A Pointer Border Collie mix is an adorable, fearless ball of playfulness that shares distinct traits from both parent breeds. The mix of these two breeds results in an adorable pup that makes the ideal companion for hunters and adventurers. To discuss the hybrid’s temperament, here is a breakdown of characteristics in the parent breeds.
Pointer: The Head Hunter
The Pointer breed is a calm, cool, and collected dog that is fiercely loyal and affectionate with its owners. They are most well-known as being hunting dogs which is how they got their name, from pointing towards prey for their owners to pursue.
Affection Level
Pointers are very loving towards their owners and family members, as well as other dogs. They are friendly towards anyone they know and trust but can be a bit wary of strangers at first. This wariness usually manifests as shyness and they will cling to their owner in these situations.
Energy Level
Pointers are loaded with energy making them the perfect companion for hunters, runners, and hikers. Because of this high energy, they need open spaces to run around and they love to play fetch. Pointers are a proud and graceful breed that carries themselves with an aura of dignity.
They are the ultimate sporting dogs and love swimming and other activities where they can interact with nature while exercising. They are capable of high speeds and impressive agility making them excellent adventure dogs.
Appearance
Pointers come in a wide range of different coat colors. They don’t have any one standard color they are recognized by. Their noticeable feature is typically their proud stance and the way they point their nose in the direction of their focus, often with one paw gingerly lifted off the ground.
They have sleek, shiny coats that require little brushing and they only shed mildly. They are also recognizable by their large floppy ears that flow in the wind as they sprint after their prey.
Border Collie: The Hero of Herding
Collies are affectionate workaholics that are always looking for directions and fun from their owners. As the parent breed of Border Point’s, they contribute their fun-loving friendliness to these breed hybrids.
Affection Level
Border Collies are known for being hard-working dogs that are extremely loyal and loving towards their owners and prefer to be with them at all times. Although Border Collies are capable of being alone, they would rather have their owner around for comfort and entertainment. They love to play with toys, especially a good game of fetch tires them out and keeps them mentally stimulated.
They are generally sweet and cuddly with small children, even if they do tend to herd them. They typically are friendly with strangers and not overly protective in their domain. Because of their carefree attitude, it is easy to have guests over without making your dog uncomfortable or afraid.
Energy Level
Border Collies are super high-energy and love to run around in open spaces. They are prone to wandering and roaming about in nature. With an adventurous dog, it is always a good idea to utilize a tracking collar so you can keep tabs on them if they get away or you have a big property you let them explore.
Collies are super playful and want their owner’s attention often, or they get bored and sometimes lonely. This breed does best in households where the owner is around most of the time and willing to go on long walks or play fetch daily.
Appearance
Border Collies are fluffy, medium-sized dogs with little ears and almond-shaped eyes. Their eyes have been dubbed “herding eyes” because of the sharp, intelligent look they have when overseeing a herd or group. Whether it’s sheep or people, the herding trait is strong in them to gather things together. This is common when they live in households with small children they feel the need to protect.
One of their most noticeable traits is their heterochromia or two different colored eyes. They are one of the few breeds of dogs that have this trait, and although it rarely passes down in hybrids, it can happen.
Border Point: The Mix of Herder and Hunter
Pointer and Border Collie Mixes, also sometimes called Border Points, are fun and affectionate dogs with a lot of energy to run around. They inherit different traits from their parent breeds that result in a precious pup for families or individuals.
Affection Level
Not only do these pups love to give lots of kisses and cuddle up to you on the couch, but they live to amuse you. Border Points constantly want to be around their owners to follow their directions and please them. Their work ethic makes them pay extra attention to their owners at all times to ensure they are doing the right thing.
They are okay with strangers but would much rather stay with their family. They thoroughly enjoy company from other dogs and greatly benefit from living in a home with other pups so they can socialize often.
Energy Level
Border Points are active, alert, and oh so playful! They love playing with toys or running after a ball. They have a ton of energy but also a ton of potential to be well-trained and obedient. Border Points combine the restrained focus of Pointers with the aloof playfulness of Border Collies for a dog that is always willing to go out and adventure with its owner.
Just like their parent breeds, Border Points are runners and explorers, making it a high possibility they’ll slip away from you on a hike or break into a full sprint. To make sure they are always safe, they can wear a GPS tracking collar that gives 24/7 activity and location tracking to give you peace of mind.
Appearance
They are medium to large-sized dogs with a range of different coat colors and patterns. They typically weigh between 35 and 65 pounds but can grow fairly tall, especially compared to Border Collies. Their coat color ranges but is black, white, or brown with some patches. The patches come from the Border Collie in them, as Pointers are typically one solid color.
They usually take on the floppy, hanging ears of a Pointer, but sometimes they are smaller and fluffier due to the Border Collie in them. Their snouts are shorter than most Pointers, and many don’t do the characteristic point, but still have a predisposition to hunting and chasing small things.