Borgi - Size | Appearance | Temperament | Shedding | Exercise

Blu the Borgi (Photo: @secondhand.heathens / Instagram)

By helloBARK!
Updated on 17 August 2021

The Borgi is a cross between a Border Collie and a Corgi.

The Border Collie Corgi mix is one of the less common cross breeds but they’re no less attractive on the eye.

Borgis can also be called Bordigans, Cardigan Welsh Borgis and Pembroke Welsh Borgis.

The origin of this particular mix is unknown but they’re growing in popularity thanks to the advent of social media.

Borgis can inherit traits from their Border Collie and Corgi parents, so there’s no guarantee your pup will inherit certain desired physical or personality attributes.

Having said that, given the Border Collie and Corgi are both herding breeds, most Borgi will have an underlying instinct to herd.

In this article, we’re going to take a deep dive into all things Borgi as well as hear from some owners of the Border Collie Corgi mix breed.

We spoke to Tamara about Blu (@secondhand.heathens), Adeline about Roxy (@roxy_theborgi) and Sabrina (@the.corgi.cross.adventures).

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Borgi Size

Blu the Borgi (Photo: @secondhand.heathens / Instagram)

The Border Collie Corgi mix can vary in size but usually they’ll have the stout appearance of their Corgi parent. This will typically result in a dog with short legs and a sturdy body. Borgi can range in size from 13 to 18 inches and weigh between 25 and 30 pounds.

Blu is a relatively small Borgi even by Border Collie Corgi mix standards.

Blu is on the much smaller size of Borgis, though we haven’t met many. He only weighs 14lbs, 15lbs on a good day! He’s half the size, both physically and weight wise, of a full grown male corgi.

Adeline shed light on the size of her Borgi.

She’s a small/medium size dog. She’s approx. 11 inches high and 30 inches long.

Borgi Appearance

Roxy The Borgi (Photo: @roxy_theborgi / Instagram)

The Borgi appearance can range from dog to dog. When you think of a Border Collie Corgi mix, you’d be forgiven for instantly picturing a dog with a black and white coat with medium length hair that has the stature of a Corgi. However, Borgi can come in a wide range of color combinations given the variety of colors within each parent breed.

The Corgi can have a coat that is red, sable, black, tri-colored or fawn. The Border Collie coat color can range from black and white, red and white, red merle, blue merle, black tri-color and more. Therefore the Borgi coat color usually ranges from red, sable, black, fawn, white, blue and grey.

Borgis will have a double coat with a thick undercoat and longer top coat. The length of the coat could vary given the Border Collie typically has a longer coat than the Corgi. A Border Collie Corgi mix will usually have brown eyes, a black nose and an alert triangular ears.

Tamara gave us a description of Blu.

Most Borgis from what I’ve seen tend to take after the Border Vollie coloring, black and white. Blu is one of the few who came out Merle. Both his dad (bc) and his mom (corgi or borgi too can’t remember) were Merle. Typically you don’t want to breed two merles together since that can usually end up with what you’d call a “double Merle” which means the pup could be blind, deaf or both. But Blu luckily didn’t inherent any of that. He’s a blue Merle boy with a short nub (longer than a Pembroke’s non existent nub) with brown eyes, though one of his eyes has a blue speck on the bottom.

Sabrina highlighted her dogs have “humanistic eyes”.

A full size Border Collie body, but with stumpy little legs and a long fluffy tail. A long snout, tall ears and very humanistic eyes.

Borgi Temperament

Piper the Borgi (Photo: the.corgi.cross.adventures / Instagram)

The Borgi will usually be athletic, energetic, hard-working, loyal and smart. As a cross breed, it’s important to remember that these hybrid dogs can inherit personality traits of the Border Collie and Corgi. The Borgi can be a herder, so you’ll need to keep a close eye on your Borgi if you live in a home with young children or other pets. If this becomes a big issue, you may find it beneficial to employ the services of a dog trainer or behaviourist experienced in this issue. Both Border Collies and Corgis can have an independent streak so be prepared for your Borgi to be quite stubborn.

Tamara gave us an insight into Blu’s personality.

I can only speak for Blu because he has an amazing temperament. He’s the most tolerant dog we have, as well as being the sweetest. Usually when you cross two herding breeds, you could end up with a crazy neurotic dog because Corgis were actually bred to be herding dogs, contrary to popular belief.

Are Borgi Smart?

