Online Encyclopedia
Rough Collie
Rough Collie | ||||||||||||
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Breed standards (external links) | ||||||||||||
FCI http://www.dogdomain.com/FCI/fcistandards/fci-156.htm , AKC http://www.akc.org/breeds/collie/index.cfm , ANKC http://www.ankc.aust.com/colliero.html , KC(UK) http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/discoverdogs/pastoral/p846.htm , NZKC http://www.nzkc.org.nz/br520.html |
A Rough Collie is a breed of dog developed originally for herding. It is well known because of the Lassie novel, movies, and television shows. There is also a smooth-coated variety; some breed organizations consider the smooth-coat and rough-coat dogs to be variations of the same breed.
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History
Both collie breeds originate from Border Collies which were mixed with Irish and Gordon Setters in order to get a more beautiful fur color. This type, known as the Irish Collie , still has the head and nose of the Border Collie.
Lastly, those dogs were crossed with the Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound), to get a more "noble" head, which is today one of the true characteristics of the rough collie.
All those crossings influenced the body-height of the collie away from the written standard; it was in the 1960s a much taller dog than today.
Characteristics
By all accounts, this is an intelligent dog who loves to work, but in contemporary times has little herding instinct, since its bloodline consists of 50% bird-hunting dogs and 25% wolf-hunting dogs, which dilute the influence of the 25% herding dog.
They are friendly, unaggressive dogs. The coat needs to be brushed frequently to keep it in a show condition, but it doesn't require extensive care. They are mid-sized dogs, suiting them to live in small houses and apartments.
Appearance
Collies come in four basic coat colors: sable and white, where the "Sable" ranges from pale tan to a golden mahogany; white (which some breed standards disallow); tricolor, which is primarily black edged in sable; and blue merle, which is a mottled gray. All come with white chest, legs, and tail tip and many have white blazes on their faces.
The desired size and weight varies among breed standards; male collies can stands 55.8 to 6 cm (22 to 26 in) at shoulder; the bitch averages 5 cm (2 in) shorter. The male can weigh 20.4 to 34 kg (45 - 75 lb) and bitches 5 to 10 pounds less.