You’ve probably heard about and know the Rottweiler and the Border Collie, but have you heard about the Border Collie Mix? If you haven’t, this article will tell you all you need to know about the animal.
In This Article You Will Read About
What is the Rottweiler Border Collie Mix? This dog is a hybrid and as the name suggests, the product of the cross between a Rottweiler and a Border Collie. Both parents are energetic, a trait which the hybrid inherits, together with other traits that we are going to look at.
First, let’s talk about the features and characteristics of both the Rottie and the Border Collie to see the traits that the Rottweiler Border Collie Mix could inherit.
Features of the Rottweiler and Border Collie
Rottweiler
If you’ve seen a Rottweiler before, you’d know that these dogs are on the large side. Rottweilers, or Rotties for short, weigh up to 80 pounds to 135 pounds as adults. Female Rotties weigh less than male ones at 80 pounds to 120 pounds, while males weigh as much as 135 pounds.
The height of these animals ranges from 22 inches to 27 inches, with females typically being shorter than males at 22 inches to 25 inches. Rottweilers have unmistakable fur colors. This color is typically black with tan markings on the belly, face, paws, and legs.
Image by Rebecca Scholz from Pixabay
As for temperament, this breed has a remarkable temperament that causes individuals and families to fall in love with the dogs. The temperament of a Rottie includes playfulness, protectiveness, loyalty, intelligence, devotedness, courageousness, good-naturedness, goofiness, and obedience. These traits make the Rottie a great choice for individuals and families who are looking for a guard dog that is large and affectionate.
You can depend on your Rottie to defend your home and family against intruders and threats as the animal’s size and loud bark on sighting intruders is enough to deter them.
Border Collie
The Border Collie is an energetic, medium-sized dog breed with a muscular build. This breed is a working one, as Border Collies were once used to herd sheep because of their stamina and energy. With a life span of 12 to 15 years, you can expect your dog to live for a good number of years with you if you take proper care of the animal by providing adequate food, care, and exercise.
Border Collies have an average height of 18 inches to 22 inches as adults and can weigh as much as 30 pounds to 45 pounds. These dogs are easy to train, because of a high level of intelligence and active nature. The traits of a Border Collie include alertness, hardworking nature, intelligence, stubbornness, and energetic nature.
Image by Tricia Winwood from Pixabay
It is best to keep in mind that this breed will not be good for you if you do not need a hyper and active dog. Being a hard-working breed, the Border Collie will quickly get bored sitting around all day, and so, you need to be able to carry out activities with your dog that will keep the animal occupied.
The American Kennel Club says this about the Border Collie, “A remarkably bright workaholic, the Border Collie is an amazing dog—maybe a bit too amazing for owners without the time, energy, or means to keep it occupied. These energetic dogs will settle down for cuddle time when the workday is done.”
Features of the Rottweiler Border Collie Mix
This dog hybrid is also called the Border Rottie, and the animal inherits the Rottweiler and Border Collie’s active and energetic natures. One cannot rightfully guess the exact characteristics that this animal will inherit from both parents since they have different looks and temperaments. However, the Border Rottie will inherit the coloring of the Rottie and a mix of the temperaments of both parents.
In size, the hybrid usually weighs anything between 30 pounds to 155 pounds. The wide weight difference between each Border Rottie is not surprising, considering the fact that the parents of this dog are not of the same size, and so the hybrid could take after one parent, or the other in weight, or could be in between. Most Border Rotties usually fall in between the given figures, though.
Credit @sweet_life_of_bunny_and_doggy
As for height, the Border Rottie would get as tall as 19 inches to 27 inches at the shoulders. This hybrid is more muscular and of a more sturdy build than the Border Collie, but is not as muscular as the Rottweiler. The coat length is medium in length like that of the Border Collie and has the Black with tan markings coloring of the Rottweiler’s coat.
The Temperament of the Rottweiler Border Collie Mix
Energetic: As mentioned earlier, the Border Collie is a very energetic animal. The Border Rottie inherits this trait in abundance. This energetic nature means that the animal has to be exercised as often as possible. Long walks outdoors and activities like going to the doggy park are recommended, together with games.
Protectiveness: The Border Rottie inherits the protective nature of the Rottweiler and is a great guard dog that you can depend on to protect you and your family.
