Origin and Historical Development

The Rough Collie, a breed of herding dog, originated in Scotland and Wales, where it descended from a localized variety of herding dogs. The Scottish variety was large and strong, bred to herd highland sheep, while the Welsh variety was smaller and more nimble, domesticated and friendly, herding goats. English sheepdogs were crossed with these local varieties to produce short- and long-haired types. The Industrial Revolution popularized dog ownership, and it is believed that early collies were crossed with the Borzoi, a Russian Wolfhound, to enhance the breed's noble head characteristics.

Queen Victoria's acquisition of a Rough Collie in the 19th century elevated the breed to a fashion item. Show breeding changed the dog's appearance, with taller dogs being favored in the 1960s. In the UK, the Rough Collie is no longer used for serious herding, having been replaced by the Border Collie, though in the US and some European countries, there has been a resurgence in the breed's working abilities. The Collie Club of America, founded in 1886, and the Collie Club in England, dating from 1881, are among the oldest breed-specific clubs.

The breed's recognized coat colors include sable, merle in various shades, tricolored, and color-headed white, with white areas on the collar, parts of the leg, and tail tip. The American Kennel Club accepts color-headed white, predominantly white with colored markings on the head and sometimes body patches.

Appearance and Physical Characteristics

The Rough Collie is a large herding dog with a long, profuse double coat and an intelligent expression. It has a light head in relation to its body, resembling a blunted wedge tapering from ears to a black nose. The eyes are medium-sized and almond-shaped, and the ears are semi-prick or tipped, with the upper third folded over. The muzzle is well-rounded and never square, with considerable variation in head color. The coat is long, dense, and coarse, with a notable ruff around the neck, feathers about the legs, a petticoat on the abdomen, and a frill on the hindquarters.

The Rough Collie stands at 61-66 cm (24-26 in) for males and 56-61 cm (22-24 in) for females at the shoulder. Males weigh 27-34 kg (60-75 lbs), and females weigh 23-30 kg (50-66 lbs). The size and weight can vary among breed standards, with UK standards calling for dogs to be significantly smaller than those under the American Kennel Club.

The Rough Collie's head is more blunt and gradually tapering than the Shetland Sheepdog, which is also descended from the Rough Collie. The planes of the muzzle and top of the skull are parallel in collies, with a slight but distinct stop, while the ears are similar to those of a Shetland Sheepdog but larger. The contrast between the Rough Collie's head and that of a Border Collie is immediately apparent, with the latter having a shorter muzzle and a more distinct stop between the muzzle and forehead.

Temperament and Personality

The Rough Collie is known for its intelligence, loyalty, devotion, gentleness, protectiveness, alertness, and athleticism. It is an elegant and graceful dog with a medium energy level and medium friendliness. The breed is highly trainable, making it suitable for various activities, including herding, agility, obedience, conformation, flyball, tracking, and herding trials.

Collies have a natural instinct for herding and can be trained to compete in herding trials. The Herding Instinct Test introduces Collies to herding at a basic level, designed to show whether a Collie still has the natural instinct to perform the function for which the breed was initially created. The breed has also been known to work as search and rescue dogs, therapy dogs, and guide dogs for the blind.

Health Considerations

While generally resilient and healthy, the Rough Collie can be affected by certain health issues. Collie eye anomaly (CEA) is a genetic disease causing improper eye development and possible blindness, and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) can result in progressive vision loss and blindness. Genetic testing and careful breeding can help reduce these problems, but in the UK, the Kennel Club does not require these tests for registration or showing. PRA has a later onset and can be detected by DNA test, but is less widespread in the US than CEA.

Canine cyclic neutropenia, also known as "gray collie syndrome," is a cyclic blood disorder usually fatal to affected puppies. Hip dysplasia is a potential concern, as with most larger breeds, but careful selection by breeders is reducing this problem. The Rough Collie may carry a mutant Mdr1 gene, making it sensitive to ivermectin and related drugs, requiring alternative medications in some cases.

Other health issues include epilepsy, bloat, allergies, and thyroid disorders, primarily hypothyroidism. Ulcerative dermatosis of Shetland sheepdog and rough collie (UDSSC) is a disease believed to be a vesicular variant of discoid lupus erythematosus, affecting the thigh, groin, axillae, and ventral abdomen.

Working Life and Activities

The Rough Collie's natural home was in the highlands of Scotland, where it was used for centuries as a sheepdog. The breed has historically been used for herding and may be kept as working dogs on farms and ranches or for small-scale livestock management. Herding activities can provide opportunities to maintain and demonstrate the breed's working abilities, including trainability, adaptability, agility, and responsiveness to handlers.

Rough Collies can compete in dog agility trials, obedience, conformation, flyball, tracking, and herding events. The breed's herding instincts and trainability can be measured at non-competitive herding tests. The Collie Club of America and other organizations provide herding title programs in which Collies regularly participate.

Notable Rough Collies

The Rough Collie has a rich history of notable dogs, including Lassie, a line of Rough Collies originally owned by Rudd Weatherwax, who starred in numerous films, television series, a radio program, and has been the subject of various novels and non-fiction works. Lassie has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Reveille is the mascot of Texas A&M University, with each mascot since 1966 being a Rough Collie. Dylan is the pet dog of Argentine president Alberto Fernández. Lad, Wolf, and Gray Dawn are main characters in Albert Payson Terhune's early 20th-century novels about his Sunnybank Rough Collies. Pal was the first Rough Collie to portray Lassie, and Ch. Laund Loyalty of Bellhaven won the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at nine months old.

Buying a Rough Collie

Look for a reputable breeder who conducts genetic testing and maintains a careful breeding program to reduce the risk of hereditary health issues.