Lilac Border Collie (Ultimate Breed Guide)

The Lilac Border Collie is a purebred dog originating from the Anglo-Scottish border. They have a super pretty coat featuring a light dusty brown with purple undertones. While lilac is a rare coat colour for Border Collies, it’s recognised as a standard coat colour by many kennel clubs!

If you are interested in Lilac Border Collies, keep reading this article to find out the answers to all your questions about this dog breed!

Cover Image Credit: Photo by Ayla Verschueren on Unsplash

What Is A Lilac Border Collie?

A Lilac Border Collie has very light brown fur that has dusty purple undertones. Their coat would have been a deeper shade of brown if not for the presence of the dilution gene.

They usually have similar patterning to a Black and White Border Collie featuring a mainly lilac 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 solid lilac coat, tri lilac coat and lilac merle coat.

Lilac Border Collies are also sometimes called Lavender Border Collies however “lilac” is the more commonly used name.

Lilac Border Collie Characteristics

Lilac Border Collie Characteristics
Height	45cm to 56cm.
Weight	13kg to 25kg).
Temperament	Lively, hardworking, intelligent.
Activity Levels	High.
Exercise Requirements	1 to 2 hours per day.
Lifespan	12 to 15 years.
Coat	Lilac double coat.
Eyes	Blue, hazel or green.
Shedding	Moderate to high.
Apartment Adaptability	Not suited to apartments.
Good with Children	Sometimes.

How Rare Are Lilac Border Collies?

Lilac is one of the rarest Border Collie coat colours. The main reason why Lilac Border Collies are so rare is because they have to carry two sets of recessive genes b/b and d/d which does not occur very often.

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

Genetics

Lilac Border Collies carry two copies of the brown gene (b/b) and two copies of the dilute gene (d/d). This coat is quite rare as it requires two sets of recessive genes.

Coat Variations

Solid Lilac Border Collie

Solid Lilac Border Collies feature an all lilac coat and do not have any white markings or other patterns. They are extremely rare.

Tri Lilac Border Collie

Tri Lilac Border Collies have a mainly lilac 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 Lilac Border Collies however they have additional tan points.

Lilac Merle Border Collie

Lilac Merle Border Collies have a lilac, beige, cream and white coat in a mottled pattern. Most of their coat is a beige-grey and they feature small lilac and white patches throughout it. They also usually feature a large white patch on their chest, neck, legs and muzzle.

Lilac Merle Border Collies look a lot like Red Merle Border Collies however the dilute gene is expressed which makes their coats significantly lighter. They are usually created by breeding a merle Border Collie with a non-merle Border Collie that has two recessive dilute genes.

Lavender Border Collie

Lavender Border Collies are the exact same as Lilac Border Collies. Lavender is just another name for the same coat colour.

Lilac Border Collie Price

How Much Are Lilac Border Collies?

Lilac is one of the most expensive Border Collie coat colours. Most Lilac Border Collies cost between $2000AUD and $4000AUD+ however some can be even more expensive.

Size

Lilac Border Collies get to a height of 45cm to 55cm tall and weigh between 13kg and 25kg when fully grown.

Temperament

Lilac 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.

Lilac 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 socialized from a very young age, especially around young children otherwise they may be inclined to herd them.

Lifespan

Lilac 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

Lilac 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 color 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.

Lilac Border Collie Names

Male Lilac Border Collie Names	Female Lilac Border Collie Names
Alfie	Ashley
Buddy	Indigo
Sully	Billie
Ajaz	Lavender
Slate	Isla
Ashton	Ella
Ghost	Maeve
Dusty	Lilla
Casper	Violet
Zayn	Rose