Rough Collie Profile

Other Names:  Scottish Collie

Country of origin: Scotland

Dog Group Kennel Club:  Pastoral

General appearance:

Rough Collies are occasionally referred to as Lassie dogs and have a straight and harsh outer coat with soft and furry undercoat.  Rough Collies are fine dogs with a strong build capable of activity as per their original purpose of herding in Scotland. This breed comes in both rough and smooth varieties. Both have same coloration accepted. Most commonly seen in tri-color (black, white and tan), blue merle, and sable and white are also acceptable colors for this breed. They are perfectly balanced and with their abundant coats and elongated, narrow, chiseled heads, they are easily recognisable. The head is of great importance and should appear as a blunt and lean wedge with a slight stop and smooth clean outline. The foreface should be chiseled for the eye set; the eyes being almond-shaped, medium-sized and always black with a sweet expression.

Colours:

Four colours of: sable, tri-colour, blue merle and sable and white.

 Size:

Bitch            51 - 56cms.

Dog               56 - 61cms

Weight:

                              Min                 Max
 
Bitch            23kg (51lbs) 30kg (66lbs)

Dog               27kg (60lbs) 34kg (75lbs)

Temperament:

Rough Collies are intelligent breeds who are friendly, happy and active.  They love to work and still have strong herding instincts. In general they are good with children and other dogs.This dog is regularly seen in homes with other animals and children, as they are very gentle and passive.  The Collie has a very even and well-mannered temperament. Originally bred for herding, the collie has the tendency to nip at ankles as a pup, however most grow out of this stage. They are very protective of their home environment but will warmly receive invited friends.

Movement:

Rough Collies have a distinctive movement showing power and the ability to cover ground well.

Care and training:

The rough variety does not require as much grooming as smooth. Short and stiff coat requires brushing weekly. Smooth variety requires daily brushing to remove any excess hair, and to keep hair from becoming matted. Monthly baths are recommended as their long coat traps dirt. The Collie is a heavy shedder given the season.Occasional trimming will keep the feathering on the front legs and tail in check.

Rough Collies learn very quickly and, because of their sensitive natures, should be trained in a positive manner with neither physical abuse or harsh verbal treatment being used. This willful dog requires a gentle hand to avoid shyness and refusal to cooperate with his owner. Trained for herding purposes on occasion, this breed has a strong will to work and to please his owner.

Overall Exercise: 60 - 80 minutes per day.
Surprisingly enough, Rough Collies do not demand too much exercise and will easily adapt to family circumstances. However, free-running should be given, allowing them time to play with and retrieve a ball. Care must be taken to stop them putting on too much weight.

Feeding requirements:

The breeder will give you a diet sheet for your puppy which should be followed. As adults, Collies are an easy breed to feed as they are not fussy eaters.  

Exercise: Med

Grooming: High

Noise: Med

Personal Protection: Medium

Suitability As Guard Dog: Medium

Level of Aggression: Low

Compatibility With Other Animals: High

Suitablity for Children: High

Often docked:  No

Average litter size: 6 - 10

Life expectancy (yrs): 8 - 14

Health issues: CEA (Collie eye anomaly, a recessive defective gene which can cause blindness) and PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy). Other health concerns include hip dysplasia, skin infections, dermatomyositis, ivermectin sensetivity, and gastric torsion or bloat. Bloat is a health issue to most dogs, being the second largest killer of dogs other than cancer, but Collies can be particularly susceptible to it because of their deep chests.

History: All varieties of Collies come from Scotland where they were used in the Scottish Lowlands as a hard working sheepdog. Before that, Collies were thought to have been brought from Iceland 400 years before. The word "colley" is a Scottish term for a sheep with a black face and legs, thus giving the breed its name. Claims have been made that the Rough Collie was crossed with the Borzoi, and the Smooth Collie crossed with Greyhound. The Collie remained a working sheepdog until the 1860s when Queen Victoria encountered the breed and was so impressed that she took some back to the royal kennels in Windsor. This stimulated great interest in the breed overnight, and soon the breed was highly popular.