Collie Information
  Photo taken at the Old Fort Cluster Dog Show in Fort Wayne, Indiana. |
In the 18th century, the Collie's home was the highlands of Scotland where they were used as a sheepdog. Eventually two types of collies developed from common ancestors, the rough Collie, which is the long-haired Collie that worked directly with the flocks, and the smooth Collie, which is the short haired variety used as a drover dog to drive livestock to market.
Collies were bred for centuries for their working ability rather than their pedigree. Due to this, their exact origins have been lost. The farmers who relied on these dogs were totally dependant on their pastoral pursuits so the dogs were bred for strength, endurance, intelligence and devotion.
Many of the early settlers brought dogs with them to herd their sheep and cattle in the colonies, but it wasn't until 1877 that they were actually shown in the United States.
They were given a royal boost in the late 1800's when Queen Victoria first saw the Collies when visiting Scotland. She was so impressed with their beauty and intelligence, she took several to her own kennel.
Being no longer in great demand as a herder, the Collie today has transferred their duties to serving as a loving family pet where they show a great likeness for small children.
A great deal of Collies are barkers, and will bark constantly if left unattended, especially while outside. Training is required, however Collies are a fairly smart breed and tend to pick up commands very easily. Most do wonderfully with lead training, and are not typically the type to pull/yank you while walking.
Males should be 24-26 inches tall and weigh 60-75 pounds. Females 22-24 inches, and weigh 50-65 pounds. Their are four colors of Collie, sable and white, tri color, blue merle, and white- the white is predominantly white, with sable or tri color or blue merle markings. For the rough coated, the coat is very abundant on the mane and frill, the face is smooth, and forelegs are well feathered. For the smooth variety, the hair is short, hard, dense and flat. Many people are not used to seeing smooth coated Collies and think they are simply a rough collie that has been shaved.
Collies do require grooming, and tend to get matted easily behind the ears. The rough Collie has a very thick coat and mulch, grass clippings, twigs, straw, etc., will get tangled up in the coat. Collies should be brushed and combed weekly to cut down on the debris in the coat as well as remove the dead coat.
Collies can carry a genetic mutation that makes them very sensitive to certain drugs. Use of these drugs in a Collie that carries this mutation can cause serious neurological issues or death. MDRI is the abbreviated name of the gene called Multi-Drug Resistance 1. Some of the drugs that cause problems with dogs that carry the MDRI mutation include Ivermectin, Loperamide, Acepromazine, and Butorphanol. There is a test available to find out if your dog carries this mutation. Prior to having medical procedures done, it is wise to know if your dog is a carrier.
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