Mary Allen
In addition to this long-haired variant of the Collie with the lush coat, there is also a short-haired variety. Although they are absolutely the same down to their fur until a few years ago the Rough Collie was much better known and more common thanks to the television series “Lassie”. The name “Collie” was originally given to this dog because of its native Scotland of colleys, black-faced sheep, guarded. Today he is a popular house dog.
Rough Collie – breed portrait
Many of the hardworking herding dog breeds were late discovered as pets because they were hardly noticed outside of their rural sphere of activity. The Rough Collie is an exception: admired for its glamorous appearance by artists in the 19th century, it was often painted, especially in romanticized depictions of rural life in Scotland.
Even Queen Victoria kept collies at Windsor Castle after meeting and taking a liking to them on a holiday at Balmoral Castle.
The Rough Collie of old was a little shorter and less elegant than today’s, and sometime in the late 1800s, borzoi blood must have been bred to make the dog taller and more beautiful. In the 1890s, the collies shown in competitions were already very similar to those of today.
The Collie is sometimes difficult to train (they have a long developmental period, often up to the age of three): with this breed, however, it is not a matter of lack of intelligence, rather the dog does not see why training should be important to him. This can be solved by making the training sessions short and focused, with lots of rewards and praise.
The Collie is usually very attached to its owner and family and loves spending time with them. He can be a little suspicious of strangers, making him an excellent watchdog. He gets along well with children who respect him, but his dignity does not take being teased.
Appearance
In contrast to most other shepherd dogs, which are rather roughly built, the collie has an elegant expression and an aristocratic demeanor.
Of course, its appearance has changed over time due to certain crossings. Its back is strong and straight and the head must be wedge-shaped with a slight but noticeable stop. The almond-shaped, medium-sized eyes are slightly slanted and are dark brown.
Only animals with a blue-marbled coat have blue eyes. When the animal is resting, the small ears lie backward. When alert, they stand semi-erect and are tipped forward. The dense, lush undercoat is covered by a long, straight, taut top coat. The coat can range from reddish (from light golden yellow to dark mahogany) to white, tricolor (black, tan, and white) to blue-merle (silver-blue with black or white motifs and also dark brown markings).
The end of the long, low-set tail points upwards. When the dog is excited, it appears bent.
Care
The Rough Collie’s coat should be brushed very thoroughly once a week, paying particular attention to the more densely-haired areas to prevent burr formation. During the change of coat, it makes sense to brush the dog even daily, as it sheds a lot of hair.
Temperament
Collies are naturally friendly dogs, with a good personalities and full of energy. They are suspicious of strangers. They are always very affectionate towards their owner and family. Even though collies are often kept as companion dogs today, they have outstanding abilities as watchdogs.
They also show exceptional performance as army or police dogs. As pack animals, collies generally show no signs of nervousness or aggression and are tolerant of other animals. However, you should never leave them alone for too long. Towards family members, Collies try to act like herders, constantly keeping an eye on all members, especially when out for a walk.
Upbringing
Collies learn very quickly. The best results are achieved by the tone of your own voice.
Area of life
Although this breed loves the outdoors, it adapts well to an apartment life: by nature, they are designed to share the life of their owner and their family.
Compatibility
The dogs get along remarkably well with conspecifics, other domestic animals as well as children. Known visitors are greeted cheerfully.
Movement
Collies adapt easily to most circumstances but are certainly not content with just the occasional walk. They prefer to run and play off-leash, which should be given the opportunity to do so.
Most enjoy fetch and ball games, and are exceptionally good at dog sports such as agility, flyball, and obedience. Like their short-haired cousins, these collies should be taken care of while they are growing.
Story
This ancient herding breed was virtually unknown outside of their native Scotland until Queen Victoria fell in love with them during a trip through the Highlands. It quickly became a fashion dog and it took part in the first official dog show in England in 1860.
At the same time, the careful selection was also used to consolidate both his physical characteristics and his excellent qualities of character at work and in relation to people.
Short-haired Scottish Shepherd
Also known as the Collie Smooth, it differs from its long-haired cousin in the length of its coat. This must not be longer than 2 cm. However, there are no differences in the coloring of the coat.
Representing only a minority of Collies (around 8%), they are fairly unknown outside of the UK. However, it has its own standard and is, therefore, a breed of its own.