Collie
Dogs
Collie
A Rough Collie
Collie refers to a breed of
herding
dog originating primarily in
Scotland.
The exact origin of the name is uncertain, although it probably originates in
Older Scots col(l) (coal), meaning black.
The
Lassie movies, books, and television shows, which starred
Rough
Collies, helped to popularize Collies in the United States and the United
Kingdom, as well as in many other countries. The Collie Club of America
[1] is one of the oldest breed-specific clubs in existence in the United
States (founded in 1886). However, there are three different dog breeds with
"Collie" in their name:
The
farm collie was a generic term for a wide range of herding dogs common in
North America until the middle of the 20th century.
Shetland Sheepdogs (commonly known as "Shelties") are sometimes mistaken for
Collies, but are a completely different breed of distinct origin.
The highlands of
Scotland
were the natural home of the Collie, where the sheepdogs had been used for
centuries by shepherds, but the modern form of the breed was mostly developed in
England in
the late 1800s. This early form of the breed was usually referred to as the
Scotch collie (or Scottish collie) in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Scotch collies were heavier and less fine-boned than today's Rough and Smooth
dogs. The ancestors of the modern Collie were first exhibited as "Scotch
Sheep-Dogs" in the 1860 Birmingham (England) dog show.
A rough tri-color puppy.
The modern Collie of both Rough and Smooth varieties are available in four
distinct colors. Sable and White dogs are generally the most recognizable, the
choice of the Lassie television and movie producers. The sable color on these
dogs can range from a light blonde color to a deep reddish-brown, with any hue
in between possible. Tri-Color dogs are mostly black and white with sable
markings. Blue Merle collies are best described as Tri-Color dogs whose black
has been diluted to a mottled gray-blue color. White collies are usually mostly
white on the body with a head coloration of any of the three previous. A
lesser-known variant of collie coloring is that of the "phantom merle" - a
seemingly tricolor dog, with only perhaps a slight merling of one or two areas
of fur, who actually carries the gene for merling. If bred to another dog with a
merle gene, the resulting pups may be "double-dilute" - which can result in
devastating neurological conditions.
As modern-day "Lassies", both rough and smooth collies have become successful
guide dogs, service dogs, and therapy dogs. At least one guide dog school
(Southeastern Guide Dogs in Florida) currently trains smooth coated collies as
guide dogs, and a number of collie service dogs are currently partnered with
disabled individuals around the United States.
Famous Collies
- Lassie
- Coleen from
Road
Rovers
- Laddie from
The
Simpsons
- Blanco, pet of
Lyndon Johnson
-
Reveille, official mascot of
Texas A&M University
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