Bearded Collie Poodle Mix: Beardoodle & Bordoodle

These address the most-searched questions in this keyword cluster — including the ones that reveal which mix actually matches your life.

• 1
  What is a Bearded Collie mixed with a Poodle called? Beardoodle · Also: Beardie Poo, Bearded Collie Poo · Medium-sized, 40–60 lbs · Playful, affectionate, somewhat independent · Rare mix — finding a dedicated breeder takes patience

  The Beardoodle is a designer cross between the Bearded Collie — a Scottish herding breed with a distinctive shaggy double coat and an exuberantly cheerful personality — and the Poodle. The name most widely used in the U.S. is Beardoodle, though you’ll also see Beardie Poo and Bearded Collie Poo in some breeder listings. It’s not to be confused with the Bordoodle, which uses a Border Collie parent rather than a Bearded Collie — two entirely different breeds that happen to share a similar color palette. The Beardoodle typically weighs 40 to 60 pounds at adulthood and stands 20 to 22 inches at the shoulder, though the size can vary if a Miniature Poodle is used in the cross. The Bearded Collie parent contributes a fun-loving, sometimes stubbornly independent personality alongside a love of family activity. The Poodle side tempers the independence and adds trainability. The result is a dog that’s genuinely easier to work with than a purebred Beardie, which can be notoriously headstrong, while still carrying that buoyant, joyful Beardie energy.
• 2
  What is a Bearded Collie — and is it a good family dog? A Scottish herding breed, ranked 154th most popular by AKC · Medium size: 20–22 inches, 45–55 lbs · Lifespan: 12–14 years · Personality: outgoing, bouncy, affectionate · “Bouncing Beardie” nickname reflects their characteristic jump of enthusiasm · Yes — excellent family dog with early socialization

  The Bearded Collie — known affectionately as a Beardie — is one of Scotland’s oldest herding breeds, tracing its ancestry to Polish Lowland Sheepdogs brought to Scotland around the 1500s. According to the Bearded Collie Club of America, the breed’s temperament is officially described as “active, outgoing, bouncy, and affectionate” — which captures it accurately. Beardies are enthusiastic with a capital E: they greet their people with full-body enthusiasm, throw themselves into play with total commitment, and generally approach life as though everything that’s happening is the most exciting thing that has ever happened. That energy is charming in a well-exercised dog and exhausting in one that isn’t getting enough activity. They’re excellent with children and other pets when properly socialized, and they form deep bonds with their families. The AKC ranked Bearded Collies 154th out of 200 breeds — which means they’re relatively uncommon, finding reputable breeders requires effort, and their price reflects that scarcity.
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  What is a Bordoodle, and how is it different from a Beardoodle? Bordoodle = Border Collie × Poodle · Beardoodle = Bearded Collie × Poodle · Both are medium-sized (20–70 lbs depending on Poodle parent) · Bordoodle is more intensely driven, needs more structured activity · Beardoodle is warmer and somewhat more independent-minded · Bordoodle is significantly easier to find in the U.S.

  The Border Collie and the Bearded Collie are two separate breeds with different origins, different working styles, and meaningfully different personalities — despite a similar name. The Border Collie, developed along the England-Scotland border for intense sheep herding, ranks #1 globally in canine intelligence research. It has a focused, almost obsessive work drive that makes it exceptional at training and dog sports but demanding in a household context — an unstimulated Border Collie will direct that intelligence at creative destruction. The Bearded Collie, by contrast, was bred to independently drive livestock across open moorland without constant human direction — which is why Beardies have that characteristic independence and slightly stubborn streak that disappears in their Poodle cross. A Bordoodle from a Standard Poodle cross typically weighs 25 to 65 pounds and needs 60 to 90 minutes of genuine daily exercise plus active training. A Beardoodle is typically a bit more forgiving with moderately active owners who provide daily walks and some mental engagement without needing to structure every moment of the dog’s day.
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  What is the rarest type of Poodle? Rarest AKC-recognized Poodle color: apricot, followed by red and blue · Rarest size with formal recognition: Moyen (Medium) Poodle — recognized by the FCI in Europe but not the AKC in the U.S. · “Teacup” Poodles are not an official variety

  The rarest AKC-recognized Poodle coat colors are apricot (widely cited as the rarest solid color), deep red, and blue. Apricot is rare because it requires a very specific combination of recessive genes — it was historically the last confirmed Poodle color and remains the most difficult to consistently produce. Red Poodles are nearly as rare in their deepest, most saturated mahogany form; lighter shades that are sometimes marketed as red but are closer to apricot or dark cream are more commonly produced. Blue Poodles are black dogs that carry the progressive graying gene and develop a distinctive steel-gray sheen — rare as a deliberate breeding goal but occasionally appearing in black-line litters. On the size side, the Moyen (or Klein) Poodle — the fourth size recognized by the FCI across Europe but not the AKC in the U.S. — is the rarest to find from a dedicated breeding program in this country, though interest is growing rapidly. Teacup Poodles are not an official or recognized variety; the term describes the smallest individual Toy Poodles and is a marketing label rather than a breed designation.
• 5
  How much does a Beardoodle or Bordoodle cost? Beardoodle: $800–$2,500 (rare mix, limited breeders) · Bordoodle: $1,500–$3,500 from health-testing programs · Both require same health testing baseline as any Poodle mix · Higher price reflects demand and breeder quality — not just the name

