When most people think of a Border Collie, the first thing that comes to mind is their high energy and intelligence.
When most people see these traits in a dog, they might immediately worry about what this means for their home life.
When they’re given plenty of exercise, mental stimulation, and good nutrition, they will be able to relax more at home.
Are All Border Collies High Energy?
The Border Collie is a naturally active dog breed and high-energy dog. The high energy and drive are a breed characteristics since they are working dogs. You can expect that the majority of Border Collies you will meet will be hyperactive.
Because of their high energy and athleticism, they were bred with traits like speed, agility, and endurance in mind. Not all Border Collies are the same; and a variety of circumstances will influence their energy levels.
What Causes Border Collies to Have So Much Energy?
Aside from their natural traits, several factors contribute to the energy level of your Border Collie.
Sometimes, energy levels can fluctuate based on age. Puppies may be hyperactive because they’re still growing and developing the skills needed to help control themselves.
Meanwhile, older dogs are typically calmer because their instincts kick in less.
Elderly dogs may have less energy or be content with lying around most of the day. However, this is not always the case! Some older dogs are just as active as they were when they were young, so it’s essential to keep an eye on how much energy your dog has.
Their intelligence, exercise, nutrition, and health problems can also affect your Border Collie’s energy level.
At What Age Do Collies Calm Down?
It can depend on a number of factors. However, the consensus is that Border Collies tend to calm down anywhere between 1-3 years old.
Activity and playfulness may decrease as your dog gets older and becomes more interested in lying around and observing its surroundings.
However, this varies from dog to dog. Some dogs remain active until they reach old age, while others become more mellow around this time.
Are Female Border Collies Calmer Than Males?
Female Border Collies are typically less high-energy, active, and intense than their male counterparts.
The reason for this is because the sex hormones affect each dog differently.
Females have more estrogen, which causes them to be more relaxed, whereas males produce more testosterone which makes them behave in a more hyperactive manner – among many other things.
Will My Border Collie Calm Down After Being Neutered or Spayed?
Border Collies that are neutered or spayed will typically experience a decrease in energy level.
This is due to the fact that these dogs no longer have sex hormones coursing through their veins, which means that any sort of sexual instinct won’t drive them.
While these procedures can contribute to a more mellow temperament for some dogs, this does not always happen, and it may not be the best course of action if you’re looking to get a “calmer” Border Collie.
Will my Border Collie Calm Down as He Ages?
As mentioned before, an older dog will typically have less energy.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are becoming “calmer”. For example, suppose your dog has never been high-energy or active in the first place. In that case, he or she may simply become content with lounging around and resting most of the day.
Meanwhile, your Border Collie could also want to do the same amount of activity even though they’re getting older.
So, not really. It depends on your dog’s age and how he or she has been throughout their life so far.
How Do I Get My Border Collie To Calm Down?
Even though Border Collies are high-energy, they can be trained to calm down.
It is important to establish boundaries for this breed from the very beginning, as they have a strong prey instinct and need plenty of room to roam.
They also tend to bark excessively and wander around aimlessly, which can lead to them getting lost or into trouble.
For them to be happy and well-behaved, Border Collies need to be given a lot of exercise and activities.
It is also important that their obedience training starts early and continues throughout the dog’s life to ensure that they become well-adjusted members of society.
Border Collies are intelligent but stubborn when it comes to obeying commands, so firmness with positive reinforcement methods is recommended.
Establishing rules and routines for your Border Collie will help them to relax. For example, it is important that these dogs have a place where they can go to get away from the hustle and bustle of their surroundings.
Because they are so intelligent, it is also helpful if you keep your dog busy with something “tough” mentally and physically.
Border Collies don’t like being cooped up all day and need to be able to roam and exercise so they can feel comfortable and happy in their home.
Your dog will also become less active if the yard is fenced in with plenty of hiding places where they can relax.
In fact, playing with toys indoors is a good way to calm down your dog as well as tire him out before bedtime.
It’s also a good idea to adopt two dogs instead of just one so that they have each other for companionship and play.
5 Tips to calm down your Border Collie
Border Collies are high-energy dogs who need a lot of attention, patience, and exercise to be happy at home. If you’re willing to work with them, they can be great dogs.
Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to help keep your Border Collie entertained, calm and relaxed, such as:
1 – Physical Exercise
Border Collies need a lot of exercises.
In order to help them calm down, you should take your dog for frequent long walks, bike rides, or jogs many times throughout the week and give him or her plenty of time to run around in the yard.
Suppose they don’t get much activity when they’re at home. In that case, this can cause them to become restless and develop destructive behaviors such as chewing on things, barking excessively, and scratching at doors.
Exercise your Border Collie a lot. They need to be active and have a lot of space to roam around.
2 – Socialization
Border Collies should meet other dogs and people when they are still puppies to ensure that they become well-rounded, social adults.
