Type the name of the breed you're looking for below
[wpdreams_ajaxsearchlite] Don't see the breed your're looking for? Click here and let us know!
Breed Characteristics
1 paw - breed exhibits the least amount of this characteristic
5 paws - breed exhibits most amount of this characteristic
[fbcomments]
Rough Collie
| Other Names | Collie, Scottish Collie, Long-Haired Collie, English collie, |
| Nicknames | Lassie dog |
| Country of Origin | Great Britain |
| Weight | Males: 45 to 75 lbs. (20 to 34 kg) Females: 35 to 65 lbs. (15.8 to 29 kg ) |
| Height (at withers) | Males: 22 to 26 in. (55.8 to 66 cm) Females: 21 to 26 in. (50.8 to 61 cm) |
| Coat | The rough coat is long and abundant all over the body, but is shorter on the head and legs, and the coat forms a mane around the neck and chest. The outer coat is straight and harsh to the touch, and the undercoat is soft and tight. |
| Colour | Three coat colours are recognised for Rough Collies: sable and white, where the "sable" ranges from pale tan to a mahogany; tricolour, which is primarily black edged in tan; blue merle, which is mottled gray. All have white coat areas, in the collar, parts of the leg, and usually the tail tip. Some may have white blazes on their faces. In addition, the American Kennel Club accepts white, where the dog is predominantly white with coloured markings of sable, tricolour, or blue merle on the head and sometimes body patches. |
| Litter Size | 4 - 6 puppies |
| Life Span | 14 - 16 years |
| Origin & History | Both Rough and Smooth collies are descended from a localised variety of herding dog originating in Scotland and Wales. The Scottish variety was a large, strong, aggressive dog, bred to herd highland sheep. The Welsh variety was small and nimble, domesticated and friendly, and also herded goats. When the English saw these dogs at the Birmingham market, they interbred them with their own variety of sheepdogs producing a mixture of short and long haired varieties. After the industrial revolution, dog ownership became fashionable, and these early collies were believed to have been crossed with the Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound) to get a more "noble" head, which is today one of the true characteristics of the Rough Collie. It is not known conclusively if the Borzoi cross made it into the mainstream of the breed. When Queen Victoria acquired a Rough Collie, after seeing one at Balmoral Castle, they were transformed into something of a fashion item. Continued breeding for show purposes drastically changed the appearance of the dogs; in the 1960s, it was a much taller dog than it is today (in the UK; in the US, the size standard has not been revised downward and dogs have remained between 24-26"). Earlier dogs were also more sturdy in build and reportedly capable of covering up to 100 miles in one day. In the UK the Rough Collie is no longer used for serious herding, having been replaced by the Border Collie. Though in the United States and a number of European countries, there has been a resurgence in the use of the Collie as a working and performance dog. The Collie Club of America is one of the oldest breed-specific clubs in existence in the United States (founded in 1886). The Collie Club in England dates from 1881. Quoted from Collie Club of America: Unfortunately, the Collie's exact origins are shrouded in obscurity. It has been the subject of much research and speculation. The word "Collie" is as obscure as the breed itself. The name has been spelled many different ways: Coll, Colley, Coally and Coaly. Generally, the most accepted origin of the word is "Coll" - the Anglo-Saxon word for "black". In the 18th century, the Rough Collie's natural home was in the highlands of Scotland, where he had been used for centuries as a sheepdog. The dogs were bred with great care in order to assist their masters in the herding and guarding of their flock. Without a doubt, it is to the English fancy of the late 1800s that the breed owes its development as a popular show dog. Rough Collies were first exhibited in 1860 at the Birmingham, England dog show, in the generic class "Scotch Sheep-Dogs". In 1879 the first English Rough Collie was imported to this country. It is from England that we find the famous pillars of the breed, from which the American fanciers sought not only their next big winner, but also their foundation stock. By the turn of the century, the American Rough Collie was in a state of continued development. The breed continued to flourish in England. American show prizes were dominated by the British imports. As a result of the imports, the breed made rapid progress between 1900 to 1920. These dogs built the foundations upon which the present day Rough Collie is based and paved the way for the emergence of the great American kennels of the 1920s and 1930s The word may trace to Gaelic or/and Irish - in which the words for "doggie" are, respectively, càilean and cóilean. This would be more consistent with the breed's origin in the Gaelic-speaking Scottish Highlands than an Anglo-Saxon term. |
| Personality | The Collie is a highly intelligent dog. Sensitive, mild-mannered, sweet, easy to train and loyal, it is usually good with other pets and friendly with other dogs. They are natural herders; puppies may try and herd humans, and need to be taught not to do this. Faithful, playful, docile and protective of their family members and good with children, Collies have an uncanny sense of direction. They are good-natured, friendly dogs. They are energetic outdoors. Socialize them well to prevent them from becoming wary of strangers. They are not aggressive, but they do tend to be suspicious of people they sense unstable vibes from. Daily pack walks are important. Without a firm, but calm, confident and consistent owner who sets the rules and sticks to them, they can become willful, stubborn and indolent. This breed should be trained gently, but with an air of authority or he will refuse to cooperate. A clean breed, the Collie is relatively easy to housebreak. Some owners report that rough Collies do not like the water due to how heavy their coats get when wet. We have seen clips on the Internet of rough Collies swimming, however, so while a lot may not, it's never an absolute. Some smooth Collies have become successful at water rescue. |
Care Requirements
