The Collie dog is well known for his unsurpassed working farm dog abilities, particularly as a trained herder of sheep. To see a well trained Collie dog work a herd of sheep is a remarkable experience, with man and animal completely in tune and engrossed in a single task as one, is such a rare and wonderful sight. Also, delight in the fact that a Collie dog does so much enjoy his work, and he is often so eager that he can be hard to restrain at times.
Take a look at our video slideshow of Collie dogs below. Some are working dogs, others are purely pets, some are agility trained, and of course, some are just puppies!
A Collie under command can be several hundred metres distant from his master, but he will work as conscientiously as if beside his master. he will work at any distance as long as he can hear his master, and the master can see to direct him.
However, there is more to the Collie dog. Believe me. He makes a wonderful sporting dog.
A Collie and can be taught to do the work of the Pointer and the Setter, as well as that of the Retriever and the Water Spaniel. He is also adept at hunting, he uses his ability to smell with intelligence.
Many Collies are a praiseworthy killer of small animal vermin, and even when off-duty after a working day, will still function as your ceaseless security guard, and friend.
Going back now to talk of the origins of the Collie it has to be said that not much is known with certainty of the origin of the Collie. However, I would wager that the cunning and the poise and stature of these dogs would suggest a relationship with wild dogs many millennia past.
The Collie is the Sheepdog superior in instinct and intelligence to all other herding breeds. Just look at the dominance of this breed in the modern activity of Agility training and competitions, (which is the closest equivalent activity in the dog world today to herding a flock), if you have any doubts about this.
At Agility meetings right across the country you will see that this breed is invariably among the winning competitors. How can this be? Well the Collie just loves to work, and he loves to be trained more than almost any other breed. He also has a natural advantage on many dog shapes, his shape is not greatly changed from the wild dog. In other words his breeders have not interfered with the forces of natural selection which have optimised this animal for agility and a perfect shape and muscle balance.
The most common Collie in the US is the smooth-coated variety, a very hard, useful dog, invariably very fleet of foot and well adapted for hill work. He is not so sweet in temper as the black and white, and is slow to make friends. At the traditional dog shows the Collie is not nowadays often seen to win the top places as often as some other breeds. But, why should he or his owner worry about that when Dog Agility Shows have sprung up and which now provide so many summer weekend regional agility show events for the Collie breed to dominate.
In the paragraphs which follow we have listed the main breed features and attributes.
The skull should be flat, moderately wide between the ears, and gradually tapering towards the eyes. There should only be a slight depression at stop. The width of skull necessarily depends upon combined length of skull and muzzle; and the whole must be considered in connection with the size of the dog. The cheek should not be full or prominent.
The muzzle should be of fair length, tapering to the nose, and must not show weakness or be snappy. Whatever the colour of the dog may be, the nose must be black. The teeth should be of good size, sound and level; very slight unevenness is permissible. The jaws Clean cut and powerful.
The eyes are a very important feature, and give expression to the dog; they should be of medium size, set somewhat obliquely, of almond shape, and of a brown colour except in the case of merles, when the eyes are frequently (one or both) blue and white or china; expression full of intelligence, with a quick alert look when listening. The ears should be small and moderately wide at the base, and placed not too close together but on the top of the skull and not on the side of the head. When in repose they should be usually carried thrown back, but when on the alert brought forward and carried semi-erect, with tips slightly drooping in attitude of listening.
The neck should be muscular, powerful and of fair length, and somewhat arched. The body should be strong, with well sprung ribs, chest deep, fairly broad behind the shoulders, which should be sloped, loins very powerful. The dog should be straight in front. The fore-legs should be straight and muscular, neither in nor out at elbows, with a fair amount of bone; the forearm somewhat fleshy, the pasterns showing flexibility without weakness. The hind-legs should be muscular at the thighs, clean and sinewy below the hocks, with well bent stifles. The feet should be oval in shape, soles well padded, and the toes arched and close together.
In general character he is a lithe active dog, his deep chest showing lung power, his neck strength, his sloping shoulders and well bent hocks indicating speed, and his expression high intelligence. He should be a fair length on the leg, giving him more of a racy than a solid appearance.
To summarise, a Collie should show endurance, activity, and intelligence, with a free flowing running style.
In height dogs should be 22 ins. to 24 ins. at the shoulders, bitches 20 ins. to 22 ins. The weight for dogs is 45 to 65 lbs., bitches 40 to 55 lbs. The smooth collie only differs from the rough in its coat, which should be hard, dense and quite smooth.
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