CROSS BREED PROFILE: Labrador x Collie – Borado or Labracollie
Borado or Labracollie
A Labracollie is a Labrador Collie cross. This dog’s size will range from medium to large. It may or may not need a high degree of grooming, depending on the coat it inherits, but I think you should count on it.
There will be some shedding for sure. You will have an intelligent dog that is high trainable, loyal, loving, and good natured.
It will require daily exercise and will be good with children. A great family pet!
Here are some examples of what this cross may look like
What a variety!!
Thank you to Sandra Hampton for sending in these photo’s of her rescue baby Chloe, well done Sandra for rescuing a dog!
Chloe when rescued
Chloe a few months on
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From Sandra – Owner of Chloe above: The veterinarian can’t see the border collie in her, but I sure can. Her demeanor, her high energy, her tenacity, and her intelligence.
The first photo is when I rescued her form the dog pound. The others are as she developed into a beautiful, healthy, happy, active young lady. She is now 2. Thank you for your website.
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I saw your site and thought id send a photo in, here is a collie x lab called naboo the pictures are old ones he is now 3. Laura xx
Chloe rescued Evie when she was 8 weeks old this is a pic of her at 4 months
Here's a pic' of Harley @ 10months old on the old man of coniston, He's a very lively loving & loyal hound. Sent in by Baz Standish
Our Bailey is 2 years old in June and has many of the characteristics already mentioned. Just like our pure breed Labrador he is a wonderful pet and companion to us all and good with children if just a little excitable still. Thank you to the Taylor family.
This is 4 year old Bailey our gorgeous labXcollie. Sent in by Janet Robinson
My beautiful collidor Pippy who was a real angel, she left me on 20 April 2011. Sent in by Mef. Hilton
Hello, I just found your website and absolutely love it! I have what I believe to be a labracollie although I cannot be 100% because his mum was a rescue collie who was pregnant when she came from the kennel, but I realised a few years ago that it is more than likely that he is. You can see it in the set of his ears, forehead and eyes, and in his humongously stocky rib cage that is so common with labradors. Nugget is a gorgeous boy, he has all the stamina of a collie and can walk for many hours, but all the patience (and appetite) of a labrador. He is so perfect, he doesnt seek attention or get into peoples faces, he has always been happy just to find some corner to sit and chill out in, and then occasionally will get up and do the rounds to check up on what is happening; when we go out, he just likes to go with the flow, sniff about, say hello to the other dogs and their owners (who he will make an A line to if he knows they have treats) and then be on his way (hes never been a stick fetcher). He really is a dogs dog! He is 13 years old now and I still walk him 5 miles a day, although his hearing and eyesight is waning slightly. Nugget is the best, I love him so much, I have been so incredibly lucky to have such an easy going, adaptable, loving and intelligent dog. Sent in by Nell Abramczuk
Lorna Billington sent in this lovely photo of her Labrador / Collie Cross. My name is Jasper and I am 8 years old.
Sent in by Megan : My Lab collie cross is named Pippa and she's currently 11 years old. We got her when I was 9 years old which meant that I got to grow up with her, as a young puppy she was badly abused by her owner and she is now diagnosed to be nervous aggressive as well as having eyesight and hip problems as a result but she is now a happy and healthy dog who's full of life. Her most common personality trait is her barking, she will bark at anyone and everyone who dares to come near the house and we haven't had a quiet day since we got her. She's is extremely loving and affectionate to me and the rest of my family often curling up at our sides of giving us proper cuddles., She's my best friend. She love's to be near us all the time and even commits herself to lying at the in our drafty hallway over night so she can be as close to us as she can without coming upstairs. In some ways she seems a very soppy animal, always falling over even when she's stood still but most of the time she's very intelligent e.g. I once tried to do a dog intelligence test on her and she outsmarted the test. and she's very playful often dropping toys on your lab and then making her best effort to look as cute as possible. Pippa is a very special dog and an amazing blessing to our family.
