Mary Allen
The Collie is much more than just an intelligent dog that is often hired for films. The collie is above all a real cuddly cheek!
The collie has all the qualities to become a real Hollywood star: a stunning appearance, a lovable and friendly character, and a high level of intelligence. This ensures that the master even the most complicated tricks with flying colors. No wonder the collie dog “Lassie” became famous worldwide as the main character in films, TV series, and books.
Collies are among the most popular family dogs in the world. The story actually began with a hard-working and robust herding dog in the Scottish Highlands. There, the long and thick coat protected the dog from the freezing winds and rains.
If you are toying with the idea of adopting one of the loving and loyal dogs into your family, we have put together the most important facts about the Rough Collie here: from its appearance and history to the right upbringing and care.
What does a Collie look like?
Rough Collies’ most typical identifying features are their long, almost plush fur and long, elegant muzzles. The fur is smooth and very dense with a soft, short undercoat. Collies are therefore among the dog breeds with a very lush mane, ruff, and tail.
As coat colors are in Europe
- sable-white,
- tricolor and
- blue merle
permissible, while the American standard is also recognized in white and white. The dense mane and the color of the coat are usually already visible in the puppies of the long-haired variety.
The muzzle is long and narrow, especially in the British Collie standard. The face must not be disturbed by the lush fur. The ears are so-called tipped ears, so two-thirds of them should stand upright and then be tilted forward.
Even if you can hardly see it because of the magnificent top coat, collies have a strong, muscular body with a broad chest. The American type differs most visibly from the British standard in conformation, as American Collies have a more substantial and larger conformation. The snout of the American type is also defined somewhat more powerfully and less narrowly than that of the British variant.
How big is a Collie?
The Rough Collie is officially recognized in Germany in the two variants mentioned above: There is the British and the American type.
The British type, which is also mainly bred in Germany, reaches an average height at the withers of between 56 cm and 61 cm for males. Bitches grow between 51 cm and 55 cm. The American type is slightly larger with an average height of between 61 cm and 66 cm. The dogs belong to medium-sized to large dog breeds.
How heavy is a Collie?
The two Collie types also differ in weight. The British standard weighs up to 25 kg on average. The American standard can weigh up to 34 kg.
How old does a Collie get?
With an average age of twelve years, the Rough Collie is one of the dog breeds with a long life expectancy. With optimal husbandry, care and health, the dogs can even live up to 14 years.
What character or nature does Collie have?
Although originally bred purely as herding dogs, collies make excellent family members. The dogs have a very gentle, attentive, and affectionate character, with a high will to please and to submit. With appropriate socialization, the dog shows a high level of empathy for all of its caregivers, especially children.
With optimal training, the dog is at most reserved towards strangers and animals, but never aggressive. Therefore, he is not suitable as a guard dog.
The dogs are considered to be very sensitive and in need of harmony, and society. They prefer to live surrounded by their family members all the time. Being alone and in aggressive or negative moods doesn’t do the sensitive ones any good. Therefore, pay attention to positive reinforcement during training and, above all, gently get your dog used to being alone.
Like most herding dogs, Rough Collies are very intelligent and trainable. They never cease to amaze their humans with their ingenuity and skill.
Where is the collie from?
The history of Collies goes back to the 13th century. This makes the breed one of the oldest dog breeds in the world. At the time, the ancestors of today’s collies were used on the Scottish high moors as herding and herding dogs for flocks of sheep known as “Colley” sheep. For their work, the shepherds needed a dog that was particularly intelligent, obedient, and independent at the same time. He had to be assertive without being aggressive and, above all, he had to be able to cope with the cold, windy, and damp weather conditions of the vast Scottish highlands.
Collies lived a simple and undisturbed life as herding dogs in the Scottish Highlands for a relatively long time. At the beginning of the 19th century, British Queen Victoria got to know the dogs in Scotland and fell in love with the long, fluffy noses. From then on, Queen Victoria enthusiastically promoted the breed and the dog became a privileged gift to other royal houses and noble families. This is how the Collie finally became known and sought after throughout Europe. The first Collie Club was founded in England in 1840 and the Rough Collie was officially recognized as a breed in 1858.
Unfortunately, the collie also shared the fate of many other dog breeds, where beauty and show came first for a long time. They used to be pure herding dogs, but from the 19th century, they were bred more and more as show dogs. This also changed her appearance. Today’s very long, the narrow snout of the British type has often been bred to the point of absurdity.
Fortunately, the breed is now a very popular family dog, which means that its appearance is no longer the top priority for many breeders. Breeders put more emphasis on optimizing their health, grooming, and character traits.
Collie: The right attitude and training
Keeping and educating a collie is relatively uncomplicated. Even beginners can do it, provided they meet the most important basic aspects. The breed is known to be very affectionate and sensitive. You should therefore only get a collie if you are able to spend a lot of time with it. The dog loves to be closely involved in your everyday life and in your household. Also, raise it with love, affection, and fairness only, whether it’s a puppy or an older dog. These dogs are completely unsuitable for impatient, impulsive, nervous, or indifferent people.
As former herding dogs, collies are extremely active. Daily, prolonged outdoor activities, best combined with mental challenges and games, are essential. The dog is a very good companion for outdoor activities because the closeness to his people plus sporting activities are an absolute dream package for him. If the dog gets enough activity outside, he can be kept and happy in a flat in the city.
What care does Collie need?
The Collie’s lush coat requires far less grooming than is often assumed. In fact, a thorough brushing every two weeks is quite sufficient. If you brush too often, the important undercoat can suffer. It should protect the dog from the cold and wet.
For optimal care, check the dense fur regularly for parasites. In addition, you should ideally ensure a rich and varied diet.
What typical diseases does the Collie have?
The breed is one of the few dog breeds that often suffers from the so-called MDR1 defect. This is an oversensitivity to certain drugs, which can also lead to death. Another breed-specific condition that can occur is a collie eye anomaly, a visual impairment. Puppies and young dogs can also suffer from the muscle disease dermatomyositis.
How much does a Collie cost?
The average price for a puppy for a Rough Collie from a German breeder is between 1,000 and 2,500 euros.
If you would like to take a puppy into your family, only buy it from a recognized breeder. Only they really pay close attention to ensuring that the puppies are healthy and vaccinated and that the risk of genetic diseases is as low as possible. After all, your “friend for life” should keep you happy and on your toes for as long as possible and also have a nice life yourself.