You might be most familiar with the long-haired "Lassie" collie, but there are, in fact, two kinds of collies. The rough collie has a long, flowing coat, giving it that elegant appearance.
Smooth collies, on the other hand, were bred to help take animals to market and didn't need the extra-long coat to protect them from the weather out in the hills. The shorter coat was also easier to care for.
Both the rough and the smooth collie sheds seasonally, but Caldwell points out those leery of hair can consider the smooth collie as an alternative. Both rough and smooth collies can come in four colors: Sable and white is a golden to mahogany color with white on the chest, feet, and tail. Tri-color collies are mostly black with similar white markings, plus some tan shading.
Blue merle are marbled blue-grey, black and white. And last but not least, white collies are mostly white with some sable, tri-color, or blue merle markings. Collies are known for their gentle, playful, and loyal temperament. The original architects of the breed, she explains, selected dogs who were eager to please and biddable. Suzy Royds, a collie breeder with more than 30 years of experience, agrees.
They want to bond and please you. They want to be your companion," Royds says. While friendly with strangers on walks, they can feel the need to protect the home and can make good guard dogs. And they will try to communicate with you. With that in mind, a good home for a collie will have a yard, and either an animal playmate or an owner who is home for long stretches.
However, they're not hyper and don't need the constant working that other working dogs like border collies might need. If you're into the great outdoors, your collie will keep up. They enjoy hikes and beach trips and can tolerate cold weather. If you are keeping a collie in hot weather, don't shave them.
That heavy coat is actually protection from the heat, as well. Royds advocates motivational training techniques for collies, and taking a positive approach. One of the most common questions people have about collies is about the hair: Yes, collies shed. She suggests weekly brushing, and a bath and a brush-out once a month. If you're dealing with spayed and neutered dogs , the shedding is seasonal intact female dogs, for example, will shed about 4 months after coming into heat.
Starting around June, they'll begin to "drop coat," or shed heavily, at which point you can take them to the groomer to get their loose coat cut out. They'll begin to put on a new coat again in the fall. My other two are what I would consider normal barkers. My husband wants to use a bark collar in her. I do not. Any suggestions on things I could try to get a better handle on her would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Nancy, This could also be the topic of an entire article, since Collies can be very vocal dogs! Usually, I just spray it in front of their face as a warning. If she continues barking, then spray. Also consider the reasons behind the barking. If your noisier Collie is also more high strung like my Yoshi, she may be bored. Yoshi and Freckles both seem determined to inform me of any unusual sights or even sounds.
However, a remote-controlled e-collar that you manually operate can be a great tool to teach your dog what things are unacceptable to bark about. We have an e-collar with beep, vibrate, and static shock settings. She hardly ever has to wear it anymore. Very good summary of the Collie. Kudos to you for an entertaining, factual essay.
Thank you, Lydia! I really hit the jackpot when I found your Collie Club. Hi Emily, we had a smooth collie for 13 years. She was the sweetest, most obedient and sensitive dog ever.
We missed her so desperately when she died that we soon welcomed a new collie into our family a rough this time. She is adorable and a bit sassier and more confident than our first collie who bordered on being a little bit of a scaredy cat. Our new collie is now 9 months old and has a habit of barking excitedly when greeting loved ones or strangers. She hardly barks at all at other times.
A lot of people find this a bit scary. How do we stop her barking? Will this control come in time or will she always be an excitable barker? PS Love your article! You are so spot on with your description and understanding of the collie nature and behaviour. They truly are the most beautiful breed for so many reasons.
I wish they were more easily obtainable in Australia though so that more families could experience having a collie in the family. And sometimes a bit exhausting… One of my Collies sounds similar to your Rough puppy.
The short answer is that more time and training will make it better; but it may never go away completely. My seven-year-old Collie still occasionally slips up and does an excited bark when people come over! Teach an alternate behavior. This has worked for our Aussie mix who excitedly nibbles at hands when we come home or people come over.
Over time, she eventually learned to pick up one of her toys on her own when we came home. We kept treats and toys near the front door for a while. Then praise, pet, treat. The goal is to come home and have her automatically pop into a quiet sit or something of that nature , so she can get those treats! Discourage the barking through aversive stimulus.
You can get the same effect from a cheaper can of keyboard duster spray. Another alternative is to dilute vinegar in water and put that in a spray bottle. Some people go so far as to use anti-bark, vibrating e-collars.