Blu the Borgi (Photo: @secondhand.heathens / Instagram)

The Border Collie is generally considered the world’s smartest dog ahead of the German Shepherd, Golden Retriever and the Belgian Malinois. The Pembroke Corgi and the Cardigan Corgi are also intelligent dogs so it’s a pretty safe bet that a Borgi is going to be a hybrid dog with a high IQ.

Adeline believes Borgi are a smart cross breed.

She’s very smart! She learnt her first command sit within 3 days of being with us. Then paw, lay down, high 5… she was clean very quickly too!

Are Borgi Easy To Train?

Roxy The Borgi (Photo: @roxy_theborgi / Instagram)

With a high IQ, Borgi can be quick to learn basic obedience, new commands and following instruction. Given the cross breed can be independent thinkers, so it’s a good idea to start training your Borgi from a young age to ensure they listen to you!

Here’s some insight from Blu’s mom.

Absolutely if you know what you’re doing but that goes for any dog. These dogs in particular are extremely smart, so you have to make sure that you stay on top of their training.

Sabrina has no issues training Piper.

They are so eager to please, training is super easy. They are extremely intelligent, and pick up on things very quickly.

Borgi Exercise

Borgi will typically need a lot of mental and physical stimulation to keep them happy and healthy. Border Collies are active dogs that typically are used in a farm setting or a working dog role. While Corgis were traditionally used as herding dogs, most members of this breed fulfil the role of a companion pet in the 21st century. Wag Walking recommend around 60 minutes of exercise a day but let’s hear from our Borgi owners.

Sabrina finds Piper has a lot of energy.

Seeing as they are half Border Collie, they need quite a lot of exercise along with mental stimulation. They have lots of energy to burn, and they can get themselves into trouble when they are bored.

Tamara gave an insight into Blu’s exercise regime.

I’d say not much more than any other breed? We live in an apt with Blu and his other two brothers (also other breeds who don’t typically do well in apts) and he does pretty well not being taken out everyday. We tend to go on longer hikes during the weekend and that seems to be enough.

Do Borgi Make Good Family Pets?

Piper the Borgi (Photo: the.corgi.cross.adventures / Instagram)

As we touched upon above, Borgis can be prone to herding and nipping at the feet given their herding instincts. They’ll need to be socialized with younger members of the family. With the proper socialization and training, Borgi can make affectionate, loyal and fun family pets.

Piper has excelled in a family environment.

Absolutely – they are extremely intuitive and loyal. They are protective, but not in a negative manner. My Borgi is incredible with small children, she is very patient and calm when in the presence of small children.

Tamara had a word of warning about Borgis in a family setting.

My honest opinion would be no. And I say that because of the particular mix they are, most people can’t handle a dog that wants to herd and is a bit more needy in the mental and physical department. Unless someone is willing to dedicate real time to actually training their dog (goes for all dogs), they shouldn’t be trying to get a herding mix. Blu is a terrible representation of what can happen when you mix those two breeds together.

Do Borgi Get Along With Other Dogs?

Just like any breed or mix, the Border Collie Corgi mix will benefit from socialization classes from a young age. You can bring your Borgi to puppy manners classes to help develop their social skills. Roxy is a sociable dog.

She’s very sociable. Roxy loves interacting with people and other dogs. Playing pull with humans is her favourite thing.

Borgi Separation Anxiety

Blu the Borgi (Photo: @secondhand.heathens / Instagram)

Separation anxiety can affect any dogs irrespective of breed or mix. It’s a chronic canine condition that occurs when dogs are left at home alone away from their owners. The symptoms can range from barking, howling, destructive chewing and even urinating.

Blu is an example of a Borgi who doesn’t suffer from this chronic canine condition.

I don’t know about other Borgis, but Blu has thankfully never had that problem

Are Borgi Aggressive?

Adeline hasn’t experienced any aggressiveness with Roxy.

Not at all, her mother was a working sheep dog, hence it was in her « blood » to nip ankles. This is a behaviour that we tackled from the beginning and she understood that she should not do this. Other than this we have not had any aggressive behaviour.

Do Borgis Bark A Lot?

While Border Collies aren’t typically excessive barkers, this is still an important mode of communication within a work setting. Corgi can also make good watch dogs if they hear someone or something on the property. If you’re worried your Borgi is barking too much, you may benefit from a consultation with a dog behaviorist.

Roxy isn’t an excessive barker but is alert to strange noises.

