Golden Retriever vs Border Collie: Notable Differences (With Pictures)

Choosing a canine companion can be challenging, but if you are looking for a medium to large dog that is intelligent, beautiful, active, and affectionate, you can’t go wrong with either the Golden Retriever or the Border Collie. However, they both bring different traits to the table, and their traits will determine which is right for you.

A Goldie will bring an element of grace and calm with a touch of playful exuberance. They will be your ultimate companion and know precisely when you need a little doggy love. A Border Collie is a high-energy pup that loves adventures and requires plenty of patience and training to handle. However, both dogs make excellent pets.

Visual Differences

At a Glance

Golden Retriever Overview

Often called “Goldies,” Golden Retrievers are near the top of the list of the most popular canines in America. They are medium-sized, sporting dogs recognized by their thick, lustrous golden coat, intelligent eyes, thick graceful tails, and powerful but gentle presence.

Personality and Temperament

Golden Retrievers are loved for their gentle and calm demeanor and are friendly, loyal, and smart. They love attention and often gently nudge their owners to continue petting them. Their playful and sweet puppy nature doesn’t decrease during adulthood, and they are a happy-go-lucky breed that is reliable and devoted.

Training and Exercise

Golden Retrievers are high-energy pups and must exercise at least 2 hours a day to ensure they are happy and healthy. It is best to split exercise sessions into two sessions a day so that your dog doesn’t get too tired too quickly. They make great companions for long walks, runs, or bike rides and love a good game of fetch with their owner.

As with all breeds, puppy training sessions and early socialization are recommended. Goldies are eager to please their owners, so obedience training shouldn’t be difficult. They are intelligent, easy to train, and food motivated, which is helpful for positive training.

Health & Care

Golden Retrievers are typically a healthy breed with a lifespan of 10—12 years. However, like all canines, they can be predisposed to specific health issues such as hotspots, dermatitis, hypothyroidism, elbow and hip dysplasia, eye conditions, heart disease, and cancer. A predisposition doesn’t mean that a dog is guaranteed to suffer from any of these conditions, but it is vital as a dog owner to know what is possible so that you can provide the best care. Annual checkups with your vet are crucial to prevent and treat potential issues.

A high-quality, well-balanced diet is also crucial for a healthy and happy Goldie. Ask your vet for brand recommendations and portioning tips to keep your Goldie healthy.

Grooming

Golden Retrievers have dense coats and sensitive skin, so grooming is essential in their care routine. Regularly check your pup’s skin for hotspots or any other issues, and if you spot something unusual, make an appointment with your vet.

Goldens shed heavily twice a year, when their coats need extra attention, and moderately throughout the rest of the year. Brush your Golden at least once a week to remove loose hairs and prevent matting, and pay special attention to the hind limbs, tail, and behind the ears.

Like other breeds, Golden Retrievers only need an occasional bath. If your Golden loves the outdoors, dry shampoo or doggy wet wipes can keep their coat clean between bath times.

Golden Retrievers are prone to ear infections and need their ears cleaned every 2–3 weeks or after swimming or bathing. It is normal for Goldens to have a bit of eye discharge, which you can gently wipe away with a moist cloth. Your Golden will need their teeth brushed at least once a week and their nails trimmed regularly.

Suitable For:

Golden Retrievers are the ultimate family dogs. They love children and generally get along with other pets as long as they are socialized. They are full of energy but are happy to expel it by joining their owner for a walk, bike ride, or throwing a ball in the park. Golden Retrievers also have incredible emotional intelligence and are excellent therapy and service dogs.

They make perfect companions for those with anxiety or depression as they understand human emotions and have an energy that is so calm and healing. While they are ideal for a big family, they will also suit an active single looking for a companion and even a senior with the energy for long daily walks. They have moderate grooming needs, so they are most suited to owners who can handle lots of loose hair around the home and are willing to brush their coats and clean their ears regularly.

Border Collie Overview

Border Collies are the champions of herding and are known to be one of the smartest breeds in the world. They are medium-sized working dogs that are fast, nimble, and agile and love having a job to do. Their combination of high intelligence and high energy makes them suitable companions for someone with the time, patience, and experience to own one.

Personality and Temperament

Border Collies have a certain confidence about them. They are high-spirited, courageous, and always ready to go. They need to be active and have a job, but once the work is done, they are very happy to cuddle close and relax with their owner. Border Collies can be protective of their family and weary of strangers, so early socialization is vital. If they are not appropriately trained, they can develop behavioral issues such as nipping, herding, digging, and barking.

Training and Exercise

Border collies are very active and need at least 2 hours of exercise daily. They are very intelligent dogs and require mental and physical stimulation to stay healthy and happy. They’re ideal for active owners who enjoy running and hiking and participate in dog sports such as agility, herding work, and obedience training.

Border Collies thrive with advanced training, and their smarts will make them easy to train. However, they are intelligent enough to outsmart their owner, so their owner needs to be a firm trainer with incredible patience.

Early socialization and training are essential for raising a well-behaved, confident, and all-around well-mannered dog.

Health & Care

Border Collies are generally a healthy breed with a long lifespan of 12– 15 years. However, like all dogs, they are also predisposed to health conditions that their owner needs to be aware of to prevent them and keep them healthy. Border Collies are vulnerable to epilepsy, hip dysplasia, Collie eye anomaly, trapped neutrophil syndrome, and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.

Grooming

The Border Collie’s grooming requirements are moderate, and they need fewer nail trims than most breeds because of how active they are. Border Collies have medium-length double-haired coats. They shed but not in large amounts and may be bathed and brushed at home regularly to keep their coat clean and free of knots.

Their coat also protects their skin, keeping it healthy so they don’t need special skin care regimes. They need their teeth brushed at least twice a week, and their ears must be regularly checked for wax build-up or debris from being outdoors.

Suitable For:

Border Collies are suitable for active families who spend several hours outdoors daily. They are generally good with kids but can be prone to herding and nipping if they are not properly socialized. Border Collies need a large, fenced yard where they can run around and play games and require a lot of attention from their owner. Because they are so intelligent, they can be easily trained. However, they can also outsmart their owner, so someone experienced is better suited. They also thrive as farm workers, especially for a farmer who needs a herder.

Which Breed Is Right for You?

The Golden Retriever and Border Collie are intelligent and easy to train. However, the Border Collie is better suited for an experienced owner. A Golden Retriever has more emotional intelligence, which makes them a great therapy dog and companion.

Both breeds are active and need a fair amount of exercise, but the Border requires much more than the Golden Retriever. Border Collies need lots of physical and mental stimulation and require an interactive owner who can provide vigorous exercise and not just a stroll in the park. A Golden Retriever will be happy after a long walk or bike ride and a game of fetch.

A Golden Retriever may be the better option if you are a family with kids. While both breeds are affectionate, Golden Retrievers are calmer and more sensitive, whereas a Collie may be too boisterous and have a tendency to herd small kids.

Whether you choose a Goldie or a Border Collie, both will need high-quality diets, early socialization and training, daily exercise, and lots of love.

See Also:

• English Shepherd vs. Border Collie: The Differences (With Images)
• Golden Retriever vs Labradoodle: Surprising Differences (With Pictures)

Featured Image Credit: Top – Shayna Douglas, Unsplash | Bottom – BIGANDT.COM, Shutterstock