This my beautiful collidor Pippy who I had to have put to sleep in April this year, here she is joining in the laugh of having her ears inside out, her rosebuds as I called them. She was a real dog angel who I miss tremendously. She never gave any trouble, I could take her anywhere, she wasn't destructive, aggressive or a barker, she lived to give love and pleasure, a dream dog, she was never ever miserable always happy. I miss you Pippy. Thank you for sharing MEF HILTON
Do you have an Labrador – Collie cross? If so, please write a comment and tell us about him or her.
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Email photos to info@getsetpet.co.uk with the words “Profile Labrador – Collie cross” in the subject line. Thank you.
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hmmmmmm, interesting post good to see some info on some of these new x breeds that are popping up
could these dogs be hyper and fast and full of energy?
Very much so!! I have one myself she is beautiful really loving but we had to train her not to ankle nip! She is very energetic and agile.
i had 1 of these dogs about 5 years ago. Scooby he was called he learnt so quickly an was so intelligent maybe 2 much so at times. Scooby was the best dog i every had, he had the intelligence of the collie bt the very laid back natur of the lab.
Teddy is a beautiful labrador collie cross. He is a very large dog – not really what we expected but he had huge paws as a puppie (like a lion) and he seems to have grown into them. Because of his collie eyebros and lab body people often think he is Alsastion or even Rottweiler and a few people in the park have backed their dogs away from him but he is a gentle and intelligent giant who just wants to play. Collie and Labrador seem to bring the very best of both breeds together. We love him very much.
Milo is a Border/Lab mix, black with lab short hair and white chest markings. He’s 12 – and unquestionably the best dog I have ever had, and his only medical problem is cataracts.
Characteristics:
1) Smart – seriously smart. 2) Trainable 3) Absolutely loves water and playing fetch, particularly both together. 4) Moderately protective; he will bark at people he does not know, making him a good watch dog, but not a guard dog. 5) Affectionate, well-behaved. 6) Needs exercise. 7) This particular dog had some border tendencies as a puppy and would herd people/kids by running around them in circles. This moderated as he got a bit older.
He joined the family with a 5 and 8 year old boys. Was a very child-friendly dog – including with the neighbor children.
Very good dog. If you happen to get one in the litter, look for the ones that are calmer. This guy was the ‘slow mover’ in his litter, but that turned out to be “just right” in terms of his adult energy level and needs. A more energetic sibling would be better with more space to run and/or would be great to talk jogging or on walks.
Fantastic mutt!
I have a lab-collie cross she is 3 years old and is guide dog to our old terrier, she loves kids and playing with her frisbee she has endless energy loves going in the car and is the most loveable dog you could meet she will do anything for you and is a star
I have a lab/collie that has boundless energy and this is great for taking him out on runs (even on long bike rides). He has bags of character being extra loving although he is quite dozy (not the most intelligent dog I have come across); gets his head stuck in boxes or tries to climb trees which he subsequently falls out of. It’s like having another child; he’s constantly mucking around with things in a playful way and absolutely adores all children craving cuddles and attention – not so good when you have a nervous child with an ever-so large, stupid dog bounding up to them, and he’s not that clued up about his strength and will knock small kids flying. This means I always have to keep a watchful eye out, but most kids in the street know and love our dog and love going out on walks with him, cracking up when they see him jumping 10 ft in the air for a ball. The only gripe is his dominant nature, I have to watch him constantly with other dogs as he can bully them and push himself onto larger dogs aggressively. Nothing serious has happened although other dog owners rightly get upset due to the size of him causing regular confrontations. He is mostly dominant with puppies and young dogs so I am always on the alert for young dogs (I’m on pins all the time). My dog is so energetic he will run at 1000 miles an hour at people and dogs to play, so I try to keep constant control of him using treats. Nervous people can become quite aggressive towards me and this spoils the fun having a dog as I’m always on guard with him, having to watch out what’s round a corner putting him on and off the lead. I love my dog but am not sure I could cope with a twin. He does make me laugh everyday though, so if his energy was doused down a little, he would be the absolute perfect dog. I do agree with the comment about looking for a more docile version of this mix. Any suggestions about calming the blighter down would be very much appreciated.
