Smooth Collie

The Smooth Collie is the short-coated variety of the Scottish collie — the same dog as the Rough Collie in every respect but the coat.

History

Both coats appeared in the Scottish herding dogs that became the show collie in the nineteenth century, and Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for the breed carried both into fashion. British registries treat the two as varieties of one breed; American ones do too, but shows them separately, which is why the Smooth is sometimes listed on its own. It has stayed much rarer than the Rough throughout.

Temperament

The breed is known for being sensitive, loyal and easy with children, watchful and inclined to bark, and quicker to attach to its family than to strangers.

Care and training

It needs substantial exercise and mental work, and it responds badly to harsh handling. The short coat sheds heavily twice a year and needs far less work than the Rough's.

Health

Known tendencies include Collie eye anomaly, progressive retinal atrophy and the drug sensitivity carried across collie-type breeds, which is testable. These are known patterns for the breed and a matter for a breeder and a vet; the measured facts are in the panel.