HISTORY
The Collie is a native of Scotland, primarily from the Highland regions. She has been called Collis, Colley, Coally, and Coaly, names that probably derive from col or coll, the Anglo-Saxon word for black. Some historians think, however, that the name comes from the colley, the Scottish black-faced sheep, that the Collie dog used to guard.
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Original Collies were closer in size and shape to today’s Boarder Collies, and they were predominantly black. Herding ability was more important than appearance, so the dogs varied a great deal in looks.
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Stone Age nomads brought dogs to what is now Southern England, and from these came a hardy, intelligent dog used to herd sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs. Some historians say that the Collie’s particular ancestors were brought to the British Isles by Roman conquerors, some two thousand years ago.
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Queen Victoria is credited with saving Collies from obscurity. In 1860, she visited her Scotland estate and fell in love with the good looks and gentle temperament of the Collies she saw. She brought some back to England, and thus began the first Collie fad.
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It wasn’t long before the dogs were shown and bred for good looks rather than working ability. They first were exhibited in 1860 at a dog show in Birmingham, England, in the generic class known as “Scotch Sheep-Dogs.”
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One Collie, named Old Cockie, who was born in 1867, is credited with the characteristic type of the Rough Collie known today, and she is believed to be responsible for introducing sable coat color to the breed.
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In 1879, the first Collie was imported to the United States. The Collie Club of America was formed on August 26, 1886, which makes it one of the oldest canine specialty clubs.
Today, the Collie is more likely to be a pampered pet than an all-around farm dog. She adapts well to a variety of home environments, as long as she has plenty of daily exercise. She enjoys relaxing around the house with her family, as well as running and playing outside with the kids. Her herding instincts are still strong, so it’s not unusual for the Collie to gather children and pets, chase cars, and bark.
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In addition to her herding ability, the loyal Collie excels as an assistance or therapy dog. She also does well at such canine sports as herding trials, agility, obedience, and lure coursing.
The movie and the television series made the Collie a popular dog in the United States. Unfortunately, her extreme popularity leaves her open to the bane of all favorite breeds: unscrupulous people who breed with no regard for temperament, health, or conformation.
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As a result, some Collies have serious health and temperament problems. If you are considering a Collie, you must be extremely careful from whom you purchase or adopt a puppy. Reputable breeders breed with temperament in mind and perform various health tests to ensure that their breeding dogs don’t pass on a predisposition to genetic diseases.
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The Collie is a medium-size (50 to 75 pounds) dog, easy to train, devoted to and protective of her family, and friendly with people outside the family circle as well. Known for being playful and gentle, she makes an excellent companion for children. She is an extremely intelligent, sensitive dog who is known for her uncanny ability to know when something is wrong.
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Although the Collie is good-natured and friendly, she can be suspicious of strangers, especially if they approach the children in her family. She’s a good watchdog — she will bark — but she is not aggressive.
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The beautiful Collie has two distinct looks: full coat (known as the Rough variety) and short coat (known as the Smooth variety). The television star you may recall from the 1950s was a Rough Collie, as was the star of the 1943 movie Lassie Come Home, which inspired the television series.
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This information was taken from the following link. Click on the link to learn more details of the collie breed.
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