Collie – Scottish beauty with temperament

There are short haired (Smooth Collies) and long haired (Rough Collies) versions of the same breed. However, thanks to the media influence of the TV dog Lassie, the long haired version of the gentle herding dog has become more widely known and recognised. Apart from the length of their fur, the two types do not differ significantly.

Among sheep

Collies are real scots, whose ancestors were brought to the British Isles by the Romans. Collies with a responsible job already existed in Scotland in the 13th Century: as excellent herding dogs, they helped direct the large flocks of sheep. Visually, these early collies differed from today’s image, they were black or grey. Queen Victoria, a great dog lover, made the dog very popular outside of agriculture. The Collie has been an officially recognised breed since 1858 and is divided into the British Collie and Scotch Collie lines. In 1871, the first mahogany-coloured collie was exhibited. This is considered to have been the first progenitor of the modern Collie. The type bred in America has a slightly more delicate stature.

Character of the Collie: serve, protect, please

Due to their intelligence and gentleness, Collies are ideal as companion and therapy dogs or as a guard and work dogs. The character of the Collie is characterized by great joy in work and docility. The Collie needs a person whom they trust as a leader, to whom they can bind themselves strongly to. In addition, the four-legged friend wants to please their people and is very obedient. With the Collie, you choose a very loyal dog with a protective instinct. This is so pronounced that the dog can react suspiciously to strangers. So show your Collie that your friends and neighbours are "friends".

Raising and keeping the Collie

Collies are very active and need to be kept busy, because of this they will keep you busy for the time you have one. You may not quite be able to herd a full flock of sheep anymore, however, agility and obedience sports offer excellent alternatives. Long walks daily are the minimum, and if they get enough physical exercise, the Collie can become a perfect family member. The Special characteristics of the Collie are their increased need for communication, done through barking loudly. During the upbringing, you should exhort the dog to rest in the sense of good neighbourliness. The Collie is eager to learn and learns commands faster than average compared to other breeds. Only work with positive reinforcement: the dog must enjoy learning. Coercion makes the collie stubborn and insecure and is absolutely unnecessary with this gentle and particularly child-loving family dog.

Caring for the Collie

Despite its lush fur, the Collie is easy to care for. Of course, you must brush the dog carefully, paying particular attention to matting in hard-to-reach places, behind the ears and in the flexion of the joints. Otherwise the Collie's magnificent coat is practically self-cleaning. Since collies often have a sensitive digestive tract, please exercise caution when feeding and use high-quality feed. Offer the animal its daily ration in several small portions. Hereditary drug intolerance is common among Collies. A preventive genetic test is recommended to avoid complications in an emergency.

Profile –

• Breed: Collie
• Origin: Great Britain
• Classification: Cattle and herding dogs
• Size: Male 56-61cm shoulder height. Female 51-56cm shoulder height
• Weight: Male 25-30kg. Female 21-26kg
• Anatomy: Elegant, narrow skull with an elongated muzzle
• Eyes: Medium sized, almond shaped
• Ears: Small and standing with tipping tips
• Fur and colour: Fur structure, smooth face and short, lush neck mane, top coat taught with mixed upper and lower fur, bushy tail; sable-white, tri colour or silver-blue
• Special feature: Barking joyfully
• Character: clingy, playful, eager to learn and smart, meek, watchful
• Maintenance: Easy to care for despite long fur, regular brushing, bathe only in exceptional cases