Collie Training

Who hasn’t heard of Lassie, the most famous Collie of all? Members of the herding group, Collies originated and were bred in the Scottish highlands specifically for herding sheep, cattle, and even goats. This is also where they were named after the black-faced sheep they herded known as “Colleys”. Consequently, they were called Colley dogs. They are so popular, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom, that a number of other breeds, including the Border Collie and the Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie), have become a spin-off of the Collie breed. For our purposes here, we’ll focus on the basic Collie.

Collies essentially have two types of coats within the basic breed known as “rough” or “smooth” Collies but this is the only difference between them. The Smooth Collie has a shorter, one inch long coat that needs very little grooming at all. Lassie was a Rough Collie with a beautiful long coat, but you can bet that coat needed a great deal of brushing and care, as do all Rough Collies today. Normally, Collies “blow coat”, more typically known as shedding, two or three times a year but they never stop shedding entirely.

Skin irritations can become a problem for Collies because with their heavy coat, any difficulty can be easily overlooked, so preventative measures feeding a proper diet are very effective in reducing them.

Then too, with a plush, thick outer coat and an even denser under coat, is it any wonder children can’t keep from reaching out to hug them? However, because of their kind and loving nature, having their fur pulled isn’t generally a problem. They seem to have a special sense, particularly around toddlers and younger children that causes them to put up with the unintentional pulls of fur from time to time. Their perky ears, large white mane, and kind, expressive eyes are always inviting.

They are loyal, extremely intelligent, and when they’re treated with respect their main purpose in life is to please their masters. When a Collie is in good health, he’ll have an incredible amount of energy to burn and can seemingly run all day without tiring. Collies are light on their feet and absolutely love their freedom but because of their amazing devotion to their owners, at the same time they want their adored owner within sight.

They’re also anxious to work. (Couldn’t our kids learn a lesson here?) Because of their bright minds and physical need to stay busy, a real problem can develop when they aren’t given the necessary outlets for physical activity or mental challenges. Bad behaviors like chewing, barking, or pacing are all signs your Collie needs more active challenges in his life than he’s getting. Some will even resort to jumping or digging as a means of expelling extra energy and keeping themselves amused. Consequently, a Collie’s owner should also be one who enjoys staying active and who is willing to include his Collie in his lively, daily routine.

When speaking of size, Collies range in weight from 50 to 75 pounds and stand from 22 to 26 inches tall. By including low-growing ground vegetables, lamb, poultry, and only a small amount of beef to their diet, they’ll thrive. On the other hand, soy, yellow corn, fish, and rice should be avoided because of the difficulty Collies have in digesting them.

A Collie’s temperament is one of kindness, gentleness, loyalty, and they’re easy to train because of their willingness to please. They aren’t known to be aggressive although they are usually cautious and very observant when it comes to strangers because of their devotion to protecting their family. Yet, if you’re all alone and looking for someone soft and warm to cuddle with during a late night movie; someone who will appreciate you more than any other; remember your beloved and devoted Collie … and do remember to share your popcorn.