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Border Collie Goldendoodle Mix [Ultimate Breed Guide]

Goldendoodle next to a Border Collie with text above that reads "Golden Bordoodle"

The Doodle dog world is ever-expanding. Not only are we seeing more and more breeds getting crossed with a Poodle, but we’re starting to see breeds getting crossed with other Doodles: like the Border Collie-Goldendoodle mix!

Today, we are diving into the lovable and endlessly energetic world of the Golden Bordoodle. This canine creation is sure to steal your heart (and possibly your socks).

With the intelligence and tireless work ethic of a Border Collie and the friendly and loving nature of a Goldendoodle, this mixed breed is a true jack-of-all-trades. Whether herding livestock, performing tricks or cuddling up on the couch, the Border Collie-Goldendoodle mix is ready and willing to do it all.

So, are you interested in having the endless entertainment and love of the Border Collie-Goldendoodle mix by your side?

What Is a Golden Bordoodle?

The Golden Bordoodle is the result of breeding a Goldendoodle and a Border Collie. It’s worth noting that this is NOT a Bordoodle, which is a Border Collie and Poodle hybrid.

Instead, the Golden Bordoodle is the product of one parent that results from one of these unique breeds – the Goldendoodle – a cross between a Poodle and a Golden Retriever. On the other half of the gene pool is the popular Border Collie.

This would give the Golden Bordoodle a DNA profile that proves it’s the direct product of a Golden Retriever, a Poodle, and a Border Collie.

This combination makes for an impressive mix of several breeds with certain traits that overlap but also contain contrasting elements that form this one-of-a-kind Doodle breed.

History of the Parent Breeds

To paint a vivid picture of what one of these highly unique hybrids, or “designer dogs,” takes a deep dive into the traits and history of each parent breed.

Border Collie

Artistic portrait of a Border Collie
Border Collie

The Border Collie, thanks to its larger percentage of DNA in the genetic makeup of the Golden Bordoodle, is the dominant contributor to this breed. Historically, the Border Collie is one of the most – if not the single-most popular breed of herding dog.

They’re a very well-established breed with a history that stretches back nearly a century and a half. But to discover the true roots of the Border Collie, one has to dig much deeper, turning back the clock to the 14 and 1500s.

During those times, shepherds’ dogs wore docked tails – a sign that the owners were exempt from paying taxes on these breeds. Even during these times, between 7 and 800 years ago, there was a distinction between different types of these dogs.

Certain variations were bred as guards, while others were used for the sole purpose of herding and participating in duties on the farm, as described in “Treatise of Englishe Dogges,” which was penned in 1557.

Even today, the various disciplines of the Border Collie are directly related to the first documented periods of sheep farmers who participated in wool trading across the United Kingdom.

The terrain the dog worked in, in addition to the types of animals they watched over, played a significant role in the dispersal of different varieties of the Border Collie’s ancestors.

Considered an extremely agile breed, the athleticism of the Border Collie was first put on display in 1873 in the first sheepdog competition in Wales.

Border Collie in a hunting crouch in a grassy field
Border Collie’s are extremely athletic and excel at all sorts of canine sports.

Since then, Border Collies have dominated various canine competitions and are widely considered one of the wisest, most agile, and most physically enduring dogs on the planet.

What Border Collie owners have to say

Perusing the comment section and forums dedicated to Border Collies, you’ll find comments from Border Collie owners like this, summing up their past and present experiences with the breed:

“Faithful, intelligent, and so loyal. Our Lucy was the best. Literally could learn a new trick in minutes.

“Our family got a young female border collie from a local farm in Scotland. The farmer sold her to us because she didn’t have the correct temperament to work with sheep. She was very excitable, energetic, and couldn’t remain still, although she was always a friendly dog.

After a couple of years, she finally started to calm down, and the change in her temperament allowed her to become very obedient and learn loads of tricks. From being a difficult dog, she became a wonderful, very clever, and much loved pet and lived with us for almost 15 years.”

Smarty pants

Dogumentary TV claims that the Border Collie is “the world’s smartest breed” and sums them up as being “Independent thinking, a problem-solving companion that’s made to take your direction.”

They are incredibly loyal, and their affinity to learn and overall contentment is only equal to the amount of stimulation and physical activity they receive.

Goldendoodle

A fluffy Goldendoodle standing outside on a sunny day
Standard Goldendoodle

The Goldendoodle, growing more popular since it burst into the mainstream dog scene in the 1990s, is the product of a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle.

This breed is well-known for its affinity for adventure, being extremely intelligent, and incredibly friendly to humans and other dogs.

Initially, the Goldendoodle was bred as a hypoallergenic alternative for both Golden Retrievers and Poodles fans.

However, after extensive research and testing, it’s not known with 100% certainty whether this breed is any better or worse for allergies. However, the texture of their fur certainly leads to much lower occurrences of shedding.

Since the Goldendoodle’s first rise to prominence, they have propelled to become of the most popular breeds in the United States.

What Goldendoodle owners say

Goldendoodle fanatics echo sentiments like:

“I recently got a Goldendoodle, and it is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. She is the perfect therapy dog. Super smart and has learned the house rules very fast. She is also learning commands really quick.

She’s been good with my Bengal kitten as well. She rarely barks and loves being around people and other dogs. I’ve had other family dog breeds in the past, but with this pup, I couldn’t be happier.”

“We got ours about two months ago. I had never raised a puppy before, despite having dogs growing up. My specimen has demonstrated intelligence, kindness towards our cat and he is very loving and loyal. He is a joy to be around, highly recommend it.

