And she believes his lessened interest in herding and playing could come from his heart. The typical heartrate in dogs ranges anywhere from 65 beats per minute to 165 bpm.
Puppies can be up to one and a half times that.
This of course, varies with the dog's size, age, and fitness. It is not unknown or uncommon for a fit, healthy and active Border Collie to have a heart rate of around 30 - 40 bpm. Many vets, not used to dealing with such active dogs or working dogs can be thrown off by this and immediately diagnose bradycardia. If your dog shows no signs of weakness or faintness, I'd get a second opinion before proceeding with treatment of the condition. Page last updated April 1, 1997.