Skip to main content
snıff

Border Collie

Border Collie genetic profile from the CanVAS Atlas. 157 dogs in the Atlas, heterozygosity 0.32. Nearest relatives, trait loci frequencies, cohort distribution.

What the atlas says about Border Collie

In the atlas, the Border Collie clusters consistently as Border Collie (100% of the 157 dogs here). Genetic diversity is high (mean heterozygosity 0.3201), reflecting either a mixed-breed cluster or breeds with broad genetic backgrounds. At the trait loci, HMGA2 runs lower than average (10% here vs 56%); MC1R runs higher than the atlas average (100% here vs 62%). This is a densely populated region, many genetically similar dogs are sampled.

Mean heterozygosity is 0.320, notably high, indicates broad genetic background.

Closest genetic neighbors in the atlas: Australian Shepherd, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Old English Sheepdog, and Australian Cattle Dog.

Genetic dimensions · CanVAS atlas

What the genome says about Border Collie

Computed from the 14,478 research dogs in the Atlas. Methods: technical methodology.

Dogs in the Atlas
157Founders
63 from Cairns, 52 from Hayward2016, 15 from Shannon
Genetic diversity
0.32Moderate
Mean heterozygosity across the breed. Ranks 70th most genetically tight of 107 ranked breeds.
Cluster structure
Splits into two genetic sub-populations
Intra-breed RMS distance: 34.19 · likely working/show-line, regional, or kennel lineage split.
Nearest genetic relatives
  1. Australian Shepherd6.96
  2. Pembroke Welsh Corgi8.73
  3. Cardigan Welsh Corgi9.21
  4. Old English Sheepdog10.59
  5. Australian Cattle Dog11.03
Top-10 PC corrected Euclidean. Lower = closer.
Trait genetics
Allele frequencies at named morphology loci

Frequency of the alternate allele in this breed at each locus's representative SNP. Methods + caveats in technical methodology.

Body size
IGF175%
HMGA210%
SMAD270%
LCORL99%
STC293%
ADAMTS1767%
Leg length
FGF4·CFA1875%
FGF4·CFA1295%
Coat
RSPO240%
FGF585%
KRT7181%
MC1R100%
Ear set
MSRB390%
Skull shape
BMP359%
SMOC278%
Add your Border Collie to the Atlas

You can add your Border Collie right now at /add/ as a Charted star. Or, if you'd rather wait for DNA uploads, leave your email and we'll let you know the moment those open.

Last updated
Sources: CanVAS (Brundage 2026) · CanVAS dimensions data