I have had the blessing to own two labrador x collies and a more loyal, fun, beautiful and caring dog you could not wish to meet. The love that you get from this highly intelligent but sensible breed is vast and honest. Both of my girls I could take anywhere and although both had never lived with children or met children on a regular basis both were fantastic with children. No herding or nipping tendancies. These are dogs that you can naywhere with without worrying about how they will behave, I have stayed in bed and breakfast with no problems, travelled many miles in the car. The only problem with this ‘breed’ of dog is that you will become so attached to them that the inevtiable parting will be a heartwrenching day. Neither of my two collidors have been aggressive to anything they are so friendly even with stangers, easy to train and quick to learn. The two dogs I have owned have been from 8 weeks of age and I did not own them both at once, my last one shared the house very happily with a border collie girl, no ‘bitching’ would eat and sleep together, a sher pleasure to own and I am not an over enthusiastic dog walker who loves walking for many miles trying to tire my dog out I have never high energy levels to be a problem.
I have an 8 month old collie/lab called milo, we’ve had him since he was 8 weeks. Everyone warned us against it as my partner and i work full time and we have 2 small children and 2 cats. not ideal but we didn’t feel the family was complete without a dog, and I couldn’t decide on a lab or a collie. we finally settled on the cross because we knew we didn’t have time for a pure collie. Milo has turned out to be everything we wanted, he was easy to house train and it only took him 4 weeks to be completely clean even though we were out all day. He settled in well and adapted really easily to family life, he loves his crate and sleeps overnight with the dorr shut and doesn’t mind being shut in when the house is busy and im worried about im getting trodden on or something. He’s amazeingly easy to train and focuses only on my when i take him 9out, he looks at me for approval before greeting other dogs, he ignores other people unless they make contact with him first and is totally loyal. very friendly and not EVER beared his teeth or growled, brilliant with other dogs ad isn’t over the top when he says hello, easily called away. Within 2 months he’s learnt sit, lay down, off(me/sofa/stairs), leave(will leave anything you tell him or bring it to you if you ask him to get it, say woof, stay, to name a few. he loves his walks and sespecially swimming, and he loves playing fetch and catch, but he’s equally as happy to laze around and have cuddles, we dont walk him every day and he doesn’t seem bothered, although he does let you know when he wants to go out. So loving a cuddly, he’s truely the best boy we couldve hoped for, id have another one tomorrow if i had the space. His only vice is his shoe fetish!
We have rescued a collie/lab x who is now 17 weeks old he was 10 weeks when we got him he is adorably cute and i can see the intelligence in everything he does he is completely house trained and has been for a month he sits stays and fetches but has this habit of becoming hyper and nips and pulls at your clothes does anyone have any ideas as to how to stop this I
I have had Holly a Lab Collie X for the last 5 years since I rescued her at 11 months old and she is s super companion. We love long walks and she is especially happy when we are at the seaside and she can go swimming. She loves water. She has a typical Lab appetite and will eat almost anything so we have to watch her weight. She is also very vocal when anyone comes near to the gates of our house but she is very friendly to all who come to see us. I love her to bits and would definately have another cross.
Iam looking for two of these labrador cross collie (Collidors) pups to replace the one I lost in April this year. I am only interesed in bitches (not for breeding) and want them from 8-10 weeks of age. Does anyone know where I can view litters. Preferably in the North West. daily walks, big garden and tons of love awaits two special girls.
hi ive just got one of these she said she was 5 months old but s she is tiny also she has eaten her food fast any tips greatfully recived
Where did you get the dog from? Let her graze food ie leave a big bowl of food down and let her have it when she wants she will regulate her own intake once she realises that its not going to be taken away. This is actually a very good way to feed your dog but for some reason its not advocated. Please let us know if we can be of more help,
Perhaps collie x labs are hit and miss energy wise, but speaking from my own personal experience they really are a dogs dog! Mine is very easy going, and chilled out in the house, but has the stamina to walk for miles. Hes never been demanding of attention, but will do the rounds now and again to make sure everything is in order. Hes always been very loving, loyal and protective, but is also completely food orientated (which I imagine will be the lab in him, which combined with the collie scrounging has led to a few rubbish bin accidents hahaha). I think if I ever get another dog, it will be a collie x lab, Nugget has got me completely convinced that they are a superior breed ;]
With nippyness, ignoring them is a very good technique. This is perhaps a more potent reinforcement in training than even treats are. Something I have heard in general is that if the person being nipped does not engage with the pup in any way at all (which takes much discipline, especially as the results are not immediate but rather, the learning takes time to accumulate) but ignores them, the pup will see that this is something that will not bring them stimulation or attention (which is what they are looking for) and eventually stop. Soon, they will virtually cease to do it altogether after realising that it does not reap any benefits.