The total size and appearance of the Goldendoodle depend on its parents. Because Poodles come in three different sizes, Goldendoodles follow this same pattern and category based on size – mini, medium, and standard.

An adorable white Goldendoodle standing next to its owner
Goldendoodles come in a variety of sizes and colors.

This leaves them with a weight class that ranges from 15-30 pounds, 35-65, and 70-100.

Contrary to popular belief, they don’t always have golden fur. These dogs come in any shade, from golden to bronze, apricot, black, and chocolate.

As referenced by the owner’s comments above, the Goldendoodle is one of the friendlier breeds, known for its overt happiness and willingness to please its owners. The Goldendoodle makes an excellent family pet – assuming they have plenty of room to run daily.

Golden Retriever

Golden Retriever sitting upright with a pink background
Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever has roots that go back to the late 1800s in England. A cross between the Marjorie Banks Retriever and the now extinct Tweed Water Spaniel, the first trio was birthed in 1868, to be exact – named Cowslip, Crocus, and Primrose.

These dogs are considered one of the most loyal and family-friendly dogs in the world – and are equally as smart. An exceptionally trainable dog, the Golden Retriever’s ancestors have roots as incredible hunting dogs – specifically in the sport of shooting waterfowl.

These dogs were exceptional at tracking the fallen birds, thanks to the keen sense of smell inherited from the Tweed Water Spaniel, and excellent in navigating the marshy wetlands – even swimming if they had to, to fetch their owner’s take. Hence, the name retriever seems fitting in these loyal canines’ case.

Currently, the Golden Retrievers hover somewhere in the top three-to-five most popular breeds each year for their ability to maintain a friendly temperament, gentleness with kids, and ability to follow commands and learn.

Poodle

An apricot-colored Poodle with a teddy bear clip
Poodle

As mentioned earlier, the Poodle comes in three different sizes – the mini, the medium, and the standard. Most dog owners aren’t aware of this fact, but the Poodle is actually the second most intelligent breed, only second to the Border Collie.

Because of this natural intelligence, they’re excellent dogs for first-time owners because of their relative ease in training. The Poodle is another extremely loyal dog and aims to please and compete with its owners.

They have a goofy side to them, which makes them even more interesting to own, as there’s rarely a dull moment.

Poodles also make incredible watchdogs, alerting owners to strange noises or the presence of a stranger. However, in contrast to other small breeds, the poodle is not a yapper and rarely barks for no reason.

Poodles love affection and often go well with other dogs. One owner had this to say regarding owning a Poodle:

 “They are amazing dogs. I recommend having multiple, as they are very social animals. You can get larger or smaller, depending on the breeder, as well as different colors, including multicolor (parti). Best advice I got was to make sure you go to a reputable breeder.

Poodles were insanely popular in the mid-twentieth century, and were overbred. So, you need to make sure all the proper precautions were taken to minimize health issues. Amazing, amazing dogs.”

Initially, the Poodle breed was created to be a hunting companion. Because of this history, they’re incredibly athletic dogs and remain great hunters, today.

Appearance

The parents of the Golden Bordoodle have a range of fur types: The longer, semi-thick hair of the Border Collie and the curlier, short but thick hair of the Goldendoodle.  

Border Collies generally are a mix of black and white, with slight traces of brown and even blue mixed in at times. They also have a rare coat color that is light-brown, almost purplish which is called lilac. Lilac Border Collies are absolutely stunning!

On the other hand, you have a wide range of potential colors for the Goldendoodle.

This leaves the Golden Bordoodle with a combination of looks, but typically sports a short-to-medium coat with anywhere from a blonde to brown and even black coat.

Size

The size of the Golden Bordoodle is typically that of a medium-sized breed, usually falling somewhere between 40 and 50 pounds. That said, the final size varies slightly, depending on what category the Poodle ancestor falls under.

Traits & Characteristics

Visual summary of the traits and characteristics of the Goldendoodle-Border Collie mix

Temperament & Personality

This is one of the most appealing elements of the Golden Bordoodle. All of their ancestors are extremely smart – with two of those three considered the number one and two smartest dogs in existence.

In addition, they make loyal pets that are friendly with other dogs, strangers, and children. The temperament of the Golden Bordoodle also makes it easy to train.

Common Health Issues

Luckily, there aren’t many common heath issues that plague the Golden Bordoodle or its parents and grandparents.

That said, an owner should keep an eye out for the following conditions:

  • Hypothyroidism
  • Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Trapped neutrophil syndrome
  • Progressive retinal atrophy
  • Epilepsy

Reputable breeders will have the parents examined by a veterinarian for any potential health issues before allowing them to breed. This is important so that the litter will be at a lesser risk of inheriting any breed-specific diseases.

Lifespan

The expected lifespan of the Golden Bordoodle follows suit with their parents, who typically have above-average health, and a well-kept version of this breed should have no problem living until 12-17 years old.

Final Thoughts

The Golden Bordoodle is a unique breed with a very rare genetic position. With the two most intelligent breeds that make up two-thirds of their direct lineage, the affinity for training, learning, and loyalty are these dogs’ strengths.

In addition, their gentleness, playfulness, and thirst for affection also make them excellent family dogs.

Check these posts out!

If the Golden Bordoodle caught your interest, then you should check out these other unique Goldendoodle mixes:


Kevin is a proud Bernedoodle owner and Doodle dog fanatic. Read how a chance encounter with two Bernedoodles spurred a lifelong passion here. If you want to get in contact with Kevin, you can send him a message.

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