A
Rough Collie is a breed of dog developed originally for herding in
Scotland. It is well known because of the works of author Albert Payson Terhune,
and was popularized in later generations by the Lassie novel, movies, and
television shows. There is also a smooth-coated variety; some breed
organizations consider the smooth-coat and rough-coat dogs to be variations of
the same breed.
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Collies come in five basic coat colours: sable and white, where the "Sable"
ranges from pale tan to a golden mahogany; white (which some breed standards
disallow); tricolour, which is primarily black edged in tan; sable merle, almost
identical to a sable and white, yet with a slightly mottled sable coat, and blue
merle, which is a mottled gray. All come with white coat areas, in the collar,
parts of the leg, and maybe tail tip. Some may have white blazes on their faces.
Tricolours are more likely to have a tan blaze on their face.
The desired size and weight varies among breed standards; male collies can
stands 55.8 to 66 cm (22 to 26 in) at shoulder; the bitch averages 5 cm (2 in)
shorter. The male can weigh 20.4 to 34 kg (45 - 75 lb) and bitches 5 to 10
pounds (2.3 - 4.5 kg) less.
The mascot of Texas A&M University, Reveille VII, is a Rough Collie.
Temperament
By all accounts, this is an intelligent dog who loves to work, but in
contemporary times has little herding instinct, since its bloodline consists of
50% bird-hunting dogs and 25% wolf-hunting dogs, which dilute the influence of
the 25% herding dog.
History
Both Rough and Smooth collies are descended from a localised variety of
herding dog originating in Scotland. Originally, there were numerous forms
of these dogs. After the industrial revolution, dog ownership became
fashionable, and these early collies were crossed with the Borzoi (Russian
Wolfhound), to get a more "noble" head, which is today one of the true
characteristics of the rough collie. Continued breeding for show purposes
drastically changed the appearance of the dogs; it was in the 1960s a much
taller dog than today. Earlier dogs were also more sturdy in build.
They are friendly, unaggressive dogs. The coat needs to be brushed frequently
to keep it in a show condition, but it doesn't require extensive care. They are
mid-sized dogs, suiting them to live in small houses and apartments.
