Collie Dog Breed

Below are the spec and details of the Collie dog breed.

Collies can be considered either medium- or large-sized dogs, depending the particular animal. (The Rough variety can appear larger than its actual size because of its abundance of fur.) Females typically stand 22-24 inches high at the shoulder, and weigh 50-70 pounds. Males are 24-26 inches in height, and 60-80 pounds in weight.

Perhaps its greatest asset is a Collie’s excellent temperament. As one of the most intelligent of any dog breed, the Collie displays a great deal of sensitivity, plenty of loyalty, and a watchful eye on children and other pets. As the success of the Lassie books, TV show, and movies demonstrates, this breed makes a fantastic companion to children, and will thoroughly enjoy their company. Collies are known for their social skills, and may even develop enough personality to consider themselves part of a human family.

Needs differ in the Rough and Smooth varieties. A Rough Collie, with its thick fur, will require a bath at least once every couple of months, and should be rinsed and dried well to avoid matting of the fur. (Shorter-haired Smooths should be bathed 4-5 times per year.) Roughs should be brushed at least once per week (and more often during winter when their coats are thicker); Smooths should be brushed once a week to get rid of excess hair. Both varieties shed quite a bit, so vacuuming often will be necessary for owners of this breed.

Though its exact origins are unknown, the Scotch Collie is believed to have descended from several species of sheepdogs in Scotland and Wales. Historians conclude that strong, aggressive, long-haired Scottish herding dogs were cross-bred with shorter-haired, domesticated Welsh dogs, which may account for the two Collie varieties in existence today. Still others believe Collies are descendants of the Borzoi (a Russian wolfhound) which would account for a Collie’s “noble” head. Historically, the name for this breed has had numerous variations: Coaly, coally, and colley – all derivatives of “coll,” the Anglo-Saxon word for “black” – have been recorded. (Though all-black Collies are extremely rare, the name was probably derived from “Colley sheep,” a black-faced breed of sheep Collies worked with in the Scottish Highlands.) Through the years, two different breed types emerged: the Rough Collie was the longer-haired dog, possessing a thick, coarse outer coat, that worked with livestock herds; the Smooth Collie, shorter-haired, was the “drover” dog that moved the livestock along to market.

Collies gained popularity in England in the late 1800s, when Queen Victoria owned several; the breed began being imported to the United States around 1880, where it quickly grew in demand. The AKC officially recognized the Collie in 1885; the breed was one of the first the organization recognized after the AKC was established in 1884. The Collie Club of America was formed in 1886, making it one of the oldest official dog clubs in the world. The breed’s popularity continued in the early 20th century, when Collies began winning top honors at dog shows. One man almost single-handedly responsible for Collies’ demand in America during this time was author and dog breeder Albert Payson Terhune. As owner of Sunnybank Kennels in New Jersey, Terhune bred numerous prize dogs in the early 1900s, and at least thirty of his books were stories about his dogs, of which the hereditary line exists even today.

And demand for Collies further exploded in the 1950s with the success of the TV series Lassie, which featured a Rough Collie as its main character. Today, Collies – both the Rough and Smooth – are known as an all-around favorite of any purebred dogs.

The Rough and Smooth varieties are identical in makeup, except for the length of their fur; Rough Collies have an abundance of hair at the mane, back, hips, and tail. Bred to be herding dogs, the Collie is muscular yet lean, with a well-proportioned, athletic frame. Its length is usually a bit greater than its height. A Collie’s head resembles a lean wedge, eyes medium-sized and oval, and it has large ears that often fold over frontwards at the tip. This breed has a fairly long, sinewy neck that helps to display its proud appearance. The chest is deep, often thick with hair to enhance its noble stance, and its legs, like the rest of its body, are long and muscular, giving it the ability to turn very quickly. This breed normally has a fairly long tail, often with a slight hook at the end.

Extremely intelligent, fiercely devoted to its owner, and possessing a noble air, this breed has long been prized for its excellent temperament. Collies are easily trainable, mild-mannered, and sensitive to other animals and to people, so the breed makes an excellent companion; because of its highly developed personality, a Collie often considers itself a member of a human family. As a natural herder, a Collie instinctively develops a deep, loyal relationship to its handler, which it considers its “shepherd.” This breed prefers social settings, and if left alone for long periods of time it will become bored and/or lonely, which will lead to excessive barking. One disadvantage of their intelligence is that some Collies can be a bit high-strung and oversensitive. Collies are also known for their work as therapy dogs and guide dogs for the blind.

Though no scientific evidence exists to support this, many believe that the Rough and Smooth varieties of this breed exhibit differing personality traits. The Roughs, they say, are more reserved and laid-back, and are considered more introverted than Smooths, which are often more energetic, hard-working and outgoing. This is possibly due to many generations of breeding, during which the separate personalities became more pronounced.

Due to its intelligence, a Collie will be an excellent watchdog, but it is not known as an aggressive animal. A very family-friendly breed, these dogs are extremely clean and are known for being easily housebroken. Some Rough Collies, because of their thick fur, will dislike going into water; this is not seen as an issue for the Smooth variety.

The Collie, while considered a healthy breed overall, is not without several health issues. Its most common ailment is Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), also known as Collie eye defect. A condition that is present at birth, CEA is characterized by a gene mutation that causes improper eye development, and symptoms can range from mild effects (such as cloudy spots on the eye or sunken eyeballs) to severe cases of retinal detachment and blindness. No treatment or cure exists. Veterinarians recommend testing Collies as puppies to determine whether they carry the mutated gene, and could possibly be affected by CEA.

Another genetic condition in Collies, though not as common as CEA, is abnormal sensitivity to some drugs, such as Ivermectin (used to treat heartworm) and similar medications. Like the above-described CEA test, vets recommend drug screening for puppies to find out if alternative medications are needed.

Additionally, Collies may also suffer from hip dysplasia, in which the hip socket is formed abnormally and leads to arthritis and lameness. This condition, also genetic, is considered rare among the breed.