Collie Origins: The Collie's exact origins are shrouded in mystery. Over the years, it has been the subject of much research and speculation. The famous 18th century naturalist Buffoon, was of the opinion that the Collie was one of the oldest breeds in the canine family. However, it has never been proven that the Collie was in fact a descendant of the ancient sheepdog he refers to.

The origin of the word "Collie" is as obscure as the breed itself. Though several new theories have recently been advanced, on the origin of the breed and its name, due to the lack of irrefutable data, nothing can be proven without a doubt. What we do know, is that in the 19th century, the Collie was used extensively as a herding dog and hailed from the highlands of Scotland and Northern England. Some sources claim that the Collie's original ancestors were brought to the British Isles by Roman conquerors in the middle of the first century. Whatever the origins, by the late 1800's the Collie was firmly implanted in the British Isles as the Herding dog of choice! However the true popularity of the breed came about during the 1860's when Queen Victoria visited the Scottish Highlands and fell in love with the breed.  From that point on Collies became very fashionable.

Collie Size: Collies are a medium sized dog, with females ranging from 22" to 24" and males ranging from 24" to 26" at maturity. Traditionally Collie bitches are smaller than their male counterparts and can weigh from 50 to 70 pounds. Males have been known to weigh from 55 to 90 pounds.

Collie Longevity: Typically Collies live 10 to 14 years, with the median age being 12, although some have gone well into their 15th or 16th year.

Collie Character: The Collie is a hardy and healthy breed. Not only are they beautiful, but they are intelligent, friendly, loyal, loving and sensitive. They are real family dogs and are noted for being very people-friendly. Likewise, they are easy to train. In addition to being a very clean dog, they are one of the easiest breeds to housebreak. Most become housebroken at an early age, with very little effort. Collies are almost never a one-man dog. If raised properly and treated with respect, they make an ideal family pet. They are not recommended as a complete outside/backyard dog and under no circumstances should a Collie ever be chained or tied up. A word of caution......you can't just buy a Collie, and stick them away somewhere, only to be taken out when it suits you! They are notorious people dogs, known for wanting to be with their owners, and interacting with people.

Collies and Children: One of the Collies' greatest assets is his natural love of children. Even when not raised with children, the Collie can be charming, attentive, playful and protective with most well behaved kids. Stories have abounded for years of children guarded and protected by the family Collie. They make great companions for almost any age of children and will put up with just about any form of behavior or abuse. They also love playing and rough housing, including retrieving a ball or toys.

Collie Coat Care: Collies require no more personal care than any other long coated breed of dog. A common misconception is that the Collie needs daily brushing or frequent bathing. Nothing could be further from the truth. The amount of coat care is necessarily dependent upon the amount of coat a dog may have and the time of year. A Rough Collie in full coat should be brushed once a week or every two weeks. A dog that is noticeably out of coat or in summer coat is going to need less grooming than a dog in full winter coat. Female collies will shed their coat once or twice a year, approximately 4 months after each season. Males will usually shed once a year, generally around their birthday or in the summer. When a Collie begins to shed their coat, it may become necessary to brush the coat on a daily basis, combined with a possible bath, to help the shedding process. Shedding can span a period of two to four weeks.  Collies are a very clean breed and are noted for not having a doggie odor, frequently found with some other breeds.

Collie Feeding: Collies can do well on a variety of different foods, ranging from premium dog foods, to home cooked meals. The primary diet should consist of a good quality kibble (dry dog food) either fed alone or in combination with a small amount of canned dog food or meats. Table scraps may be added, but they should be added carefully. Not only are they not needed, but can cause stomach upsets. Avoid rich meats and sauces or highly-seasoned foods. Collies seem to do better when fed twice a day and actually eat a fairly small amount of food considering their size. Oftentimes on bags of dog food, it is suggested that a Collie (or similar size) be fed 6-8 cups of food a day. Actually 2-3 cups is more like it. Most Collies are easy keepers, with the tendency to put on a few pounds, so the diet should be watched and carefully regulated. Every dog is different and some may do well on a very small amount of food, while others need greater quantities. It is a standard rule of thumb, that the higher the quality of food, the less you will have to feed and pick up in the yard! Collies are not known for being ravenous eaters, but neither are they picky. Most are good eaters, but may take their time.