Loyalty and affection: The Border Rottie is a very loyal dog when trained and socialized properly and will follow you around in affection and love. They can have a tendency to be wary of strangers as they have a strong guarding instinct, so it’s important to socialize them when they are young.
Goofiness and playfulness: The antics of this rid will get you and your family laughing, much like the way the Rottweiler’s behavior would. The Border Rottie will get along well with your children if you have them because of the dog’s playful nature.
Intelligence: Both the Rottweiler and the Border Collie are among the most intelligent dog breeds. It is a foregone fact that the Border Rottie will be an intelligent animal. This trait makes it very easy to train the animal, and you are sure to have fun doing it. The Border Collie has no problems understanding commands and obeying them.
Hardworking: Both parents of this hybrid are hardworking dogs, and the Border Rottie is also hardworking. The animal is always happy when there is something to do. If you go hiking frequently or carry out other activities like swimming, hunting, fishing, etc, your dog will be more than happy to follow you.
Undesirable traits of the Border Rottie include:
High energy: Because Border Rotties are dogs that love attention and require a lot of exercise they cannot deal with being cooped up at home all day long with no one to play and spend time with. This is why it is best not to get this hybrid if you are the busy type and do not have anyone to play with the animal or keep it company while you are gone for long stretches.
Health Challenges, Exercise Requirements, and Grooming Requirements of the Rottweiler Border Collie Mix
The Rottweiler and Border Collie both have health problems that they are susceptible to. The Border Rottie, being a hybrid, will likely be healthier than both parents, but it would be best to keep an eye out for any of the health problems that plague both parents.
On the side of the Rottie, health challenges that the Border Rottie may be susceptible to include:
· Hip dysplasia
· Elbow dysplasia
· Cancer
· Heart problems
· Osteochondritis disease
On the side of the Border Collie, the Border Rottie may inherit any of the health challenges below:
· Hip dysplasia
· Hypothyroidism
· Seizures
· Dental issues
· Neurological disorders like epilepsy
· Heart disorders
· Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Exercise requirements
All dogs, depending on how energetic the breed is, require some form of exercise or the other. The Border Rottie has a high energy level, and so requires a lot of daily exercises.
Dedicate at least one hour of exercise for your pooch daily to prevent the animal from becoming bored and destructive. Apart from walking your dog, ensure that you play different kinds of games, such as fetch and mental games with the animal.
Grooming
This animal is not a heavy shedder, and so you can get away with brushing the animal’s fur twice or thrice weekly. Brush your dog’s teeth frequently to avoid bad breath, and trim the pooch’s nails to avoid breakage. Baths should be given every six to seven weeks and not too often so that your dog’s natural oils are not stripped off.
Other Things to Know About the Rottweiler Border Collie Mix
Is the Border Rottie a good family pet? Yes. The affectionate nature of the Border Rottie, coupled with its loyalty, playfulness, and protectiveness makes the animal a good pet, even for people who have children.
Is the Border Rottie friendly with strangers? The animal might be a little wary of strangers, especially if not socialized. However, socialized Border Rotties are friendly enough with strangers that do not pose a threat to family members.
Does the Border Rottie do well with other pets? The dog should be fine with other pets living in the same house, although it is best if the animals are introduced to the Border Rottie as a puppy, and they grow together.
Is the Border Rottie a good guard dog? Yes. The dog gets this trait from the Rottweiler, which is also a very good guard dog. You can depend on your dog to alert you with a loud bark if the animal perceives any threat or sees any intruders.
Are Border Rotties good in small apartments? Border Rotties are large, active, and energetic dogs. This means that the dogs will do better in homes, especially ones with a fenced yard where the animal can roam about freely.
Conclusion
The Rottweiler Border Collie mix, like any hybrid, inherits a blend of traits from the Rottie and the Border Collie. A major characteristic which the animal gets from both parents is an energetic nature and affection for family members. This energetic nature means that you should only get this breed if you have the time to tend to its need and exercise it.
The affectionate nature of the Border Collie towards family members means that the animal will do its best to protect you and your family from threats and show you lots of love. Also, if you have kids, this dog will be a loyal companion for them and your entire family at large.
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