Collie Greyhound Dog Breed

The Greyhound x Collie mix, as a crossbreed, is not an official member of any breed group. Neither does any info exist about these hybrids' specific origin; while a Collie-Greyhound cross has probably existed naturally for a long time, no breeder or breed club has claimed its creation. These athletic, intelligent, sensitive hybrids will be great in either a working capacity (as a livestock herder, for example) or as a pet for active families willing to provide their dogs with lots of physical activity.

A few Collie x Greyhound mix facts: they're large-sized, averaging 26 inches at the shoulders in height and 65 pounds in weight; their coats can range from short- to long-haired, and they'll shed regularly (and often heavily in the spring and fall); and they're highly energetic and will need a lot of exercise.

Some advantages and drawbacks to owning a Greyhound-cross-Collie:

The Collie-Greyhound mix is the offspring of two breeds that are used to being on the move. The Collie is a celebrated herding dog, and the Greyhound has a long history of both hunting and racing--so a Collie-Greyhound will be fast, athletic, and tireless.

These hybrids will be pretty big, if fairly slim: 24-28 inches at the shoulders in height and 50-80 pounds in weight. Their coats can vary some, too. The Collie parent will either be Rough (long and thick) or Smooth (short)--so combined with the Greyhound's short, smooth coat, this crossbreed's coat can be short or long (or maybe somewhere in between). The coats come in a wide variety of colors--sable, black, red, blue, white, gray, tan, and even brindle, among others--mostly in multi-colored patterns. Depending on inherited traits, the coats may also shed heavier in the spring and fall as the Collie does.

Heavy shedding or no, these hybrids will need to live inside with their people--and it's best if they're in a house, preferably one with a large, fenced yard that'll give them room to run. Collie Greyhound mixes need a good bit of daily exercise; without it they can become frustrated, restless, and destructive.

It's unclear when the first cross of a Collie and Greyhound took place. Like most mixed-breed dogs, this hybrid's origins are unknown--but plenty of info exists about the history of its parent breeds:

COLLIE
This breed originated in the Highlands region of Scotland centuries ago, and became prized for its ability to herd various types of livestock. In the mid-1800s, Queen Victoria of England further popularized the Collie by bringing a few of the dogs with her to London after visiting Scotland. And the breed's popularity exploded in the U.S. (and worldwide) in the 1950s after the premiere of the TV show "Lassie," which starred a Rough Collie in the titular role. As of 2018, the Collie ranked 38th on the American Kennel Club's list of 197 recognized breeds.

GREYHOUND
The Greyhound is one of the most ancient breeds known. Egyptian cave paintings from as early as 2,500 B.C. depict Greyhounds as various god-like figures. Through the centuries the breed's popularity spread across Europe and Asia, where Greyhounds became famous for their speed and hunting skills. By the early 20th century these dogs became a hit in the U.S., where they were taking part in racing competitions. The Greyhound ranked 145th in popularity on the AKC's 2018 list.

Energetic, sensitive, intelligent, hard-working, and at times quite timid, the Collie-cross-Greyhound temperament is one of activity and love. These hybrids will be very affectionate with their family members (and almost everybody else, for that matter). They may inherit the Greyhound's shyness, however, and will need lots of exposure to different people, places and things to help them be confident. Regardless, Collie-Greyhound mixes should get along great with kids and other pets; even so, it's good for the dog to grow up alongside any children or household pets, so they learn to be accustomed to one another.

In regards to training: these hybrids are very smart, and normally take very well to training. Collie-Greyhound mixes can typically learn commands, tasks, and tricks without too many repetitions. As with any dog, firm, consistent, reward-based training methods are best.

And a Collie-Greyhound mix's watchdog skills are fairly good (especially if its temperament is more like that of the Collie). These hybrids are loyal and alert, and they should sound a vocal alarm is they perceive an unknown sight or sound.

The Collie-Greyhound mix, due to hybrid vigor (in which a crossbred dog inherits the healthiest traits of its parent breeds), is very healthy. Even so, these hybrids can suffer ailments common to the parent breeds including hip dysplasia, various eye issues (the most common of which is Progressive Retinal Atrophy, or PRA), and increased sensitivity to drugs/anesthesia. Larger, deeper-chested Collie-Greyhound mixes can also be prone to gastric torsion (or bloat), especially if they're allowed to "wolf" their food too quickly. Potential owners are advised to ask breeders for health screenings for the dog and/or its parents, or they can have their own veterinarians do the screenings.

Life expectancy for these hybrids is 11-14 years.