Collie dog

Collies At-a-Glance

Collies are an old breed. They originated several centuries ago in the hilly areas of Wales and Scotland and were bred to be herders, guard dogs, and companions. Their thick double coat protected them from the harsh and cold climates of that part of the world. This is an affectionate, loyal, strong, and gentle breed.

Weight (pounds)
Male: 60-75
Female: 50-65
Height (inches)
Male: 24-26
Female: 22-24
Lifespan (years)
12-14

Dog Breed Group
Herding
breed

Characteristics Ratings

We rate 19 characteristics for each breed, divided into three categories:
Highest Rated – Characteristics for which this breed is rated 4 or 5 stars (on a 5 star scale).
Neutral Rated – Characteristics that rated 3 stars.
Lowest Rated – Characteristics that rated only 1 or 2 stars.


Highest Rated

  • Good Family Dog
  • Kid Friendly
  • Good With Other Dogs
  • Low Drooling
  • Friendly to Strangers
  • Likes to Play
  • Handles Change Easily
  • Easy to Train
  • Good for Novice Owners
  • Tolerates Cold Climate
  • High Intelligence

Neutral Rated

  • Low Shedding
  • Protective Nature
  • High Energy Level
  • Suitable for Small Yards/Apartments
  • Tolerates Hot Climate
  • Good General Health

Lowest Rated

  • Low Amount of Barking
  • Tolerates Being Left Alone

General Overview

If you’ve ever watched the old Lassie television show, you know that these are great family dogs and are especially good with children. There’s a reason Lassie was always getting little Jimmy out of that well!

Collies are good with other dogs and will also get along well with the cat. Given their herding nature though, they may try to herd both the cat and any small children that are around. But this is not aggressive behavior, it’s protective behavior.

Collies love playing and watching over the children and will show no aggressiveness toward them. In fact, it’s important to socialize your Collie at a young age or they will end up being very shy.

This means they are not good guard dogs, as they are very welcoming of strangers.

Despite their long coats, Collies are clean dogs and don’t drool much. However, their long coats do shed a lot and they need daily brushing.

Collies can also be quite vocal but with training, this can be minimized. They don’t do well when left alone for long periods and will bark constantly when they are lonely.

With their friendly and gentle personalities, Collies are a good choice for a first-time dog owner. They want to be with you and they learn to obey commands easily.

Collies have a medium level of energy but do need daily walks and outside playtime.

While they adapt well to most environments, they do better in houses rather than apartments. As long as they can be around their owners and get daily runs or long walks, they are happy. You should shoot for 45 to 60 minutes of outside exercise or play every day.

Collies are a very intelligent breed. Combined with their laid-back and cooperative personality, they are easy to train and an ideal choice for novice dog owners.

Like every other dog, Collies need early socialization. With Collies, this is not so much to prevent aggression, but rather to prevent them from becoming shy and afraid of people and other animals.

They are rated as moderately healthy, with hip dysplasia being their most common problem.

Collies do well in both cold and heat, but their long coats make them more suitable for colder climates.

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