Collies
The Rough Collie is a long-coated dog breed of medium to large size that, in its original form, was a type of collie used and bred for herding sheep in Scotland. More recent breeding has focused on the Collie as a show dog, and also companion.
Collie Information
General facts
Life span: 12-14 years
Temperament: Intelligent, Friendly, Loyal, Active, Protective, Gentle
Colors: White, Blue Merle, Tri-color, Sable & White, Sable Merle, Sable
Height: Male: 24-26 inches
Female: 22-24 inches
Weight: Male: 60-75 lbs
Female: 50-65 lbs
Taping ears
The goal of ear taping is either to ensure your collie has an equal fold in both their ears (sometimes called cocked or semi-pricked ears) or so that their ears both stand up with no fold at all (usually called pricked ears). Collie standard is tipped ears. To ensure the standard collie ears, taping may be required until your puppy is done teething.
Energy Level: High energy level when outside, low energy level when indoors
Tendency to Drool: Low
Tendency to Snore: Low
Tendency to Bark: Moderate (prone to excessive barking if left indoors alone for long periods of time)
Tendency to Dig: Low
Social/Attention Needs: High (loves people, children, and other animals, including cats)
Personality
The collie is part of the herding group. A rough collie‘s personality is known to be smart, quick to learn, and very in tune to people. Collies respond well to consistent, reward-based training, and they tend to enjoy the attention that comes with performing, whether doing tricks or competing in agility, obedience or herding events. Many collies make great therapy dogs as well, due to their calmness indoors and medium height.
Rough collies, like the one featured in Lassie, can at times be very vocal. When rough collie dogs are bored, their bark is a clear sign that they need attention. They also have a tendency to nip at peoples' heels in play, another indication of their herding background. It is important to train your rough collie to not nip, especially around children, as it may frighten little ones. Due to the rough collie's high intelligence level, he is easy to house train and learns tricks quickly. However, switch up training activities occasionally to prevent boredom. They are very smart, so you should get creative with their training!
The rough collie is family-oriented and loves playing with children. When he is outside, he will run as hard as he can, but as soon as he enters the house he'll be happy to relax with the rest of the family. Although the rough collie loves to be active outside, he is not an outdoor-only dog, and he can thrive in a small home or apartment as long as he gets daily exercise.
The rough collie is noted for his deep loyalty and nurturing personality, but he also has a fierce independent streak. Owners should try to work with his independent tendencies, rather than against them. Giving your rough collie some time to run around by himself in a fenced area each day may help.
A rough collie makes a great companion dog for a single person, but he will bond with all family members, not just the one who feeds him. The rough collie breed is known to learn the individual characteristics and behaviors of each person in the household. Again, this is why dedicated training of your rough collie is absolutely crucial. Rough collies are intelligent, and they are always watching people and learning, so it is important to train them early and often.
Is a collie right for you?
See above for collie description. If you are looking for a loyal, elegant, and family oriented dog, then a collie is right for you. If you are concerned about shedding please do not get a collie. Remember a puppy is for the lifetime of a dog! Please do your research before getting a dog!
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