Collie

Collie is the name of a whole type of herding dog, not of a single breed. The type arose in Scotland and northern England and takes in many related landraces and formal breeds, from the working Border Collie to the long-coated Rough Collie. What people mean by the plain word depends on where they are: in parts of the United States “collie” means the Rough Collie, while in much of rural Britain it means the Border Collie. Some dogs of the type, such as the Welsh Sheepdog, do not carry the name at all.

History

Herding dogs of collie type have long been widespread in Britain. They can be seen as a landrace from which other landraces, types and breeds were drawn, both at home and abroad. Collies traveled widely, above all to North America and Australia, where they gave rise to new varieties, sometimes with other kinds of dog mixed in. The Australian Kelpie, the Australian Shepherd, the English Shepherd and the Bearded Collie are all of collie type or descent.

Where the name comes from is uncertain. It may derive from the Scots word for coal, or from “coolly”, a name for the black-faced mountain sheep of Scotland. Another account holds that in old Gaelic “collie” was a country word for anything useful, so that a collie dog was a useful dog.

Some collies are still working dogs that herd sheep, cattle and other livestock. Others, such as the Rough Collie, the Smooth Collie and the Shetland Sheepdog, have been bred for generations as pets and show dogs, and some have lost part of their working instinct along the way.

Appearance

Collies are generally medium-sized, weighing about 22 to 32 kg (48 to 70 lb), with light to medium bone and a pointed muzzle. Types bred for cattle are stockier than those bred for sheep. The coat may be short or long, and the tail smooth, feathered or bushy; it is carried low with an upward swirl at the end, or higher, but never over the back.

Color varies from breed to breed. The usual base colors are black, black and tan, red, red and tan, and sable, and merle can appear over any of them. Most collies have white as well, typically on the chest and belly, over the shoulders and on parts of the face and legs. Working types vary more in looks than show types, because they are bred for ability first.

Temperament

Collies are active, agile dogs, and most have a strong urge to herd. A working collie in fit condition can run all day over rough or steep ground, and some are single-minded to the point of obsession. Dogs of collie type or descent hold four of the top sixteen places in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, with the Border Collie first. The Border Collie in particular needs a job to occupy its mind and can become anxious without one. Working strains do well in sheepdog trials, flyball, disc dog and agility.

The pet and show types are regarded as gentle, loyal and highly trainable, and they tend to be good with children. Collies are sensitive to people’s moods and may need gentler handling than other dogs. They generally make better watchdogs than guard dogs.

Care and health

Some collie breeds, especially the Rough Collie, Smooth Collie and Australian Shepherd, carry a mutation in the MDR1 gene that lowers their tolerance of many veterinary drugs, ivermectin among them. Around 70% of collies are affected, and a dog’s status can be tested.

Canine cyclic neutropenia, or gray collie syndrome, is an inherited stem cell disorder. Affected puppies are silver-gray and rarely live beyond six months; both parents must be carriers. Collies are also prone to familial dermatomyositis, an inherited disease of skin and muscle, and to collie eye anomaly, a recessive condition caused by a mutation in the NHEJ1 gene.

Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.