She doesn’t bark all the time. Roxy barks when someone knocks on the door or when she hears noises she doesn’t understand and isn’t used to (e.g: hairdryer, hoover…) but stops when you tell her to.

Are Borgi Hypoallergenic?

Piper the Borgi (Photo: the.corgi.cross.adventures / Instagram)

The Borgi cross aren’t a hypoallergenic dog breed given neither the Border Collie nor the Corgi are considered hypoallergenic.

Blu is what his mom describe’s as a “secret shedder”.

They definitely are not. Blu is more of a secret shedder, but little man still sheds quite a bit.

Do Borgi Shed?

Borgi will typically have a double coat – a thick inner coat and a long outer coat. They’ll usually shed heavily twice a year at the changing of the seasons. It’s a good idea to brush your Borgi a couple of times a week to remove dead hair and debris.

Be prepared for some shedding, according to Blu’s mom.

Oh most definitely. They shed just like any other double coated dog. Brushing them a few times a week, plus getting monthly baths and being blown out with a high powered blow dryer will help keep it manageable.

While Borgi do shed, Sabrina said it isn’t a crazy amount.

Yes they do, but not crazy amounts. They don’t have a super thick coat, so with moderate weekly brushing the shedding is very minimal.

Are Borgi Fussy Eaters?

Blu the Borgi (Photo: @secondhand.heathens / Instagram)

Most Borgi will be rapid eaters but there could be some Border Collie Corgi mixes that are picky with their food. In my experience, fresh food dog brands such as Nom Nom and Ollie in the USA and Butternut Box or Pure in the UK can be a good options thanks to their balanced and complete meals.

Blu isn’t fussy when it comes to his food.

In my experience no, we’ve never had a problem with getting Blu to eat. He’s been on a raw diet the last 4-ish years of his life, so he’s been eating pretty well. We call him our little garbage can because he’ll eat just about anything.

Borgi Price

Unlike a lot of popular Doodle breeds such as the Goldendoodle and Labradoodle, you’ll probably find it difficult to find dedicated Borgi breeders. If you do, we recommend taking precautions to ensure the puppies haven’t been sourced from a puppy farm. You should ask to see your Borgi pup interact with it’s mother, proof of the parent’s documentation and evidence of the necessary health checks from the breeder’s vet. The average price of a Borgi appears to range from $1,000 and $2,000.

Piper’s mom gave us an idea of how much Borgi cost.

Unfortunately yes; corgis have become so trendy in the past few years which I think has spiked their cost. We paid $1,200 for our Piper, but she was worth every single penny! Would I spend that much again… absolutely.

Blu’s mom had a word of warning for potential Borgi owners.

All dogs are expensive lol my advice for anyone looking to get any sort of dog: if you pay less upfront for the dog, you’ll probably end up paying more at the back end in vet bills and other stuff. Paying a lot of money doesn’t always guarantee you’ll get a good dog, unless you do your research properly about where to get a dog from. Designer breeds like these are often marked up ridiculous amounts (like more than the purebreds they came from) so you also want to be careful that you aren’t getting overcharged.

If you’re looking for a Borgi, you could check out your local rescue shelters in your area to see if they have any examples of this cross breed looking for their forever home.

Are Borgi Good Dogs For First-Time Owners?

Roxy The Borgi (Photo: @roxy_theborgi / Instagram)

Here’s what Adeline had to say:

I am a first time owner. I had dogs in the past with my parents but Roxy is my first personal dog and she is great!

Borgi Pros And Cons

Pros

Blu/Tamara: I don’t really know what any cons would be? Lol pros would be that they’re super smart, affectionate, come in a variety of sizes/colors and tend to pull the best traits of both breeds.

Roxy/Adeline: She sleeps a lot even at 10months; Quite small dog compared to a full size Border Collie; Very intelligent dog so easy to train.

Piper/Sabrina: The biggest pro is that they have a big dog personality and capabilities, but in a small dog package. They can run, jump and play to the same abilities of a full size border collie, but they have the convenience of a small dog.

The Cons

Roxy/Adeline: She is demanding, often want you to play with her; Ignores you when she sees you after a long time no see (I went to visit my parents over Xmas. I left Roxy with my partner for 10days. When I got back she was mad at me and ignored me); Sometimes doesn’t listen to what you say, even though she understands.

Piper/Sabrina: A con is that they have herding dog instincts, which is great except that they don’t know when to stop. They will run themselves into the ground, and can easily become injured from overdoing physical activities. You have to keep an eye on them to ensure they rest when needed.