SCRAPS Breed Profile COLLIE Stats Country of Origin: Scotland Group: Herder Use today: Family companion, herder and drover. Life Span: 14 to 16 years Color: Coat colors sable and white, tricolor of black, white & tan, blue merle or predominantly white with sable. Coat: Double coated. Out coat is straight & harsh and the undercoat is soft and tight. Grooming: The stiff coat sheds dirt readily and a thorough weekly brushing will keep it in good condition. Take extra care when the soft, dense undercoat is being shed. The smooth variety has a one-inch coat and should be brushed each one to two weeks. If the long-coated variety has a BIG mat, and the dog is not being used for show, the mat may need to be cut out, as opposed to combed out, as to avoid pain to the dog. Bathe or dry shampoo as necessary. The rough Collie sheds heavily twice a year, and the smooth Collie is an average shedder. Height: Males 24 – 28 inches; Females 22 - 24 inches Weight: Males 60 - 75 pounds; Females 50 - 65 pounds Profile In Brief: The Collie is a devoted family dog, smooth. The rough coat is long and abundant all especially with children. Although they require over the body, but is shorter on the head and daily walks, they can also be couch potatoes. legs, and the coat forms a mane around the Despite the Rough Collie’s immense coat, they neck and chest. The outer coat is straight and only need to be brushed about once a week, harsh to the touch, and the undercoat is soft and although the need for brushing may increase in tight. The smooth coat variety has a short one- shedding season. Collies are also a very clean inch coat all over the body. Coat colors on both breed and are noted for not having a doggie the rough and smooth variety include sable and odor. white, tricolor of black, white and tan, blue merle or predominantly white with sable, tricolor Description: The Collie is a large, lean, strong or blue merle markings. dog. The top of the skull is flat and the eyebrows are arched. The head is wedge-shaped and the Temperament: The Collie is a highly intelligent muzzle is rounded, tapering to the black nose, dog. Sensitive, mild-mannered, sweet, easy to with a slight stop. The face is chiseled. The teeth train and loyal, it is usually good with other pets should meet in a scissors bite. The medium- and friendly with other dogs. They are natural sized eyes are almond shaped. Eye color is dark herders; puppies may try and herd humans, and brown except for blue merles, where the eyes need to be taught not to do this. Faithful, playful, may be blue or be one of each color. The small docile and protective of their family members ears are 3/4 erect with the tips folding and good with children, Collies have an uncanny forward. The neck is fairly long. The body is sense of direction. They are good-natured, slightly longer than it is tall. The legs are friendly dogs. They are energetic outdoors. straight. The tail is moderately long with an Socialize them well to prevent them from upward twist or swirl at the end and is carried becoming wary of strangers. They are not low. There are two coat varieties, rough and aggressive, but they do tend to be suspicious of people they sense unstable vibes from. Daily Origins: The exact origin of the Collie is unknown, pack walks are important. Without a firm, but but it was descended from generations of hard- calm, confident and consistent owner who sets working herding dogs. For centuries the rough- the rules and sticks to them, they can become coated Collie was hardly known outside Scotland. willful, stubborn and indolent. This breed should Early rough Collies were smaller, with broader be trained gently, but with an air of authority or heads and shorter muzzles. The dogs were used he will refuse to cooperate. A clean breed, the for water rescue, herders, guiding cows and sheep Collie is relatively easy to housebreak. Some to market and for guarding the flock in Scotland owners report that rough Collies do not like the and England. The breed's name probably comes water due to how heavy their coats get when from its charge; the Scottish black-faced sheep wet. We have seen clips on the Internet of rough called the Colley. In the 1860s Queen Victoria kept Collies swimming, however, so while a lot may Collies at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, making the not, it's never an absolute. Some smooth Collies dogs very popular. J.P. Morgan, along with other have become successful at water rescue. wealthy people, has owned Collies. In the late 1800s the Collie was mixed with the Borzoi, and Health: Generally healthy dogs. Some lines are all show dogs had to have the Borzoi blood for prone to PRA, eye defects (Collie eye them to win in the show ring. The working dogs syndrome) and hip problems leading to acute separated, branched out and became the different lameness and arthritis. Collies may need sun breeds (with the Scotch Collie remaining) and the block on their nose as they are often sensitive to show type became what we see now, the large the sun. Some herding dogs carry a MDR1 gene dogs with flatter faces. The rough Collie is much which makes them sensitive to certain drugs that more popular than the smooth Collie. The smooth are otherwise okay to give another dog, but if Collie is more popular in Great Britain than it is in tested positive for this gene can kill them. the United States, but is gaining some popularity in the States. The smooth Collie is the same as Living Conditions: The Collie will dog okay in the rough Collie, but without the long coat. The an apartment as long as it is sufficiently AKC considers the rough and smooth Collies as exercised. They are relatively inactive indoors variations on the same breed and they are judged and do best with at least an average-sized yard. by the same standard with the exception of the Sensitive to the heat. Provide plenty of shade coat. The first Collie was presented at a dog show and fresh water in warm weather. in 1860. The Collie was recognized by the AKC in 1885. The Collie is well known for its role in the Exercise: The Collie needs plenty of exercise, movie "Lassie," featuring a rough-coated Collie as which includes a daily, long walk. In addition, the main character. The Collie’s talents include they would enjoy some romps off the leash in a herding, search and rescue, guide for the blind, safe area. agility, competitive obedience, acting in the movies, and as a guard and watchdog. Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service 6815 E. Trent • Spokane Valley • Washington • 99212 (509) 477-2532 voice (509) 477-4745 fax www.spokanecounty.org/animal .