What Can Border Collies Eat
Border collies are very intelligent and active dogs. They need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to keep them happy and healthy, but they still can be couch potatoes. In fact, many border collie owners have found that their dogs are happiest when they’re allowed to nap throughout the day!
That being said, there are certain foods you should never feed your border collie because they’re poisonous to them or just don’t make sense for their body systems (like bananas). However, beyond those exceptions, there’s a wide range of nutritious foods that your pup will love. The following list covers some of the best options:
- Chicken breast (no skin)
- Salmon (no bones)
Diet and Nutrition for Border Collies
A well-balanced diet is essential for your Border Collie’s health and wellbeing. Here, we’ve got tips on how to feed your dog the best food for their breed.
Get the right amount of nutrition each day!
The average Border Collie should eat between 3 and 5 cups of dry kibble per day, depending on age, size, activity level and other factors. You can use this chart as a guide:
- Puppies (under three months): Feed at least 1 cup per 10 pounds of body weight twice daily. Divide into two meals if possible; you may need to supplement with canned food or wet food if they’re not gaining enough weight with kibble alone.* Adult dogs (three months and older): Feed at least 2 cups per 15 pounds of body weight twice daily divided into two meals if possible; you may need to supplement with canned pet food or wet pet food if they’re not gaining enough weight with kibble alone.* Senior dogs (over six years old): Feed at least 1 cup per 10 pounds/5 kilograms twice daily divided into two meals if possible; also adjust based on any decrease in activity level or other changes in lifestyle.* Puppies who are underweight due to illness should be fed more frequently until they reach a healthy weight for their age
Nutritional Needs of the Border Collie
The nutritional needs of your border collie depend on its age, activity level, and overall health. A puppy or adult dog with a normal exercise routine requires about 1,500 to 2,500 calories per day. A puppy will need about 20% more than this amount because it is growing. If you are not sure whether your pet has a normal exercise routine, ask your veterinarian for advice on how much food to feed him each day.
If you have an older dog or one that does not spend time outdoors playing daily (such as one who spends most of his time indoors), reduce the amount of food by 25% per pound of body weight until he reaches optimal weight; then maintain that level by feeding less than 25% less than his ideal body weight in pounds per day.
However much you choose to feed him each day—and it should be based upon his individual needs rather than following “guidelines”—it is important that the diet contains all essential nutrients and meets any special needs he may have due to breed traits such as heavy coat growth (which can increase caloric requirements).
How Much Food Does My Border Collie Need?
Looking to calculate the amount of food your Border Collie needs? It’s not as simple as measuring out a cup of kibble and calling it a day. The exact amount of calories and protein (among other nutrients) will depend on their weight, but there are some general guidelines you can use to determine how much food they need.
- Calculate your dog’s body weight in pounds or kilograms. You’ll want to do this before anything else because it’s going to be used in all the steps below, so it’s good to have everything right up front!
- Divide his/her body weight by 10: This gives you an approximation for average daily calorie requirement per pound of body weight — that is, how many calories should be coming from kibble every day for optimal health and performance.
- Multiply that number by 1/2: Again using our example from above, we would multiply 4 pounds by 0.5 (1/2), yielding 2 cups worth of kibble every day for this hypothetical Border Collie! If that seems like too much or too little based on what type of pup this might be (elderly vs active), feel free rework things so that both sides match up better before moving forward with feeding plans beyond these initial steps 🙂
Water Needs of The Border Collie
- The Border Collie is a working dog, and therefore needs to be kept hydrated at all times.
- Make sure the water in your dog’s bowl is always full. You can even set up a system where you leave the tap running so there will always be fresh water available.
- Staying hydrated is important for dogs because their body temperature fluctuates depending on the seasons and their surroundings, so they need to drink enough water to maintain healthy levels of hydration.
Bedding and Sleeping Conditions for the Border Collie
The Border Collie is a large dog that requires a bedding and sleeping condition that will keep it comfortable. Beddings should be soft and comfortable, as well as cool and dry. They should also be free from fleas or ticks. The temperature of the temperature of the room in which your Border Collie sleeps can affect how energized they are when they wake up. If it’s too warm, they may not be able to sleep well enough to get up in the morning refreshed, so make sure your dog has access to cooler environments if necessary.
Preventing Obesity in Your Border Collie
Obesity is a major health concern in dogs, and it can lead to serious medical issues. Border collies are no exception to this rule—in fact, because of their energetic and active nature, Border Collies can be particularly vulnerable to weight gain if they’re not kept on a healthy diet.
The first step in preventing obesity in your Border Collie is knowing whether or not your dog is overweight or underweight. To do this, you should periodically weigh yourself with a scale while holding your dog (with the two of you standing on top of each other). If there’s more than a 10 percent difference between the two weights (you are lighter than your dog), then it means that he needs additional exercise for his daily routine; if there isn’t much of a difference at all between the two weights (you weigh almost exactly as much as him), then it means he needs fewer calories from his food each day.
If neither scenario fits your lifestyle—for instance, if both of you are overweight—then we recommend consulting with an expert vet before making any changes to his diet and exercise regimen.
A balanced diet is crucial to the well being of your dog.
A balanced diet is the key to a healthy dog. A Border Collie can have a rough time eating kibble, so you might want to consider giving him some wet food. Dry food is not as good for their teeth or gums, and they may end up with gum disease or tooth decay if they eat nothing but dry kibble all day long!
Be sure that the dog food you choose has plenty of protein in it—this will help keep your Border Collie strong and lean. It also won’t hurt if there are vegetables mixed in too!