Collie

The Collie is a Scottish herding breed made famous the world over by Lassie — an elegant, sensitive dog in rough and smooth coats.

History

It was developed in Scotland and northern England to herd sheep and cattle in hard upland country, and Victorian interest — royal and popular alike — refined it into the graceful show and companion dog known today. The rough coat is the one most people picture.

Temperament

The breed is known for being gentle, loyal and sensitive, devoted to its family and especially good with children. It is intelligent and responsive, with the alertness of a working dog and a tendency to bark.

Care and training

It needs regular exercise and mental engagement and takes readily to gentle, reward-based training. The rough coat's dense double layer needs regular brushing; the smooth variety is far easier.

Health

Known tendencies include the inherited eye fault Collie eye anomaly, progressive retinal atrophy, and a drug sensitivity carried in many herding lines. These are patterns for the breed rather than a verdict on one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.