Description

Rough Collies have a slightly wedge-shaped head, with a bright expression and semi-pricked ears. These dogs are born athletes: the chest is deep, the shoulders sloped, and the back is both strong and level. The front legs are straight and muscular, whereas the hind legs have less muscle, with well-bent hocks and stifles. The Rough Collie’s feet are quite small and oval-shaped, with tough padded soles, and toes set close together.

Origin: Scotland

Look

The Rough Collie has a gorgeous coat. Every part of the dog, except for the head and legs, is covered with thick fur. The outer coat has a harsh texture, and the undercoat is soft and fuzzy. The coat is thickest on the neck, where it forms a furry ruff, and on the bushy tail and hindquarters. Although the legs are less furry, the forelimbs are feathered.

If you choose to get a Rough Collie, be prepared for a lot of brushing! Their thick coats should be brushed thoroughly at least twice a week. Collies do shed a few times a year. Females shed once or twice a year, usually as the seasons change, whereas males shed once a year (this is why in the “Lassie” films, the titular dog was played by a male collie). The shedding period lasts between two to four weeks.

The Rough Collie’s coat comes in many different colours. The main varieties are tricolour, blue merle, white (although this description is somewhat misleading, as the dog’s head will typically be sable, blue, or tricoloured), and sable (which ranges from mahogany to pale tan) & white.

Health

While the Rough Collie is generally a healthy dog, they are prone to a few health conditions:

• Hip dysplasia
• Dermatomyositis
• Nasal solar dermatitis (“Collie Nose”
• Collie Eye Anomaly
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
• Nodular Granulomatous Episclerokeratitis (NGE)
• Drug sensitivities
• Allergies
• Canine cyclic neutropenia (Grey collie syndrome)

At Newdoggy.com we promote puppies from reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines. Newdoggy.com’s Health Guarantee certifies that all promoted puppies are in good health.

Learning

Rough Collies are very intelligent dogs. Although they can occasionally be stubborn, these dogs respond well to a firm but gentle approach. They are sensitive and will not do well with rough handling. Positive reinforcement training can be very useful for training your Rough Collie. Praise and encouragement will help greatly with training.

Temperament

Rough Collies are typically sweet and gentle, and are ideal family dogs as they get on well with children and pets. They are intelligent, loyal, and devoted to their family, though they will also be polite to strangers. Socialisation is important, as without it your Collie may become shy. Early socialisation will help to build your Collie’s confidence so that they will be able to cope well with new situations and people. Collies tend to be sensitive, and some individuals may be extremely sensitive and highly strung; in these cases it is worth consulting a trainer or your veterinarian.

Living with

There are many advantages to having a Rough Collie as a pet. They are loyal and friendly, and utterly devoted to their humans. They are clever and quite easy to train, don’t need too much exercise, and are absolutely gorgeous. The Rough Collie breed gets on well with other pets and behaves brilliantly with children. They even make great watchdogs.

This breed needs attention and companionship in order to remain happy. You can’t leave a Rough Collie home alone all day and expect them to be happy. If left alone, your Collie will become bored, which can lead to problematic behaviours, such as excessive barking or chewing things.