Last Updated: 05/06/2025
Looking for the best food for your Border Collie? See our vets selection of premium foods!
Author: Dr Katelyn Bailey BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 46 minutes - long read
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Border Collies are intelligent, high-energy dogs that make excellent companions. As a working breed they need plenty of exercise and enrichment to keep their minds busy, and thrive on a premium quality diet that is formulated to meet their energy needs, maintain their luxurious coat, provide joint support and support their immune system.
While there are many important decisions to be made as a pet parent, what you feed your dog is one of the most crucial. Diet can impact your pet's energy levels, longevity and overall health- for better or worse.
Over the years, good nutrition has become more of a priority for pet parents, and these days there are an overwhelming number of options available. To make things a little simpler we have compiled below a list of the best foods suitable for Border Collies.
Four factors to consider when choosing a food for your Border Collie:
Our Vet team use their health and husbandry knowledge, along with their own personal and clinical experiences to evaluate each product and provide detailed, informative reviews, free of any commercial bias. We then collate this information into our 'best of' recommendations.
In conclusion, selecting the right food for your Border Collie is crucial for their overall health and well-being. As intelligent and high-energy dogs, they require a premium diet that meets their specific needs. By considering factors such as age, activity level, and potential health concerns, and choosing high-quality ingredients, you can ensure your Border Collie thrives. The veterinarian-reviewed recommendations in this article provide a solid starting point for finding the best food to keep your Border Collie happy, healthy, and energetic for years to come.
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Veterinarian
Dr Katelyn Bailey graduated as a veterinarian from The University of Queensland in 2018 and has since worked in small animal general practice clinics in south-east Queensland. Her special interests include feline medicine and behaviour, preventative health care, internal medicine, research and senior pet care. Katelyn is a strong proponent of the human-animal bond and loves to hear about the quirks that make each pet so special.
Eukanuba is known for its range of premium diets made from high-quality ingredients and backed by decades of scientific research. It's a highly reputable brand that is used and recommended by many veterinarians, breeders and owners.
Eukanuba Adult Medium Breed is specially formulated for adult medium breed dogs between the age of 1 and 7 years. It's full of healthy, nutritious ingredients that support all areas of general health including dental, skin, coat, immune, digestion and joint support. You can rest assured that it is perfectly matched to your Border Collie's nutritional requirements- and as an added bonus, it's Australian-made!
"This is undoubtedly the best dry dog food I have ever purchased for my beautiful girl Luna. Her coat has never looked better, she's filled with energy and she is not barking for more food. Totally wonderful product that I highly recommend purchasing for your/man's best friend."
Pro Plan Adult Medium Breed Essential Health is another fantastic dry food option tailored specifically for adult medium breed dogs like Border Collies. It's made up of carefully selected ingredients that are scientifically proven to support digestive, skin, coat, joint and immune health. It's made in Australia and has recently upgraded its ingredients list, with a new, enhanced formula to deliver improved digestibility and support optimal nutrient absorption.
"2 out of 3 of our dogs are on this food, great shiny coats, bright eyes and plenty of energy. Highly recommend."
Full of wholesome, functional natural ingredients with known beneficial properties, Black Hawk Adult Lamb and Rice is an excellent option for your Border Collie. While not specifically formulated for medium breed dogs like most of the other options on this list, it very importantly still contains glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support.
It's Australian made and offers multiple bag sizes ranging from 3kg to 20kg, suitable for any household and storage need. Black Hawk also makes a range of grain-free wet food which is an excellent accompaniment to this kibble.
"We have ordered Lamb and Rice for my dog Tilly and she has had no problems with this food. She appears to really enjoy it. Her coat is shiny and she is in very good health. I like that it is a high quality Australian made product that is also great value."
Royal Canin provides premium, tailored, research-backed nutrition for pets of all ages, sizes and health statuses. Their Medium Puppy formula is the perfect option for Border Collie puppies, with a carefully selected ratio of protein and fibre to promote optimal growth, and added nutrients to ensure your pup will thrive.
This kibble is available in a range of bag sizes, from 4kg to 30kg, to suit any need. An accompanying wet food is also available, which will provide your pup with some taste and texture variety.
"I recently got my first puppy and at first we didn't know much about dog food. We researched about dog food and came to a decision that Royal Canin was the best option for our new pooch. He really loves the food and never refuses to eat it. His coat is shiny, he's at the perfect weight, he doesn't get sick as the food has all the supplements and added nutrients that he needs.. it's exactly what I look for when I'm looking for good dog food. The price is a bit higher than other food but it's worth it. ."
Taste of the Wild make very high quality, natural grain free diets, with a focus on whole foods and digestive support. The Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon Puppy food is another great choice for your Border Collie puppy. This food in particular is an excellent option for pups with food allergies or intolerances as it contains only salmon and fish as the protein sources, and none of the proteins that commonly contribute to food allergies. Full of natural, wholesome ingredients, it has been carefully formulated to boost immunity and support skin, coat, joint and brain health during your pup's critical time of growth.
Boosted with salmon oil, and containing fresh salmon, smoked salmon as well as salmon meal, this food is hgh in omega fatty acids for optimal brain and vision support in growing puppies.
"Love this brand of dog food. Made with premium ingredients I know my puppy is getting the best. He loves it and I will always buy taste of the wild!"
Advance Active Adult is perfectly formulated to meet the needs of highly active and/or working Border Collies. These dogs require a premium, high-energy food in order to function at their best. Prioritising joint support is also critical to help protect overworked joints, and may delay the onset of arthritis. Advance Active contains green-lipped mussel, an excellent source of both glucosamine and chondroitin, to support joint and cartilage health. It also includes all the other benefits you would expect from a premium brand, such as high digestibility and tailored skin and coat support.
"Advance Active is a great food for our very active dogs and they love it also. The shine on their coats is a sign of inner health and I have no hesitation in recommending this product to all that enquire about how shiny and healthy the coats look. Active is a complete food and I have all confidence that it has all required to make our dogs enjoy a happy and 'active' full life."
A common age-related change affecting many older dogs is gradual cognitive decline. This unique formula is proven to boost cognitive function, and is packed full of brain-supporting nutrients like arginine, DHA & EPA, vitamin E & C and B vitamins. This helps to improve alertness, energy and vitality. Many owners report increased mental alertness and sharpness in their senior dogs that had been showing signs of canine cognitive dysfunction before starting on this food.
Of course, this Australian-made kibble also has everything else your senior Border Collie needs such as joint and coat support, premium nutrition and immune-boosting components. Together this makes it an ideal choice, and our top pick for senior dogs.
"Great product, our senior mixed breed was struggling with alertness and wanting to sleep all day and going off her food. Since switching to Pro Plan Bright Mind she is engaging in play with the other dogs, has a brighter expression and hasn't missed a meal."
Hill's Science Diet Adult Healthy Mobility is an excellent non-prescription option for dogs with mild stiffness or arthritis, or for those at risk of developing joint issues in the future. This may include dogs that have pre-existing problems such as hip dysplasia or cruciate disease, or highly active or working dogs. It's packed with ingredients to promote stronger, healthier joints and support the immune system.
Please note that this diet is generally only suited for mild mobility issues. For more severe cases, there are prescription joint care foods available that would need to be recommended by your pet's treating veterinarian. See our article on Arthritis Care for Dogs for more information on managing joint conditions.
"This product has been fantastic for our 2 older dogs (both 10 yrs old). One of them had a bit of a limp 12 months ago & our vet suggested this product & it has really helped. We are also happy to pay extra for these better brands that we know are good for them."
