Border collies and Australian shepherds are so similar in size, appearance, and behavior that they’re often confused for one another. Both breeds were made to work, independently herding sheep in the fields, and then come home and be a loving companion dog. Thus, a border collie/Australian mix, often called a Border Aussie, is also a Quick Summary. Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds. Owner Experience - Both the Border Collie and Koolie are not recommended for new or inexperienced owners. Children - Both the Border Collie and Koolie are child friendly. Grooming - Both breeds have low maintenance coats, but the Koolie is easier to groom. Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA): This is an unpleasant eye disorder that affects both eyes. It is common in many herding dogs as well as the Border Collie. The blood vessels around the retina do not develop correctly and can cause anything from mild eye sight issues to a total loss of sight. Potential breeding dogs should be screened for the condition The Border Collie In this AnimalWised video, we are going to share you everything you need to know about both the Border Collie and the Australian Shepherd. English shepherds are generally larger dogs compared to border collies. Male dogs measure 19 to 23 inches tall and weigh 45 to 60 pounds. Female dogs measure 18 to 22 inches tall and weigh 40 to 50 pounds. English shepherds have a double coat just like border collies but only have one coat type under the breed standard. They became known as Queensland Blue Heelers. The ACD May be confused with the Canaan Dog, but the Canaan Dog is taller and more slender, and does not come in roan or speckled color patterns. Don The Koolie has a perplexing and interesting history. All breeds began from many; the Australian Koolie is no different. History books show that serious importations of working breeds began around the 1800s; many books on the Kelpie, Australian Cattle Dog and Stumpy refer to the influence of the Blue Merle in their own breed’s foundations. The dogs do have differences, though, when it comes to ears. The Border Collie’s ears stand erect or semi-erect whereas the Australian Shepherd has ears that fold over. Another difference is the color of the coat. The Australian Shepherd comes in a more limited range of colors, which include: black, blue merle, red and red merle. For breeders to get a blue merle Border Collie, one of its parents should be carrying the merle gene. What it does is take a dominant color (like black) and dilutes it to make that grayish or bluish shade with swirly and splotchy streaks or lines. Having a blue merle Border Collie parent doesn’t guarantee a puppy with the same color pattern. Compare dog breeds from Australia, India, the USA, the UK, etc. With our "Show the difference" feature, you can focus only on the different features. (It's up to you if you want to turn this function on.) Transparent, because our comparison sheet is presented in tabular form (compare dog breeds side by side). You don't get the information in a YXPUw7k.