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Temperament Both breeds are highly energetic, brilliant, and friendly.īoth the Border Collie and the Australian Shepherd are intelligent workaholics. The Australian Shepherd’s eyes can come in many different colors and he is more likely to have one eye of each color compared to the Collie, this is called heterochromia. The Australian’s tail is usually long however, he is sometimes naturally born with a bobbed tail. The Australian Shepherd’s coat is usually long and dense with an undercoat and an outer coat to protect him from the elements. The Collie’s coat can come in both short and rough varieties, and his tail is long and plumed.
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The Collie clearly wins on the color contest, however with all the different color variations on both breeds, more so than your average pooch, you really are spoilt for choice! Whereas the Australian Shepherd is officially recognized in only four colors:įurther to the variety of colors, there are also several different markings that their coat can take on the Collie has seven different markings and the Australian Shepherd has only three. The Border Collie comes in a wider variety of colors: The colors in which the two breeds are available vary. The Australian Shepherd is heavier at an average of 10 pounds.
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They are both considered to be medium-sized dogs and are almost the same height give or take one inch. This is might be due to the fact that the Australian Shepherd was bred from the Collie centuries ago, although this is not officially recorded. The Border Collie and the Australian Shepherd look very similar. Appearance The Border Collie and Australian Shepherd are often confused for one another. The Australian Shepherd is used to herd sheep and cattle alongside the tough cowboys that created them, however, this cowboy’s comrade is also a popular family dog and has been ranked as the 17th most popular breed by the AKC. However, he is no more Australian than he is Spanish or Scottish, and really is more American!Īustralian Shepherds are also popular with the designer dog crowd, being bred recently with the Labrador to create the Aussiedor breed. It is presumed that as they had just arrived from Australia, they named him the Australian Shepherd. It is believed that it was in North America that Americans created their perfect herding dog using the previously mentioned breeds. They are often compared to the Australian Cattle dog. The settlers realized they could not farm as they had wished due to central Australia’s arid landscape, and so they sailed to North America, along with other shepherds from Australia. The most agreed upon theory is that his ancestors were from the Pyrenees in Spain and the Scottish Highlands, whose shepherds sailed to Australia in search of better land. The Australian Shepherd dog has a somewhat confusing history, and there is much debate as to where he comes from. Australian Shepherd Aussies were also bred as herding dogs and are thought to be descendants of Border Collies. They are the Einstein of dogs! The Border Collie has been ranked by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as the 35 th most popular dog in America. The Border Collie has been ranked by Veterinarians as the most intelligent dog breed in the world, and if you have ever seen them in action then it is easy to see why. Because of the good nature of the Border Collie, they are a popular dog to cross with other dog breeds to make “designer dogs” like the Borador. Today’s Border Collie is agile and intelligent, bred to herd and work the rocky terrain of Wales and Scotland. Possibly the shortest history lesson ever but it is important here because the Border Collie was bred from the Roman’s large herding dogs and the Vikings proceeding herding dog, which we know to be the Icelandic Sheepdog. To understand the Border Collie we need a quick history lesson: the Romans invaded Britain in 43 A.D., then shortly after the Vikings invaded the Romans. Border Collie Border Collies were bred as herding dogs thousands of years ago. Not only does their history separate these two breeds, but so does the sea between their continents. Despite these similarities, there are some differences that set these guys apart. To the average eye, these guys look like brother and sister, and as they are both intelligent herding dogs they could almost be mistaken for the same litter.