I didnt use the ignoring technique nearly enough when Nugget was a pup (13 yrs ago) Nugget was a bit nippy also, if it was an energetic over excited nip then Nugget always responded well to dominant style training combined with rewards for good behaviour. Dont reward them too often though, be sure to do it only when they have earnt it or else it will reinforce that they can do what they like (including nipping ankles). When I say dominant training I mean saying the word “no” with a sharp “I’m bigger than you and in control” voice, the tone of voice is the most important. I also trained Nugget with some dog style language, showing him my teeth whilst staring him out (which in dog language means that you are annoyed with them and might hurt them if they do not stop what they are doing), and occasionally nipping his ear (which some may think gross and/or cruel, but mother dogs do it to their puppies when they become difficult to handle however, this was 13 years ago and I cannot say whether I would have the gizzard to use this technique again, as I have become a bit of a softy in my old age).
If they are nipping out of nervousness, the only way is to use preventative measures. You need to learn to read when your dog is becoming nervous and reasure them when they are, by giving them cuddles/strokes and talking to them gently to calm them until you get to a stage where they become uninterested in what is happening and decide to go and investigate something else or just settle down.
Regarding my advise about using dog language, I think I should just stick a disclaimer in that I would not advise anyone to use these techniques with any grown dogs, especially ones that you do not know as it might confuse them and result in their attacking you.
All of this advise comes from knowledge gained from a long and diverse range of practical experience and undergraduate academic knowledge, which I am saying because I am aware that sometimes I talk as if I know more than I do. I have no qualification in animal psychology.
Despite this, I hope some of my advise might be helpful.
Nell
I must admit that I have always played with my dogs in dog ways, ie nipping thier ears and cheeks but not hard enough to make them yelp and my last dog Pippy absolutley loved this game, gently mouthing me back, never hurting me. But I would say that you REALLY have to know your own dog very well before playing or teaching in this way, as it may result in you getting bitten, this is not something that I could do with my collie as she would get confused and bite back. There has to have ben a great deal of boinding and trust with the dog beforehand.
I certainly would not advise trying to ‘rag’ a dog by the scruff of the neck as this does very often get misinterpretated by the dog and results in biting back or very nervous behaviour.
I have always found that nipping can be stopped at a very early age if you nip the dog back with fingers immediatley saying no or ouch, but this needs to be done in immediate response to the nip they have given you and can be done on the legs or body but do not nip too hard.
Enjoy your lab x collies they will give the greatest amount of love and loyalty and are real dog angels.
Hey here is a photo of my loving dog who passed away this summer. He was two years old and very intelligent. My boyfriend and I were training him to fetch geese and ducks and he did everything just to please me and everybody around him. He melted everyone’s heart right away and was the best dog I’ve ever known and I’ve known quite many through life. I miss him so very much. He was very smart and a quick learner. He was always clean and didn’t want to make himself dirty unless he needed to for example when he was fetching or swimming after things in water. He was so polite and knew exactly where he could be and which places were banned areas in the house, in the car and so forth. He was careful around children but loved to play with them. He played with my one year old little niece as if she was his little sister and took care of her and protected her from other dogs that were too big and clumsy around her. He was very calm but got excited and competitive around other dogs and did everything in his power to get the ball before others so he could give it back to me, even though the other dogs were a lot bigger than him. Other dogs respected him like he was the elder and wiser one, even though they could eat him in 5 bites. He never had to fight for respect because he knew his place and respected it, until he got the opportunity to seek for a higher level without anyone to noticing.
For example my aunts dog, who’s 5 times bigger and very strong and no dog dears to show him their teeth, my dog and him were best pall’s and mine got to eat from the other’s bowl and he even finished and pushed the big dog away. But their heart is so tiny and what they want most is to cuddle in my arms though the big one is way to big to fit 
He always wanted to sleep next to me and slept on the floor in my bedroom right beside my place in the bed, not my boyfriends, because I was his leader and he was protecting me. He was so loyal and if my boyfriend was telling him something, he looked at me as if he was waiting for my approval.
