A
Rough Collie is a breed of dog developed originally for herding in
Scotland. It is well known because of the works of author Albert Payson Terhune,
and was popularized in later generations by the Lassie novel, movies, and
television shows. There is also a smooth-coated variety; some breed
organizations consider the smooth-coat and rough-coat dogs to be variations of
the same breed.
|
A Short Movie about Teddy the Rough Collie. |
|
Video, Movie, Film, Clip. Mpeg, Wmv |
|
Socialize this page |
|
|
Appearance
|
Comment "aw aw aw aw aw thats all I have to say! they are all sooo cute and i love them all! Collies are always cute though !"
Have your say |
|
Collies come in five basic coat colours: sable and white, where the "Sable"
ranges from pale tan to a golden mahogany; white (which some breed standards
disallow); tricolour, which is primarily black edged in tan; sable merle, almost
identical to a sable and white, yet with a slightly mottled sable coat, and blue
merle, which is a mottled gray. All come with white coat areas, in the collar,
parts of the leg, and maybe tail tip. Some may have white blazes on their faces.
Tricolours are more likely to have a tan blaze on their face.
The desired size and weight varies among breed standards; male collies can
stands 55.8 to 66 cm (22 to 26 in) at shoulder; the bitch averages 5 cm (2 in)
shorter. The male can weigh 20.4 to 34 kg (45 - 75 lb) and bitches 5 to 10
pounds (2.3 - 4.5 kg) less.
The mascot of Texas A&M University, Reveille VII, is a Rough Collie.
Temperament
The double layered coat needs to be brushed frequently and thoroughly to keep
it in a show condition, but it does not require extensive care. Rough collies
should show no nervousness or aggressiveness, and are good with children and
other animals. However, they must be well socialized to prevent shyness. They
are mid to large sized dogs, are suited to live in small apartments because of
their calm disposition; as they are not high strung as the Poodle, Labrador and
other hunting breeds. The herding instinct is very much apparent in some dogs,
but other dogs do not show this as much. Rough Collies are very loyal and
protective to their owners.
They are a good family dog. They are eager to learn and to please and respond
best to a gentle hand. They relish human company and should be let outside as
they need to run and exercise. By nature gentle and domesticated, they are
fearless in danger and will rush to defend their owners. Due to several booms in
the popularity of this breed, breeders more concerned with profit than breeding
good dogs have produced Collies that are high-strung, neurotic or extremely shy.
These problems are not typical of well-bred Collies, and can usually be avoided
by acquiring a Collie either through an ethical breeder or a good rescue
organization.
History
Both Rough and Smooth collies are descended from a localised variety of
herding dog originating in Scotland. Originally, there were numerous forms
of these dogs. After the industrial revolution, dog ownership became
fashionable, and these early collies were crossed with the Borzoi (Russian
Wolfhound), to get a more "noble" head, which is today one of the true
characteristics of the rough collie. Continued breeding for show purposes
drastically changed the appearance of the dogs; it was in the 1960s a much
taller dog than today. Earlier dogs were also more sturdy in build.
They are friendly, unaggressive dogs. The coat needs to be brushed frequently
to keep it in a show condition, but it doesn't require extensive care. They are
mid-sized dogs, suiting them to live in small houses and apartments.
