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Border Collies are smart. In his 1994 book “The Intelligence of Dogs”, canine intelligence expert Professor Stanley Coren, identifies the energetic Border Collie as the most intelligent dog of all breeds. By contrast, Coren says the Whippet is the 50th most intelligent breed. It would be interesting to know where the Whippet Border Collie mix might appear on his list!
With very different parent dogs, bred for completely different purposes, the Collie Whippet cross makes for a very interesting mix.
The Whippet is a sighthound hunter, bred for its speed and ability to catch small prey. The Border Collie is a shepherd, historically bred as a working dog to herd livestock.
In this post I’m going to discuss Whippet Border Collie mixes by focusing on the following areas:
Table of Contents
- Whippet Border Collie Mix Appearance
- Temperament
- Health
- Exercise & Care
- Whippet Border Collie Images from Instagram
- Summary
Whippet Border Collie Mix Appearance
As I always advise, the appearance, as well as personality, of any Whippet mix can vary enormously. Since Collie Whippet crosses are the result of breeding two separate dog breeds, their appearance is not a given.
Both Whippets and Border Collies are medium-sized dogs. In terms of specific size information, a Whippet Collie may fall between 18″ to 22″ (45cm to 56cm) and possibly weigh 25lbs to 55lbs (11.5kg to 25kg).
Where Whippets are likely slightly taller and more lean, Collies are shorter and stockier. However, both dog breeds have athletic builds
Border Collies have a much thicker coat than Whippets. In fact they have a double-coat, which can be rough or smooth, which sheds both year round and seasonally.
As a consequence, it’s difficult to predict what the coat of a Whippet Collie mix puppy will be like. Purebred Whippets don’t shed very much. But because of the Collie genes in the mix, it’s likely that a Whippet Collie will shed more frequently.
Whippets have short fur, so combining the two breeds can result in a coat of medium thickness. Since Whippet and Collie coats can have a range of colours, again it’s hard to predict what the resulting colour of mixing a Whippet with a Border Collie will be.
Whippets come in a wide variety of gorgeous cross breeds. Find out more about Whippet mixes in my super detailed guide!
Collie Whip Temperament
Whippets are categorised in the sighthound family. As such they have a very strong prey drive and will chase anything that takes their fancy!
They are a very affectionate breed and love spending time with their family. They can be a little aloof but once they know you, they accept you as an extension of their pack.
Many people know Whippets as couch potatoes but this isn’t strictly true. Whippets enjoy good walks (with bouts of sprinting) and playtime at home. However, a well-exercised Whippet will then spend most of the day lounging around in and out of sleep.
Border Collies are very loyal, attentive and make great family pets. They’ve been bred to be working dogs and so have bags of endurance and energy. Additionally, since they’re highly-intelligent they require more mental entertainment than most other breeds.
They have a strong herding drive, which is why they’re a favourite of farm owners to help manage the movement of livestock. Their endurance, alertness and intelligence mean they need to keep busy!
I’ve heard it said that Whippet Collies are higher energy than purebred Whippets but less scatty than Collies!
A Whippet Border Collie mix will probably result in a very even-tempered, loving and people-friendly dog that will be ideal in a family environment.
Health
It’s always hard to predict specific health issues likely to affect crossbred dogs. Whippets and Border Collies both tend to have predispositions to certain health problems, which may or may not be passed onto a Whippet Border Collie mix.
The following lists detail the health issues generally associated with both breeds.
Whippets
- Canine Hemangiosarcoma
- Canine von Willebrand’s Disease
- Deafness
- Mitral Valve Degeneration
- Allergies
- Sinus problems
Border Collies
- Collie Eye Anomaly
- Border Collie Collapse
- Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- Hearing Loss
- Elbow Dysplasia
The life expectancy for a Whippet is 12 to 15 years, whereas that of a Border Collie is 10 to 17 years. We might assume the life expectancy for a Whippet Border Collie that’s well looked after could be between 10 to 17 years.
Exercise & Care for a Whippet Border Collie Mix
Given the sighthound and working dog parentage, a Whippet Collie will need plenty of exercise if they’re to remain healthy and happy.
Adult Whippets need up to an hour of “off the leash” exercise each day. This should include opportunities for them to run around with other dogs or chase after toys.
By contrast, adult Collies require around 1.5 to 2 hours… though more than this is not discouraged! Border Collies are high energy dogs that are more than capable of spending many hours outside each day to sniff around, use up their energy and herd things!
