Known as the finest herding dog in the world, the Border Collie also ranks high in the looks department. DogAppy tells you everything you need to know about the official Border Collie colors and markings.
Did You Know?
The Border Collie’s double-layered coat can be smooth or rough. The smooth version is short, whereas the rough coat is medium-length and feathery. The coat is weather-resistant and requires moderate grooming.
Billed among the most intelligent dogs in the world, the Border Collie can be a fine companion to those who love the outdoors and follow an active lifestyle. If you happen to be a Collie fan, chances are that you already know about his piercing gaze that he deftly uses to herd cattle.
Besides being one gorgeous dog, the Border Collie is also very hardworking and somewhat of a workaholic. The American Kennel Club (AKC) breed standard allows all colors or combination of colors and/or markings for Border Collies. These include solid, bicolor, tricolor, merle, and sable, with no color or pattern preferred over another.
Border Collie Picture Gallery
BLACK
Black (black and white) is the most common color in Border Collies. The white coloring is present on the underside along with some parts of the face, whereas the rest of the body remains black.
CHOCOLATE
The chocolate Border Collies are called brown by some. A lighter hue of this is termed ‘red’. The pattern is similar to black Collies.
BLUE
Blue is another gorgeous color among this breed. It occurs when the gene which influences the color black gets diluted, resulting in a shade that is gray or slate with bluish undertones.
GOLD
Gold Border Collies may also be known to some as Australian Reds or yellow/tan.
TRICOLORS
Tricolors are quite common among Border Collies. They come in all solid colors―black, chocolate, red, blue, lilac, etc., and are paired with tan and white, making them tricolored. One can even find merle-patterned tricolors. Pictured here are the black tricolor (top) and the red tricolor (below).
SABLE
Sable dogs have cream- or tan-colored coats with dark tips. These sable markings are seen on some spots on the dog’s body.
Merle
Merle is a pattern, and not a color―along with the blue merle here, we’ve added pictures of red and blue tricolor merle collies to illustrate the point.
BLUE MERLE
RED MERLE
BLUE TRICOLOR MERLE
BLACK AND WHITE WITH TICKING
If you’re looking forward to bringing this beautiful dog home, you can check AKC’s official list of Border Collie colors and markings. Along with this, do ensure that you read up on the breed’s requirements and temperament to get a better understanding of the dog’s personality.