My Collies never were that bad, but our Aussie mix is half Great Pyrenees and as such is quite the noisemaker… We got an e-collar for her that came with a remote that has buttons for beep and vibrate. If she ignores the warning and continues barking, we hit the button that makes the collar vibrate against her neck. Again, totally harmless, but not a feeling most dogs appreciate! Now, Freckles hardly ever has to wear the collar. I would love to have a Smooth Collie one day!
Best of luck with your girl as she grows! Well written! Looks like you put a lot of time and research into the breed. And I agree, they can be total clowns when the mood overtakes them!
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Yoshi, a case in point! Bobbie the Wonder Dog. Lassie Dog Breed Popularity. Collie Health. Collie Eye Anomaly. One of these Collies has a mild form of CEA. Photo credit: Debbie Deluco. Progressive Retinal Atrophy. A dog with PRA. Other Concerns. Hybrid Vigor?
Cadoodle Puppy. Smooth and Rough Collie Uses. Collies are a versatile breed, probably as a result of their varied background. Rough Collie Color Chart. Sky, a blue-eyed sable merle. Photo credit: Jessica New. Never Shave a Collie. Bathing a Collie. Gustav at Pet Supplies Plus self-service dog wash. Rough Collie Shedding. View on Amazon. Exercising Your Collie. Yoshi complaining the first time she wore boots. Intelligence and Temperament. Yoshi being Yoshi. To my shame, I have a perfect example of this… My Collies like to lie directly in front of doors or in pathways, ideally positioned to receive attention as their humans come and go.
Obedience and Manners. Sir Gustav in training. Applied Behavioral Training. Thor, Ajax, and Yoshi working on sit-stay. Sundstrom The Collie by Charlotte Wilcox written on a primary level.
Play Video. Emily Sowulewski Emily is an avid writer, blogger, and Collie lover who collects and posts stories about Collies from around the world. Submit a story, ask a question, or just say hi; Emily would love to hear from you. Hi Kathy, This is the way of the Lassie dog breed! Hi Catherine! Fantastic read!
Thanks for sharing Much love from ForguesCanadianCollies. Subscribe to Our Newsletter. Enter Your Email Address:. Connect With Us. All Rights Reserved. Sitemap Privacy Policy Website Terms. Close Menu. Collie Rescue Directory U. Close dialog. Session expired Please log in again. They have a mane and a frill around their head, giving them a distinct look. Both rough and smooth Collies have different possible colors for their coat.
It can be tricolor a mixture of black, white markings, and tan , blue merle black and silvery blue , or sable and white. The Collie has right about anything you can dream of in a family dog. It is loving, caring, and very loyal to their family.
They form pretty strong bonds with their family from the start and are very protective of them. If anyone tries to threaten them, the Collie will step in in a heartbeat. This is a pup that can figure out the answer to numerous problems on the spot. Collies are also very playful and like to be around their owners, especially children.
The happiest Collie is the one playing with little kids and protecting them from any danger around them. This will guarantee that they will grow up to be caring adult dogs and not aggressive and shy dogs.
Do you think you know everything there is to know about Collies? Here are five things you might not have heard of. These dogs are also known as Scotch Collies because of where they were bred for the first time. In other words, saying that the dog Lassie is a Regular Collie or a Scotch Collie is the exact same thing. Then, we have two distinctions. A Collie can have a short coat or a long and full coat. Collies are overall healthy.
However, like all other dog breeds, they are at higher risk than other dogs of developing certain conditions. Although not all Collies get them, every owner should be prepared for the worst. Hip dysplasia is a common condition among this breed. Hip dysplasia is extremely painful, and pups who have it tend to stay quiet to not grind the bones together. Another common condition is the Collie eye anomaly. Eye anomaly can affect pretty much any component of the eye, from the choroid to the coloboma.
Dogs who are sick have trouble stopping the hemorrhage, which can lead to death if not treated. In addition, like all dogs, Collies are also susceptible to tick-borne diseases.
You need to be careful and pay attention to see if your dog is walking around with a tick latched onto their skin.
Rough Collies, as you can imagine, require more frequent grooming than Smooth Collies. The former should be brushed at least twice a week. The latter only needs a brushing session once a week. Once shedding season is upon you, you should brush your pooch every day.
Once every six to eight weeks should be more than enough.
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