I loved him as my son and cried my eyes out when he died in a terrible accident this summer. I was looking forward for our future together he is irreplaceable. I’m not ready to have another dog because I’m afraid he won’t fulfill my expectations. But one day! I’ll be ready to get a new project to raise to be the best dog 
hi has anyone had a lab collie cross with a northern inuit? if so can u plz tell me if they get along well or if they r a bit nippy with each other?
Hi I have a 4year old collie cross lab who I wouldn’t change for the world. She has the best temperment with our two children and the best guarding skills with the postman!!!! I am hoping for pups in the next two months as I have just found a collie breeder, so watch this space!!!
hi, I have a short haired Lab/Collie. she turned up on our doorstep one day having followed my little brother home from he shop. She was starved almost to death and was barely able to stand. i took her in and stayed with her through the pain and suffering that the starvation had caused. i decided to call her Bella (Italian for beautiful) as despite her obvious flaws she had such beauty in her eyes and personality.From that moment on she was to become my best friend, my number two, my side kick. i have never met a more loyal dog in all of my life. from the moment i walk through the door to even sleeping at night she is by my side. on walks at night she keeps a look out and pulls her self up tall if a male passes by and on one night i was approached by a man who was a little too friendly for my liking but she saw him off good and proper. so a protector too. she loves everyone in my household and is brilliant with my mother who is disabled. she is always careful (as she is very heavy now) and understands that she can not sit on her lap. she plays everyday with my little brother, she loves playing fetch and being chased but is a meany for nicking plastic bottles be them full or empty little or large but that is a quirk that we love. she plays with our other dog who is a Chihuahua cross Pomeranian (little and large we call them) and she never causes her any harm. Despite her difficulties in the beginning she is now a free feeder and filling out well. she has a few bold patches from stress by they are starting to grow back. she is roughly 4X the weight she was when we got her and i wouldn’t change her for the world. I couldn’t ask for a better dog. when i get a moment i will send in some pictures of when we found her and how she is now.
The best anyone could ever wish for!!!!
Shannan Jay
What a lucky day for both you and your lovely dog the day she followed your brother home. These x breeds are the most beautiful dogs I have come across, having had two myself, both shorthaired. My first collidor would steal rubber balls from shops she loved them but was not obsessive, my second one was into plastic bottles, she loved to remove the lids and then the little plastic ring followed by the label. My first one was to me irreplaceable, when I had to have her put to sleep at the age of 17 years I couldn’t imagine ever having a dog that would be as wonderful as her but along came my second one who was even more wonderful in different ways, she never stopped giving love and pleasure she was never miserable, and just seemed to be getting better and better giving more love as each day passed even when she fell suddenly seriously ill she still remained an angel. The hardest thing I have had to do was finally saying to the vet that she had been through enough and her time had come, it was as if I died with her that day in April this year, she was only just 11 years old. Good luck with your lovely sounding dog and I know that you will never ever regret having taken her in, may you have her for many years.
For Hannah, Yes! These dogs tend to be extremely hyper. Which is less bad when it is a small boned border collie. But when it is a larger heavier lab look alike….. It can get to be a bit much. My border lab cross is 5 now. He is only beginning to leave puppyhood behind in his high activity level. He is a great guy though. Extremely smart. He outsmarts my husband who holds a phd in physics, on a daily basis. He loves his little brother a chihuahua yorkie cross….. And enjoys swimming and fetching. He is extremely smart…. But the high energy can be really hard to tolerate and deal with. There is simply no way to wear these things out! And they bounce off the walls. it is the only draw back to these dogs. I have had this guy save my life literally on more than one occasion. He is extremely affectionate very loving. He understands everything ina way i have never seen a dog do before and i have had several that were not particularly dumb in my lifetime. But, I have never encountered one that is affectionate and gentle like a lab and smarter than i am like a border and hyper like a border in a body that is bigger that makes the hyper very hard to deal with. These are great dogs if you can just find a way to deal with the hyper. If not, don’t get one of these dogs!