Are Border Collies Good Apartment Dogs? (What You Need To Know)

Border Collies are intelligent, loyal, and very protective of their families. You should consider adopting a Border Collie if you want a dog who loves to play, cuddle, and socialize.

These dogs are smart, friendly, and eager to please.

If you live in a busy city or a rural area, then a Border Collie might be perfect for you. They can adapt well to any lifestyle and thrive on being part of the family.

Border Collies are often used as service dogs because they have an excellent sense of smell. This makes them great at finding lost items, tracking down people, and even locating drugs.

Their intelligence allows them to learn new skills quickly, so they can become good therapy dogs.

In this article, we will be discussing whether a Border Collie would make a good apartment dog and if you should consider having one for your apartment. 

Is It Ok To Have A Border Collie In An Apartment?

A border collie loves to play, cuddle up with you, and is always excited to see you when you come home.

They are also very independent, however, they are more suited to living on a farm where there is lots of space and lots of things to do.

That’s not to say you can’t have a Border Collie in an apartment, but they do need a quiet environment.

If you live in a small apartment, then a border collie may not be the right choice for you. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that these dogs require lots of exercise and mental stimulation.

If you decide to get a border collie, then you should know that they are extremely active dogs.

They love to run around, explore, and chase balls. If you don’t give them enough opportunities to do all of those things, then they will grow bored and depressed.

So, make sure you provide them with plenty of toys, games, and activities.

Are Border Collies Good Indoor Dogs?

The best way to determine if a border collie would be suitable for indoor life is to ask yourself what kind of house you live in.

Do you have a big yard? Or do you have a small apartment?

If you have a large yard, then it’s much easier to let your border collie roam free. However, if you live in a small place, then you’ll be confining your border collie to one room or another.

Border collies are very agile and athletic dogs. Yet, they are also very sensitive animals and can suffer from separation anxiety.

Therefore, you should never leave your border collie alone in a room for long periods of time. Instead, try to find ways to entertain them indoors.

For example, you could set up a toy box and put some treats inside. Your border collie will enjoy playing with his favorite toys while they wait for you to return home. 

Can A Border Collie Be Left Alone For 8 Hours?

You should never leave your border collar alone for longer than eight hours. Even though they are very sociable and playful, border collies still need a lot of attention.

When you’re gone, they will miss out on all the fun stuff that they normally do.

In some cases, they will start to form separation anxiety and this could lead to destructive behavior or barking. 

Generally, most people can leave their Border Collie for around 8 hours if they have to go to work with no issues.

Yet, you must make sure that they still get enough exercise and give them plenty of mental stimulation while you’re away with toys and puzzles. 

Do Border Collies Need A Lot Of Room?

A border collie needs a lot of space to move around. This means that you cannot just throw them into any old apartment.

If you want to bring a border collie home, then you should first look at the size of the apartment.

If it’s too small, then you won’t be able to allow your border collie to run around freely. On the other hand, if the apartment is too big, then this might cause problems as well.

Typically, a border collie is a working dog that enjoys often seen on farms working and running around. They like space to be able to run around and to have some freedom.

They don’t mind smaller spaces, as they still receive that freedom in their daily walks. However, ideally, Border Collies like plenty of room.

Are Border Collies High Maintenance?

If you own a border collie, you probably already know how smart they are. Yet, did you know that border collies are actually quite high-maintenance dogs? It’s true!

These dogs need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy.

If you don’t give them enough opportunities to play and socialize, they can become bored and depressed.

That’s why it’s important to take good care of your border collie, so he stays happy and healthy.

When it comes to grooming a border collie, there are many things that you should consider. Foremost, you should brush them every day. This helps to keep their coat clean and shiny.

Then, you should trim their nails regularly. If you notice that their nails start to grow back quickly, then you should cut them short.

Finally, you should always check their ears and eyes for signs of infection.

Training a border collie is pretty easy. All you need to do is use positive reinforcement when teaching your border collie new tricks.

They pick up on things really easily, which is why they are often used as a working dog.

Alongside this, Border collies are great with children. They love to play and interact with kids. In fact, they are usually very gentle with children and even more so with babies.

As a result, they are often used as family pets.

Do Border Collies Bark?

Border Collies are known as a barking breed of dog. They are referred to as a visually stimulated breed, this means that they will bark a lot.

They will generally bark at anything that moves quickly, hence they can make great guard dogs. 

Alongside this, border collies like to be commutative, and they want their owners to hear what they have to say.

So, it is common for your border collie to bark when they want your attention, they are hungry, they feel lonely or playful.

However, this breed of dog is very intelligent, and you can train them to bark much less.

However, this should be done when the dog is a puppy to stop the habit before they are an adult, and it is part of their personality. 

You may wonder why border collies bark so much, yet this is due to them being bred as a herding dog. As a result, herding involves a lot of barking from the border collie.

Excessive barking isn’t all bad, at least you will always know you are safe with this dog. However, in an apartment, their barking may seem a lot louder as they are more confined.

If you have a lot of neighbors, they may not appreciate the noise. Hence, beware of keeping a border collie in an apartment or train them to bark less as soon as you can. 

How Much Do You Need To Walk A Border Collie?

Border collies need a lot of exercise. If you live in an apartment, you won’t have the space to let them run around freely. Instead, you should walk them daily.

The best way to do this is by taking them out for walks.

When walking them, try to go for long walks on a leash. This way, you can control where they go and also ensure that they get plenty of exercise.

If you live in an urban area, you may find it hard to take them out on a daily basis. However, if you can manage it, then it’s worth doing.

Your border collie will benefit from regular exercise. Even though they are small, they still require a fair amount of energy. 

By exercising them, you will help them stay healthy and prevent your dog from becoming bored.

If they get bored then they may begin to bark a lot more which will annoy behaviors, or they might become destructive around the apartment. 

Final Thoughts

Border collies are a great choice of pet for many people. They are affectionate, loyal, and smart, and they are also good with kids and other animals.

Known for being very protective of their families, they will alert you if someone tries to harm you. 

However, by being kept in a small apartment, they can become noisy and bored if not given enough mental and physical stimulation.

Therefore, if you are thinking about getting one, think carefully before buying. It is important to know how to care for your border collie and how to keep them happy. 

We hope this article has given you an insight into whether a border collie would make a good apartment dog for you.