Blue Border Collie (Ultimate Breed Guide)

The Blue Border Collie is a purebred dog originating from the Anglo-Scottish border that features a beautiful ash grey coat. While it is a rare coat colour for Border Collies, blue is recognised as a standard coat colour by many kennel clubs!

If you want to know more about Blue Border Collies, keep reading this article to find out the answers to all your questions about this coat colour!

Cover Image Credit: PxHere

What Is A Blue Border Collie?

A Blue Border Collie has a dusty-grey or ash grey coat with blue undertones which can range from a very light grey to a dark grey. Some are so dark that you have to put them into the sun to see their blue colour. Blue Border Collies typically have dark grey noses and their eyes are usually grey, brown or green. If the Blue Border Collie didn’t carry the dilution gene, their coat would have been black.

They usually have similar patterning to a Black and White Border Collie featuring a mainly blue coat with white patches on their chest, neck, muzzle, face and legs. However there are also other variations to the lilac coat such as the tri blue coat or blue merle coat.

Are Blue Border Collies Rare?

Blue Border Collies are very rare. Blue is the third rarest Border Collie coat colour after White Border Collies and Lilac Border Collies.

The main reason why Lilac Border Collies are so rare is because they have to carry a set of recessive dilution genes “d/d” which is difficult to breed for.

Many breeders also often avoid breeding Blue Border Collies due to health concerns as they can suffer from colour dilution alopecia (CDA) which causes dry skin, fur loss and itchiness.

Characteristics

Blue Border Collie Characteristics
Height	18 to 22 inches (45.7cm to 55.9cm).
Weight	30 and 55 pounds (13.6kg to 24.9kg).
Temperament	Lively, hardworking, intelligent.
Activity Levels	High.
Exercise Requirements	1 to 2 hours per day.
Lifespan	12 to 15 years.
Coat	Blue double coat.
Eyes	Grey, brown or green.
Shedding	Moderate to high.
Apartment Adaptability	Not suited to apartments.
Good with Children	Sometimes.

Genetics

Blue Border Collies either carry two copies of the black gene (B/B) and two copies of the dilute gene (d/d) or they carry one copy of the black gene (B/b) and two copies of the dilute gene (d/d). The black gene is dominant so they only need to carry one while the dilute gene is recessive so they need to carry two copies.

The parents of a Blue Border Collie would have had to have been solid black and carrying the dilute gene or have been blue themselves.

Coat Variations

Blue Merle Border Collie

Blue Merle Border Collies carry the merle gene which dilutes sections of their originally black coat to blue, grey and white. They feature the merle pattern over their body, tail, ears and sides of their face and have a large white patch over their chest. They also have white markings on their tail, legs, muzzle and down the middle of their head. Blue Merle Border Collies usually have black noses and can either have brown or blue eyes.

Tri Blue Border Collie

Tri Blue Border Collies have a mainly blue coat with white and tan markings. The white markings are located on their chest, neck, legs and face. The tan markings are very small and are on their eyebrows, muzzle, ears, back and tail. They look a lot like the typical Blue Border Collies however they have additional tan markings.

Blue and White Border Collie

Blue and white is the usual coat pattern for a Blue Border Collie. It is extremely rare to find an all-blue or solid blue Border Collie. Most feature some type of white markings whether that’s a tiny patch on their chest or all over their neck, chest and legs.

Price

Blue is one of the most expensive Border Collie coat colours. Most Blue Border Collies cost between $3000USD and $5000USD however some can be even more expensive.

Size

Blue Border Collies get to a height of 18 to 22 inches (45.7cm to 55.9cm) tall and weigh between 30 and 55 pounds (13.6kg to 24.9kg) when fully grown.

Temperament

Blue Border Collies are a high energy, intelligent and extremely hard working dog. For these reasons, Border Collies do very well in physically and mentally challenging environments such as farms where they can herd livestock and run around a lot.

Blue Border Collies require a lot more exercise per day than other breeds. If you can’t provide them with lots of play and exercise, they may become destructive out of boredom. Border Collies are also very intelligent so they pick up tricks very quickly and are quite easy to train. They should be socialised from a very young age, especially around young children otherwise they may be inclined to herd them.

Lifespan

Blue Border Collies have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years. There are many factors that affect the lifespan of a Border Collie including size, gender and whether they are desexed or intact. These variables mean they can have shorter or longer lifespans than the average.

You can give a Border Collie the best chance of living a long life by giving them plenty of daily exercise, feeding them healthy food and keeping on top of vet appointments.

Shedding

Blue Border Collies shed a moderate amount throughout the year and heavily twice a year during seasonal shedding when they lose their undercoat. Their coats consist of the outer layer of ‘guard hairs’ which are what give Border Collies their colour while their undercoat is white and very dense. The heavy shedding lasts for 2 to 3 weeks during spring and autumn when they lose their undercoat. They are not hypoallergenic as they produce a moderate amount of dander which irritates allergy sufferers.

Name Ideas

Male Blue Border Collie Names	Female Blue Border Collie Names
Blue	Beryl
Buddy	Berry
Navy	Billie
River	Pearl
Slate	Iris
Cobalt	Sapphire
GhostDory	Skye
Azure	Lilla
Capri	Marina
Icy	Bubbles