| Health | While Rough Collies are generally resilient and healthy, there are some health problems that can affect the breed. Collie eye anomaly (CEA), a genetic disease which causes improper development of the eye and possible blindness, is a common ailment in the breed. More rarely, Rough Collies can be affected by progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), another genetic disease in which bilateral degeneration of the retina results in progressive vision loss culminating in blindness. Through genetic testing and careful screening program it would be theoretically possible to eradicate both of these problems in purebred lines, however, certainly in the UK, the Kennel Club does not require these tests to be done either for registration or showing. CEA is so prevalent that elimination of affected dogs except through very slow and careful breeding decisions to avoid shrinking the gene pool more than absolutely necessary. Rough Collie puppies should be screened at an early age (6–8 weeks) by a certified veterinary ophthalmologist to check for CEA. PRA has a later onset and can be detected by DNA test, but is much less widespread (in the US) than CEA. (In the UK, PRA is more common.) Note, the UK Kennel Club "Accredited Breeder Scheme" requires eye tests and recommends the genetic test for this class of members, . Canine cyclic neutropenia is a cyclic blood disorder that is usually fatal to affected puppies. The disease is also referred to as "gray collie syndrome", due to affected puppies having a pale gray, pinkish/gray or beige colouring, none of which are normal Rough Collie colours. Puppies that survive through adulthood are plagued with immune disorders throughout their lives and rarely live more than three years. DNA testing can help detect carriers of the recessive gene that causes the disease. Hip dysplasia: As with most of the larger breeds, hip dysplasia is a potential concern for Rough Collies. Although this disease appears to be "multigene", careful selection by many breeders is reducing this problem. The UK Kennel Club "Accredited Breeder Scheme" requires hip-scores this class of members, however, a very small proportion of UK registered puppies are bred under this scheme. Hip dysplasia is rare in collies compared to their closest relatives and other breeds of the same size. Rough Collies may carry a mutant Mdr1 gene that results in a sensitivity to Ivermectin and related drugs. A screening test is used to determine if alternative medications are required. Overdoses from the proscribed medications can result in neurological impairment or even death. This faulty gene is present in several breeds, but is well known among collies. In addition to these problems, all of which can be tested for, there are a number of problems which are thought to be genetic but for which no screening test exists. These include epilepsy, bloat, a tendency towards allergies, and thyroid disorders (primarily hypothyroidism.). Because no DNA tests exist for these disorders (and all can have causes other than genetic origins), breeders can only do their best to avoid producing them by removing affected dogs from the gene pool. |
| Grooming | The double layered coat needs to be brushed frequently and thoroughly to keep it in a show condition. Pet dogs need less maintenance but still a significant amount. The profuse coat picks up grass seeds and burrs, and many dogs tend to mat to some degree, particularly behind the ears, around the collar (if a collar is left on the dog), and in the pants. Shaving collies is very bad for their skin and some do not regrow any significant amount of hair after being shaved. Spaying and neutering can alter coat texture, making it softer and more prone to matting. |
| Exercise | The Collie needs plenty of exercise, which includes a daily, long walk. In addition, they would enjoy some romps off the leash in a safe area. Rough Collies can compete in dog agility trials, obedience, showmanship, flyball, tracking, and herding events. Herding instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Rough Collies exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials. The breed has also been known to work as search and rescue dogs, therapy dogs and guide dogs for the blind. |
| Other Considerations | The Collie will dog okay in an apartment as long as it is sufficiently exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors and do best with at least an average-sized yard. Sensitive to the heat. Provide plenty of shade and fresh water in warm weather. Notable Rough Collies; Lassie, a line of Rough Collies originally owned by Rudd Weatherwax that have starred in numerous films, multiple television series, and a radio program, and has been the subject of various novels and non-fiction works. One of the few animal actors to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Reveille is the name of the current mascot of Texas A&M University. Since Reveille III became mascot in 1966, each dog to bear that name has been a Rough Collie; the current mascot is Reveille VIII. When she assumed her duties in 2008, she was a two-year-old female Rough Collie, formerly named Kelly. She was donated by the Rough Collie breeders Julie Hinrichsen and Russell Dyke, owners of Juell Collies in Topeka, Kansas. DR Dakota, was the collie that performed the action shots in the latest Lassie film. Lad, the main hero of Albert Payson Terhune's early 20th century novels about his Sunnybank Rough Collies. Pal, the first Rough Collie to portray Lassie and from whom the Lassie line is descended. Ch. Laund Loyalty of Bellhaven, a nine-month-old Rough Collie who is the youngest dog to ever win the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Colleen, a Rough Collie from London (voiced by Tress MacNeille) on Road Rovers. Jezebel, is a Rough Collie (voiced by Fergie) in the 2010 movie, Marmaduke. Chester McDoogle, is a Rough Collie that appeared in the promos for Chadwick Stokes album Simmerkane II of State Radio and Dispatch fame. Wilson, a Rough Collie who appears in the Japanese manga series Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin. The helpful Rough Collie (voiced by Tom Conway), from 101 Dalmatians. He leads Pongo, Perdita and the puppies into the safety of a dairy farm somewhere in Hertfordshire. Flo, Charlie B. Barkin's girlfriend (voiced by Loni Anderson) in the 1989 Don Bluth film, All Dogs Go to Heaven. Rob Roy and Prudence Prim, famous snow white Rough Collies owned by President Calvin and First Lady Gracie Coolidge. Laddie, a parody of Lassie on The Simpsons, in the episode entitled The Canine Mutiny. Zeb, dog from Olney, Maryland popular in the mid-Atlantic states as a "spokesdog" for Collie Rescue. Mason, who portrayed the last "Lassie" in the latest Lassie film. Trigger, who portrayed in two parts of Goosebumps episodes, Monster Blood. |
