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Is My Dog an Australian Shepherd or Border Collie?

by Patricia
(Cincinnati, Ohio)

Hello! I bought little Finn at 15 weeks old from an Australian Shepherd breeder that did not register his pups. Not a problem for me but with Finn getting older (he's 7 months now) he seems to have more of a Border Collie appearance than an Aussie.

I'm fine if he's part or all Border, I love both breeds. I'm just curious because when asked I want to know what he is. He's a great pup, I love him to the moon.

I've ordered a DNA kit but wanted your opinion as well.

Thank you!

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Thank you both!
by: Patricia

He’s a mini and currently weighs 26lbs. The breeder was questionable. He stated the parents were sleeping with the sheep (it was 9:30 at night) and since he honestly had a sheep farm I believed him. I had called the vets and pet stores in the area before going on the 3.5 hour drive to see if they knew if it was a puppy mill but all of them said he didn’t sound familiar as being one. Finn’s snout seems a bit narrower than an Aussie and he’s very lanky. He seems to have those intense Border Collie eyes. I’m taking him to the vet later this week so they can swab him, I can’t hold him down and swab for 30 seconds, it would be like an MMA match. I’ll let you know when I get the results back. Again, thank you both!

Maybe A Mix Of The Two???
by: Elizabeth

Your dog (he's absolutely beautiful by the way) looks like a mix between the two. I'm not 100% sure though. A DNA test will definitely be helpful. An Aussie and Border Collie are very similar in appearance, so it's hard to tell. An Australian Shepherd typically has a naturally bobbed tail (although there are some out there that aren't), while the Border Collie has a plumed tail. If you got your dog from a reputable breeder, the dam should've been available to meet, and the breeder probably would've given you info about the sire upon request (like his appearance and whether he was a purebred).

It doesn't matter if your dog is registered or not. Some breeders don't register their pups but their pups still meet the requirements to be registered for their breed. My dog wasn't registered when I got her, but I knew she could be if I wanted to. I was able to see photos of both parents, and I even got to meet the sire (I wasn't able to meet the dam, though she was available to meet and was on the property, she was just shy). So I knew 100% that she was a purebred.

Another thing is, what is his size? Particularly his weight? Australian Shepherds tend to be a little more stocky and they weigh a little more than Border Collies. (Although it could be difficult since he is still growing).
Altogether though, I would trust the breeder's word for it. Again, if he's a reputable breeder, he would've done tests on the parents.

What breed is he
by: Anonymous

First, DNA kits are sometimes proven to be way off the mark so take it with a grain of salt! Your guy looks typical Aussie pup to me, from the ear set to the broadish head and snout. Also Aussie pups can be tall skinny and gangly as teenagers. He looks a lot like my purebred did in structure at that age.

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