When your Border Collie is going through adolescence, have him or her spend plenty of time around other dogs and humans to become more comfortable with being around others.
Since Border Collies are high-energy dogs, they will often play better with other dogs than they do when they’re by themselves. This is because playing with another dog will exhaust them more quickly than if they were playing with a human.
3 – Mental Stimulation
Border Collies are very intelligent dogs who get bored quickly.
One way to help keep them entertained is through puzzle toys or food dispensing toys like Kongs, where the dog has to work for their food by licking peanut butter out of holes in the toy.
Another option is hide-and-seek games with treats as rewards – just make sure that there are enough hiding spots so that your pup can’t find all of them too quickly.
You should also teach your dog tricks like shaking hands, sitting up, and playing dead. Knowing what to do when you ask for it will help them feel more confident in new places, especially when you are training them to be well-behaved in the presence of other dogs or humans.
Keeping your Border Collie busy with activities is one way you can help them relax and calm down. Border collies are highly intelligent, which means that they love to learn new things.
In order to help them calm down, you should train them using positive reinforcement methods and give them plenty of toys to play with while they’re at home.
4 – Obedience training
It’s important to establish boundaries for this breed from the very beginning, as they have a strong prey instinct and need plenty of room to roam.
Obedience training will help establish boundaries and rules, which may make them calmer.
Border Collies tend to be stubborn, which can make it challenging to train them, but you should remain firm while also being encouraging in order to help them learn the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.
You can also enroll your Border Collie in training classes.
5 – Get a play partner
A play friend is a great way to help calm down your Border Collie.
Dogs are naturally social animals and feel better when they have a friend to play with, even if it’s just for short periods during the day.
You may be able to find another household that would like to adopt a puppy or young dog and then take turns exercising and playing with both dogs every day.
Remember that every dog is different. They all have their own individual personality traits and may behave differently than what has been mentioned.
However, these are some things that typically help keep Border Collies calm at home.
Games to help keep your Border Collie calm
There are several games you can do with your BC to help keep him or her calm at home. Many of these games may also double as obedience training or a way to bond with your dog.
- Hide and seek – This is a good bonding game. Your dogs need to find you through the sound of your voice;
- Hide and seek with treats – Hide small treats or toys in your pockets, then ask your BC to find them;
- Puzzles – Inserting balls in specific buckets;
- Food dispensing toys – Your dog needs to find how his treats are released from the toy.
- Teach tricks – You can teach your BC to do certain tricks such as how to shake or play dead;
- Retrieving objects – Teach your BC to pick things up and give them back (e.g., keys, remote control);
- Tug of war – If you ask your BC to let go of the toy first and then say “play”, this may help direct the game into a less aggressive direction;
- Walking games – You can walk your BC at a very slow pace so that they will not be distracted by their environment as much. This will tire them out more quickly than regular walking, but it may also help them feel less threatened and help calm them down.
Games can help your BC sleep better at night as well as allow you bond with them. When your BC becomes calmer, they will act less aggressively and appear happier.
Medication to help keep your Border Collie calm
There are different kinds of medication to calm dogs down, such as calming sprays, calming collars, and medication prescribed by your vet.
It is important to talk with your vet before giving any kind of medicine to your dog. Not all forms of medication are safe for dogs. Your vet will be able to tell you which form of medication is best for your Border Collie based on its age and size.
Massage your Border Collie Regularly
Believe it or not, massage therapy is an excellent way to help calm your dog.
Border Collies are often very energetic and stressed when they’re young, and by massaging them, you can help them relax.
In order to do this, try to massage your BC when it’s tired and calm. This may be at night after a long day of playing or in the morning before breakfast. Put your dog on its back gently and start massaging its belly first, then the sides of its body (ribs), and finally its shoulders.
The most important thing is to be gentle as you do not want to put pressure on your dog’s organs and also avoid doing anything that makes your Border Collie uncomfortable.
If you’re still unsure about if massage therapy is okay for your border collie, ask your vet first and then give it a go, and you can also use calming oils.
Final Thoughts
If you are trying to find ways to keep your Border Collie calm, there are a number of things that you can do to help them relax at home.
First, consider whether they’re getting everything that they need in terms of exercise, mental stimulation, and good nutrition.
Engage in games such as hide and seek, give them puzzles to solve, and teach tricks that may help prevent boredom.
Your BC will be calm when they are playing, so you can play with them with little risk of injury or aggression. You can also try having another pet in your household to help lower their stress levels and provide a friend to play with.
Dog owners should remember that every dog is different, so not all of these methods may work for your Border Collie. You can always ask your vet to recommend any safe alternatives to medications.
By following some of the tips mentioned in this article, you should be able to help keep your BC calm at home while also strengthening the bond between owner and dog.