  Pricing for both mixes varies considerably by breeder quality, location, and the Poodle parent used. Beardoodle pricing is difficult to pin down precisely because dedicated Beardoodle breeders are genuinely uncommon in the U.S. — the Bearded Collie’s rarity means most Beardoodle litters happen either incidentally or from a very small number of intentional programs. When you do find them, prices range from around $800 for non-health-tested backyard breeding to $2,000–$2,500 from programs that OFA-test both parents and guarantee their lineage. Bordoodle pricing is more established: reputable health-testing programs in the U.S. consistently price their puppies in the $1,500–$3,500 range, with some multi-generation programs or particularly accomplished parent dogs pushing toward $4,000. For both mixes, the baseline health documentation expectations are identical to any Poodle cross: OFA hip and eye clearances on both parents, genetic panel testing (Embark or Paw Print Genetics), and a written health guarantee. A breeder who can’t provide these at any price is not one you should work with regardless of how appealing the puppies look.
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  How much exercise do Beardoodles and Bordoodles actually need? Beardoodle: minimum 60 minutes daily · Bordoodle: 60–90 minutes daily plus structured mental work · Both benefit from variety — hiking, swimming, fetch, agility · A bored Collie mix in an apartment without exercise is a genuinely difficult situation

  Neither of these is a couch companion breed. Both parent Collie lines were bred for demanding outdoor work, and that heritage shows up clearly in the energy level of their Poodle crosses. The Beardoodle is somewhat more forgiving — a good daily walk plus some yard play or fetch satisfies most Beardoodles, and they’re noted for being more tolerant of moderate-activity households than Border Collie mixes. The Bordoodle has the Border Collie’s need for not just physical exercise but cognitively engaged physical activity — a run in a fenced yard alone isn’t sufficient; the dog needs to be using its brain at the same time. Structured training sessions, agility work, swimming, and interactive fetch are the activities both breeds thrive on. One important warning for apartment or smaller-space owners: both mixes can adapt to smaller living environments if their daily exercise quota is fully met — several Bordoodle owners in urban areas report success with 60–90 minutes of vigorous outdoor activity. What they cannot adapt to is insufficient exercise combined with isolation. An under-exercised Collie-Poodle cross in a small space is a very smart, very bored dog, and the results — chewing, barking, and creative destruction — are predictable.
• 7
  Do Beardoodles and Bordoodles shed? Beardoodle: low-to-moderate shedding — depends heavily on which parent coat dominates · Bearded Collie parent has a heavy-shedding double coat · Bordoodle: more consistently low-shedding when F1b or coat-tested · Both require professional grooming every 6–8 weeks

  The shedding picture for both mixes requires honesty. For the Beardoodle: the Bearded Collie has a dense double coat that sheds substantially — if the puppy inherits more of the Beardie coat genetics than the Poodle’s, you’ll have a moderate shedder with a thick, wavy coat that demands daily brushing. If the Poodle coat dominates, you get the familiar curly low-shedding profile. Because first-generation (F1) Beardoodles are the most common, coat outcome is genuinely variable — this is a real consideration if you have allergies or strong preferences about dog hair. For the Bordoodle: the Border Collie parent can have either a smooth coat (which sheds more) or a rough coat (which sheds less), and combined with the Poodle parent’s non-shedding characteristics, most F1b Bordoodles produce reliably wavy to curly, low-shedding coats. For both mixes, professional grooming every 6 to 8 weeks is non-negotiable — between appointments, daily or near-daily brushing prevents the painful matting that develops quickly in a thick wavy coat. Budget $85–$150 per professional grooming session.
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  What health problems do Beardoodles and Bordoodles face? Shared concerns: hip dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), ear infections · Beardoodle-specific: Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), Addison’s disease, autoimmune conditions from Beardie side · Bordoodle-specific: epilepsy (Border Collie inheritance), MDR1 gene mutation (drug sensitivity) · Both: Poodle-inherited bloat risk in Standard crosses

  Health research from both parent breeds gives a clear picture of what to watch for. Hip dysplasia is documented in both Bearded Collies and Standard Poodles — OFA hip certifications on breeding parents are essential. Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is heritable in both Poodles and Bearded Collies, and can cause gradual blindness — CAER ophthalmologist exams on parent dogs help identify carriers before breeding. Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) is a genetic condition specific to Collie-type breeds including the Bearded Collie; every Bearded Collie used in breeding should be tested for CEA before any litter. Addison’s disease (adrenal insufficiency, “the great imitator” because its vague symptoms are easily misdiagnosed) occurs in both Standard Poodles and Bearded Collies — Beardoodles inherit risk from both sides. For Bordoodles: the Border Collie carries an elevated rate of epilepsy that typically manifests between 1 and 5 years of age, and a drug sensitivity mutation (MDR1/ABCB1) that causes severe reactions to certain common medications including ivermectin and some anesthetics — every Bordoodle owner should know whether their dog has been tested for the MDR1 gene. Reputable breeders test for all of these with genetic panels; a breeder who doesn’t is one to avoid.

Both mixes carry the same core ownership costs as any medium-to-large Poodle cross. Here’s the realistic picture — purchase price is the beginning, not the total.

Use these buttons to search for Beardoodle and Bordoodle breeders, Collie and Poodle rescues with mixes available, groomers experienced with thick wavy coats, and local veterinary clinics. Ask breeders for all health documentation before any deposit.