Breed guide
Border Collie Breeding Guide: Litter Size, Whelping, Puppy Weights and Health Testing
Updated September 6, 2026 · 6 min read · By the BreedBloom team
Border Collies are the working sheepdog par excellence, with a growing list of DNA-testable recessive diseases. Because the breed is split between working and sport/show lines, buyers will ask about both the tests and the dog's actual working ability.
Border Collie at a glance
Typical litter size
4–8 puppies (average around 6)
Birth weight
10–14 oz (280–400 g)
Adult weight
30–55 lb (14–25 kg)
Gestation
About 63 days from ovulation (57–72 from breeding)
Whelping
Efficient free-whelpers and excellent mothers. Merle-to-merle must be avoided.
Breeding and whelping notes
CEA, TNS, NCL and IGS are all lethal or serious recessives with reliable DNA tests; carrier matings are avoidable.
Merle exists in the breed; a merle should only be bred to a DNA-confirmed non-merle.
Early-onset deafness occurs; BAER test puppies.
Puppies need mental work early; families should be screened for the time and space to provide it.
Health testing before breeding
•
Hips: OFA or PennHIP
•
Eyes: annual CAER exam
•
DNA: CEA/CH (Collie eye anomaly), TNS (trapped neutrophil syndrome), NCL (CL5), IGS (imerslund-gräsbeck), MDR1, SN (sensory neuropathy)
•
Hearing: BAER test
•
Elbows: OFA
Keep the paperwork attached
Test results are only useful when they travel with the dog. Keep certificate numbers and dates on each dog's record and include copies in every go-home packet.
Tracking a Border Collie litter
Enter the ovulation or tie date and BreedBloom builds the Border Collie litter timeline: ultrasound window, X-ray count reminder, temperature checks, the day 3–16 ENS/ESI schedule, deworming and vaccination tasks, and per-puppy weight curves you can compare against the whole litter. Families follow along in the BloomPetz portal, and the go-home packet is assembled from the same records.
About these figures
Figures on this page are typical ranges drawn from breed club and veterinary references; individual lines vary. Confirm health-testing requirements with your breed's parent club, and whelping plans with your reproductive veterinarian.
Frequently asked questions
How many puppies do Border Collies have?
Typically 4–8, average around 6.
What DNA tests do Border Collie breeders do?
CEA/CH, TNS, NCL (CL5), IGS, MDR1 and sensory neuropathy are the common panel, alongside hips and annual eye exams.
Run your program on BreedBloom
Dogs, litters, puppy weights, ENS/ESI tasks, waitlists, contracts and go-home packets in one connected record, with a family portal built in. Free for up to 3 dogs.
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