Do Border Collies Like To Cuddle?
My wife and I wanted to get a dog for our family. As a family, we are active in many daily outdoor activities. We wanted a dog that would blend well into our family that has two high energy teenagers. We hoped to find a dog that would blend well with their mix of excitement and time spent cuddling on the couch. We knew the border collie was bred for work as a herding dog, but we didn’t know much else about them.
Read on to find out what exciting information we learned.
Do border collies like to cuddle?
Do border collies like to cuddle? Border Collies do like to cuddle and become attached to their owner or family. With a spunky and energetic personality, they might be overlooked as the cuddly kind of dog, but with extensive daily exercise, they love spending time snuggled up after a hard day of work or play.
If you are looking for a dog with an intense personality that loves work and playtime as much as cuddle time, the border collie is your breed!
The border collie was originally bred between the borders of England and Scotland as a dog to work with the sheep ranchers in this region. In modern times they still work hard today herding sheep and can keep up this job for exceptionally long days.
Due to this breed background and their instinctual herding abilities many people might believe they don’t like to cuddle or snuggle with their owner or family.
Cuddling has long been a way of expressing affection, love, and care for those we hold dear. This is true for humans and dogs, regardless of their breed background. Cuddling also serves the purpose of providing warmth in colder regions of the world.
As puppies, dogs cuddle with their littermates to keep warm and be close to their mother and family. This same thing is true when they become a member of a human family. This connection and the reward of comfort that it brings promotes happiness and wellbeing.
Likened to a hug, a cuddle can be short or long, end in a quick nap or rejuvenate for the next round of playtime or work. Regardless of why the border collie cuddles, it is a show of affection relating to their bond with their family.
They thrive from having a strong bond with their family or owner, so much so that often if a border collie ends up in a shelter or rescue center, they can sometimes become depressed. They must receive this affection and cuddles as well as the physical activity they require.
This doesn’t mean that these moments will last long, that depends on their current environment and their current mental, emotional, and physical state of being.
After snacks are shared on a blanket in the park, they may love a cuddle moment, but it might be short-lived in favor of something that draws their attention away.
What are some ways to promote or increase cuddle time with my border collie?
The best ways to promote or increase cuddle time with your border collie is to ensure that they have plenty of daily work, exercise, and play and provide special moments to cuddle.
The border collie is an intelligent and hardworking dog breed with high energy and an intense personality. They need an owner that has had prior experience owning a dog, due to their nature and background.
Their background and nature require a great deal of activity and stimulation. If they are provided with the right mix of work, exercise, and play they will be happy and content and love sharing cuddle time and hugs!
The amount of physical activity they need can vary from one border collie to another, but they generally require a lot to get them to settle down for cuddle time.
Providing special moments in their energetic day for snuggles and cuddle time is easy. If they are outside, quick short breaks for a quick treat and cuddle hear and there will provide them with a boost of love and energy to keep up with their day.
After a meal or at the end of an intensely hard day are other places where a family or owner could fit in cuddle time with their border collie easily. Of course, always be open to those impromptu moments when your border collie wants to snuggle up on the couch with you while you read a book.
This breed of dog is very devoted and loves to give and receive attention and affection from their owner or family.
Does socialization of your dog play a part in whether they like to cuddle?
Yes. Cuddling and other affectionate moments are learned early on with their mother and littermates. While cuddling is instinctual for warmth, protection, and love it does need to be developed socially.
This should begin early on with their breeder or other trained professional. Exposing them to others in a variety of situations will teach them how to behave and what is acceptable behaviors, including receiving and offering affection.
Socialization of a border collie, or any dog, promotes positive interactions with others. It starts with their litter and continues with those they grow and live with. If they are in a loving, positive environment where cuddles and other affectionate moments are shared, they learn to be more accepting of these behaviors.
Is the border collie a good cuddle companion to a child?
This depends on the age of the child. Incredibly young children do not usually blend well with the border collie due to their nature. It is usually recommended that they join a family that has children that are older than 12.
The border collie loves to cuddle and hug their human family members but for those children that are younger, they will often spend most of their time trying to herd them since this is their work.
Children older than 12 will enjoy spending time cuddling with them at impromptu moments creating a bond that will likely become very protective on the border collies’ part. The border collie will consider them pack mates, possibly spending a great amount of time playing and working beside them.
Does the border collie like to cuddle with other dogs or cats when they are grown into adulthood?
Yes and no. This depends entirely on the personality and relationship between the border collie and other dogs or cats.
Border collies get along great with other dogs and cats, but it can be hard to determine how far this friendship will go. This is determined by the nature and personality of the other animal.
If the other dog or cat is friendly and open to forming a loving bond between themselves and the border collie, then yes. If not, then no.
This can also change from moment to moment and day today. One night you might find the border collie chasing the house cat, the next night they might be cuddled up on the bed together. That is the beauty of multiple pets in one household.
Will the border collie cuddle if they don’t work or play enough during their day?
Not necessarily. The border does require a lot of intense daily activity, but this shouldn’t interfere with whether or not they decide to cuddle and show affection. Cuddling is an important part of showing love and affection amongst family members, including the border collie.
The worst-case scenario is that without enough intense activity the border collie might have a hard time settling down or accepting cuddle moments. Too much balled up energy for anyone, dog, child, or adult can lead to a hard time connecting with others since physical needs are not being addressed.
The best way to increase or promote cuddle time with your border collie is to ensure they are happy, healthy, and that their needs are being met properly.
Is it possible that my border collie doesn’t like to cuddle?
Yes. Each border collie is individual with their personality and temperament, just as we humans. One border collie will behave differently in this regard than another. They may like to cuddle only at certain times, or with certain humans.
Cuddling is deeply connected with emotions therefore if they are unhappy, agitated, or emotional in any way it can change the way they behave. This can be true from one day to the next, even one moment to the next.
Addressing their needs will promote more of this loveable and affectionate time between you and your border collie.
In Conclusion
While the border collie has a lot of energy and may appear hard to pin down, they love attention and affectionate cuddles from their human family or pack.
Promoting their overall physical, emotional, and mental health while providing moments to cuddle and show affection are the easiest ways to increase cuddle time. These loving moments that are shared between a border collie and human can easily be promoted with the right environment.
This environment will create a healthy, happy, and thriving family from owner to dog!