The combination of both breeds in Whippet Collie crosses will likely mean they need 1 to 2 hours each day off the leash. As importantly, you’ll need to provide plenty of mental stimulation to satisfy a Collie Whip’s intelligence.
It’s worth noting that any dog that’s not given a suitable amount of exercise can become unhappy and destructive at home. This can be especially true of intelligent dog breeds.
Whippets can require dedication to train since they can be quite independent. Collie’s on the other hand relish the challenge of training and are considered very somewhat easier to adapt to training. A Border Collie Whippet cross will probably then be easier to train than a pure Whippet.
Neither Whippets nor Collies enjoy long periods of time spent at home on their own. If you plan on leaving your dog alone for much of the day, this too might result in destructive behaviours.
In terms of grooming, a Whippet Collie will shed more than a Whippet, though the fur it sheds will also be far more apparent since its coat is thicker. Whippet Collies mixes will need regular grooming every 1 to 2 weeks, though more frequent grooming will be required during spring and autumn.
If you suffer from dog allergies you should note that Collies and Whippets are not hypoallergenic.
Whippet Border Collie Images from Instagram
If you want to know what a Whippet Border Collie mix looks like, here are a few images to fawn over from Instagram!
Summary
High-energy, intelligent and loyal, the Whippet Border Collie mix will make a great family dog for those able to provide lots of exercise and playtime.
With a solid routine, lots of quality time and a loving home, a Collie Whippet should be a happy and content dog that provides close companionship and loyalty.
Related Posts:
- The Whippet Husky Mix
- A Guide to Bedlington Whippets
- Whipoodles: The Whippet Poodle Mix
- Whiphunds: A Detailed Guide to the Whippet Dachshund Mix
- The Whippet German Shepherd Mix
- Say Hello to the Jackawhip: The Whippet Jack Russell Cross
Do you own a Whippet Border Collie mix? Or perhaps you simply love Collie Whips? I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
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Martha Allan-Hand says
I have a seven month old collie whippet x. Dad was a whippet, mum a collie. I’ve always had collies or collie x they are brilliant dogs. However Tess is intelligent, funny and the speed of her dad and the stamina of her mum. She is a one in a million dog for sure.
Colin says
I have the opportunity to have a 1/4 Collie 3/4 Whippet cross.
I’m in love with the puppy, still only 6 weeks old, but am a little concerned for our 17 year old cat. She is still reasonably healthy but does sleep a lot, occasionally having the zoomies up the stairs if something makes her jump in the back yard. If we introduce them while the pup is still small (12 weeks) what is the likelihood they will get on please?
I know you can’t speak for a specific dog, but just wondering about general spirit of this type of cross.
Debbie says
Our Bella could definitely be a Whippet Collie mix. We rescued her when she was 4 and we have had her for 3 years. She is extremely smart, very loyal, she stays by our side off leash, will heard children or smaller dogs, loves running and playing catch and is extremely well behaved.
She gets to go to work with her dad so is hardly ever alone and is a great companion. She often naps when not busy. She has the Whippet face and waistline but her coat, tail and ears are Collie. I wish I could include a picture!
Thank you for your information. We found it helpful identifying Bella’s breed.
paulf says
Hi Debbie. I’m glad you enjoyed reading my post and I’m delighted you found it so helpful.
Bella sounds absolutely adorable and it’s great she’s found such a caring home!
Susan Garnett says
We have a whippet cross blue Merle who is adorable. He’s just over 3 month old. He loves to be cuddled and playing with his toys (and anything else he can get his teeth into). He has been with us for four weeks and in that time he sleeps in his crate all night no problem and sometimes during the day (we cannot go out of the room for any length of time or it will be trashed). He has learnt to sit, paw, lie down and stay. He has great recall. Loves to run on the fields behind the house and chase his disc. He’s not keen on traffic or lead but getting used to both a bit better. He is so sociable with people and dogs. He has zoomies 3 times a day but they do tire him out. He eats and drinks well. Just about toilet trained, stands at the door to go out. He is absolutely gorgeous, a handful too but we live him so much , he has made a huge impact on our lives already ❤️🙏🏻❤️
paulf says
He sounds lovely Susan and it sounds like he’s settling in with you guys perfectly!
Pat Hoyle Daniel says
I do believe Abbey is a whippet/border mix! She is so very different from any other dogs that have owned us:)
paulf says
Ha! It’s so true Pat… it’s very hard to know who is the owner and who is really the pet!