. So we've teamed up with vet experts Vetstream who've given us the facts around some of the most common Border Collie Health Issues they are particularly prone to.

Border Collie Insurance, Health Advice, and Life Expectancy | Everypaw

Get a quote for your Border Collie's insurance

Border Collie

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Zoomies to Senior Snoozes, We've Got Them Covered

The benefit values featured in the table may vary across the different levels of cover and will depend on the cover you choose. Please check your cover before purchasing. Be aware, for some breeds of dogs we do not provide our &pound;8k and &pound;10k Lifetime cover. 
 
All policies and features are subject to special conditions and exclusions of the insurers, please click the link to read about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Insurance Exclusions page">our policy exclusions.</a> 
 
Excess is applicable to all vet fees claims. When your pet reaches a certain age, the excess payable may change. The excess will be your set excess plus a percentage of your claim amount.

Getting your furry friend covered shouldn&#39;t just come down to cost. There&#39;s a lot more to it than that, so take the time to do a pet insurance comparison. Think about their breed, the level of cover they might need, and what would be important to you. After all, insurance is there for both of you.

One of the best ways to do that is to compare cover levels. This will give you an idea of how much your pet insurance will cost, how much you can claim against vet bills, as well as the policy benefits. It&#39;s all about finding the Lifetime Pet Insurance that works best for you and your pet.

*Based on Everypaw claims data from February 2024 to March 2025

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As our furry companions age, they&#39;re more likely to suffer from ailments and illnesses here and there. And we want you to be able to look after your pet well into retirement. That&#39;s why we don&#39;t have age limits on our policies. Our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-for-older-pets.html">pet insurance for older pets</a> can help you do the most important thing &ndash; looking after your pet.

What about younger pets? We also offer <a href="/cat-insurance/kitten-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Kitten Insurance page">kitten</a> and <a href="/dog-insurance/puppy-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Puppy Insurance page">puppy insurance</a>, covered by our cat and dog insurance. No matter how old or young your purr-fect pet is, our pet insurance can give you all-important peace of mind.&nbsp;

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Whether you are looking for a playmate for your pet or if your house is more like a <a href="/dog-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">dog</a>, <a href="/cat-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Insurance page">cat</a> and <a href="/rabbit-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Rabbit Insurance page">rabbit</a> smallholding, you need multi-pet insurance that works for you. Everypaw&#39;s policies are just that and give you a discount on every pet too. No matter how many pets you have, from glorious <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides/golden-retriever-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Golden Retriever Dog Breed Guide page">Golden Retrievers</a> and majestic <a href="/cat-insurance/cat-breed-guides/maine-coon-cat-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Maine Coon Cat Breed Guide page">Maine Coons</a> to lovely <a href="/rabbit-insurance/rabbit-breed-guides/lionhead-rabbit-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Lionhead Rabbit Breed Guide page">Lionheads</a>, it&#39;s there for every single paw.

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How Does Pet Insurance Work: Getting a Quote

Our pet insurance quote form takes just 3 minutes to fill out. Here&#39;s how it works:

<ul>
	<li>Select which type of pet you&#39;re looking to insure and enter their age, breed and sex</li>
	<li>Enter basic personal details about yourself including your email and home addresses</li>
	<li>Select your vet fees limit</li>
	<li>We&#39;ll give you a pet insurance price! And we&#39;ll show you what the cost is for the year, plus what your monthly instalments will look like if you choose to pay that way</li>
</ul>

Will my pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Ever found the urge to discover what the best dog breeds to train are or maybe you want to get to the bottom of your pet&#39;s worm problem.&nbsp;<a href="/Home/all-things-pet.html" title="Link to Everypaw's All Things Pet blog">Everypaw&#39;s All Things Pet blog</a>&nbsp;has the content to keep you informed.

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For that extra peace of mind when your pets get up to mischief, there&#39;s Everypaw. Our pet insurance is for cats, dogs and rabbits, and every policy comes with unlimited 24/7 access to vet nurses and vets. So, if you ever feel a bit &#39;for pet&#39;s sake&#39;, know Everypaw is here for you and your pet when you need us most!

Why Choose Everypaw for Pet Insurance in the UK?

<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/multi-pet-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Multi-pet Insurance page">Insure multiple pets</a>&nbsp;for a multi-pet discount

99% of claims paid in 5 working days*

Unlimited 24/7 access to UK vet nurses and vets with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/petcall" title="Link to Everypaw's Petcall vet page">Petcall</a>

Manage your UK pet insurance policy online in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/pet-portal-info" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Portal Information page">Pet Portal</a>

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Choosing the right pet health insurance isn&#39;t always easy. We know that. And we also know that a key part of deciding is knowing what&#39;s not covered. That way, at least there are no nasty surprises in terms of coughing up for bills that you thought were going to be taken care of by your policy.

So, here are a few of the main exclusions on our pet insurances:

<ul>
	<li>Treatment for any pre-existing conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment for poisoning or any accidental injury that occurs in the first 3 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment for any illness that occurs in the first 14 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment related to vaccine-preventable conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment related to breeding, pregnancy or birthing</li>
	<li>Treatment on baby teeth if your pet is over 16 weeks when your policy starts</li>
</ul>

*Switching to Everypaw Pet Insurance? If you can prove your previous insurance runs up to the policy start date, we can waive this for you.

Please see our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Policy Exclusions page">exclusions page</a>&nbsp;for further details.

Fingers crossed, you never have to! We want to reassure you that claiming on your pet health insurance is as hassle-free as possible. That&rsquo;s why we have Vet Pawtal. A direct platform for vets so they can submit claims and leave you to care for your pet.

Vet Pawtal is the fastest and most efficient way to claim. There&rsquo;s no more paperwork for you, and we&rsquo;ll keep you updated every step of the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

If your vet can&rsquo;t submit the claim, don&rsquo;t worry; you can still submit it in the <a href="https://petportal.everypaw.com/register#login" target="_blank" title="Link to the Everypaw Pet Portal">Everypaw Pet Portal</a>. It&rsquo;s straightforward; just log in and follow the instructions. Alternatively,&nbsp;you can <a href="https://www.everypaw.com/downloads-2020/everypaw-claim-form.pdf" target="_blank" title="Link to download an Everypaw claim form">download a claim form</a>, but this can take longer.

Please refer to the guidance in your policy documents for Third Party Liability claims.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information, head to our <a href="/Home/claims.html">Pet Insurance Claims information page</a>.

We know pets are just as much a part of your family as any human. So, we know how important it is to you that they&#39;re protected. Choose Everypaw for pet insurance in the UK and give yourself that priceless peace of mind.

We know things can be tough right now, with many people facing money worries. If you have such concerns, please get in touch with us, as we may be able to offer some options to help, which could include reducing your cover or increasing your excess.

If you wish to find out more and your eligibility for any options, please call <a href="tel:03445431009" title="Call Everypaw Customer Services and Claims">0344 543 1009</a>.

Two levels of our Lifetime Pet Insurance cover have been rated 5 Stars by independent financial business, Defaqto, for 8 years in a row.

Deciding which pet insurance your furry bundle of fun needs can be tricky, especially if you&#39;re a new fur-parent. That&#39;s why here at Everypaw.com, we&#39;re trying to keep things simple, we&#39;re all about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/lifetime-pet-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Pet Insurance</a>.

Our Lifetime cover is available for your cats, dogs and rabbits. And if you&#39;re looking to cover your cat or dog, there&#39;s a range of cover levels to choose from. Lifetime covers your pet up to a set vet fee limit, and the limits reset for every year of cover.

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Border Collie Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Border Collie Facts

Is a Border Collie Right for Me?

What Are Border Collie Puppies Like?

Life with a Border Collie

Caring for Your Border Collie

Dinner time

Grooming time

Training & exercise