Collies

[Umbongo]

I got surprised with a farm bred collie puppy when I was 12. TBH he was a bit like a labrador in a collies body. Very intelligent and would learn quickly but also a bit of an idiot sometimes. I don't think he had very strong working genetics. He was very dog aggressive but I put that down to him being attacked as a pup and my parents never socializing him with other dogs.....

He was the best dog. I was young and dog mad so I was always out walking him or teaching him new tricks. He and my cat were best friends. It was interesting to see him go in to work mode when we came across sheep, despite him having zero training.

I wouldn't hesitate to get another collie, but I also think I was lucky with Billy. So many people get them and have no idea that they have to be engaged 24/7. I work in veterinary and it's sad to see so many with behavioural problems, some go on medications for anxiety etc and so many being given up to rescues. I have actively advised lots of 1st time, inexperienced owners to avoid getting one.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

This is why you would have them





















He’s traveled South Africa, England, Wales, Scotland, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Monaco, Austria, Denmark and I’ve probably left out a few. He’s travelled on boats, planes, trains, ferries. He’s always absolutely brilliant with perfect manners.

He’s not just obedient, he’s engaged. He listens because he wants to be part of the activity, and he’s smart enough to know how to be a great addition in every situation.

It’s not hard work if you have the right set up for them. He is just not a ‘pick up and put down’ kind of dog. He wants to be active in what you are doing. A walk or two a day, even if those are long walks, isn’t going to make up for the boredom in between. He lives for adventures and being at your side 24/7. It’s more important to keep his mind busy that to exercise him.

I think that’s where people get it wrong with collies - they say “border collies need a lot of exercise”. What they don’t get is that border collies need a lot of stimulation. Rio is a busy dog, so he’s a happy dog. He’s always with someone, doing something.

Rio is 13 now, and he’s as fit and active as ever. He’s just the best dog we’ve ever had.

 

[scats]

I groom a few collies and they are all gorgeous. One of my favourites is an older chap, 14 now. He’s such a darling.

 

[TheresaW]

I think we’ve been very lucky with ours. Aled was an old boy when we got him, almost 11. He had some resource guarding issues, but we could deal with those and he was happy to just go with the flow of life in general. Loved playing ball. We lost him at 13 when his back legs went. No idea how he was bred.

Bo’s story is on here. He was farm bred, and trained to work, but wasn’t very good at it. He was 4 when we got him. I can’t have him around my horses, as he immediately tries to herd them, will nip their legs etc. If we see horses out and about he will come to call though and wait with me until they’ve gone by. As Clodagh mentioned above, he is obsessed with the hosepipe, likes to help me mow the lawn, and what she didn’t mention, likes to help hoover as well. He takes no notice of cars or lorries etc, but will launch himself at push bikes, occasionally motorbikes. I do have to keep my wits about me for bikes when in the woods. He is my best friend.

Ellie, again, an older dog when she came to us. She’s 13 in October. Doesn’t seem to have a herding instinct at all. Loves playing ball, and sniffing on walks is just about the best thing in the world to her. Seeing her at her age and comparing her to Aled, she is like a much younger dog.

 

[huskydamage]

I've just took on a collie x husky from a rescue after I lost my beloved husky (some malamute and gsd in him too)
I'm seriously impressed by how quickly this little guy learns things. He can learn some new trick/command in about 5minutes.
Im not sure if I will ever be able to let him off lead though, I never let my husky off as he was too unreliable. This dog has got husky prey drive and collie desire to heard everything so that just seems like a terrible combination to me!

 

[Alwaysmoretoknow]

I've got one of these too that is sadly on borrowed time with liver cancer at 14.
She also has both the herding and prey drive thing and reliable recall has always been patchy especially as she's now a bit deaf.
Funnily enough although she used to 'hassle' my ponios by trying to herd them (no luck whatsoever with the stroppy Shitty) she was totally sound with Forest stock but I would never have trusted her with sheep as the combination of the two drives would have probably been a disaster.
On the plus side she is amazing with people, loves everyone and remembers people she met from years ago and greets them enthusiastically with much 'wooing' and has been fantastic with my and all cats weirdly.
Do I think this is a good cross? On balance no as you're crossing two breeds intensively/carefully bred for very specific and different behavoural traits neither of which is paticularily suited to a pet home and you never know which parent they will favour in any given circumstance.

 

[TheresaW]

We have a husky as well as the two collies. Not sure I would want both breeds in one.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

A friend of mine took on a rescue collie pup. I am pretty sure he was a husky cross. His general build and tail carriage screamed husky to me. She had to work very hard on his training and recall was problematic but she did eventually get him into the agility ring and he did pretty well. Sadly lost him to cancer last year at 8. Gorgeous dog and lovely temperament but hard work. Would not have been for me.

 

[Moobli]

We have a husky as well as the two collies. Not sure I would want both breeds in one.

My MIL has a collie x husky and she has a wonderful temperament but very very high prey drive.

 

[Moobli]

We have one who might be mistaken for a husky x but he’s all collie. A great working dog. He is now retired.

 

[Mynstrel]

This is one of my 'manic' collies. She does agility, got to G5 and loves working sheep. Fabulous pet dog too. So much depends on how they are brought up. View attachment 93358

This, all day long. You have to teach them the off switch same as most working breeds and put the effort in to tire the brain and not the legs when you do exercise them, otherwise you just end up with a very fit idiot.

Most of the problem dogs of any breed that I know are the ones who get walked either plenty or not at all and never get any brain exercise.

 

[Mynstrel]

I've got a KelpiexCollie and he is smashing. He's one of those dogs that seems to naturally excel at everything. He does mantrailing and agility as well as using his natural instinct to herd sheep. He's focussed and very orthodox in his approach. He's never off his head, he always does just enough but will do just enough forever and a day. He seems to pace himself but stays motivated. He is also very independent, sensitive boy and if you piss him off he's more than happy to tell you to piss off.

We have one of those, sounds very similar in character, an awesome agility dog but a teddy bear on the settee - if we could have another like her tomorrow I'd do it without a second thought.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I've got a KelpiexCollie and he is smashing. He's one of those dogs that seems to naturally excel at everything. He does mantrailing and agility as well as using his natural instinct to herd sheep. He's focussed and very orthodox in his approach. He's never off his head, he always does just enough but will do just enough forever and a day. He seems to pace himself but stays motivated. He is also very independent, sensitive boy and if you piss him off he's more than happy to tell you to piss off.

Thats probably the Kelpie, we had one and she was awesome.

 

[nellietinker]

We have a collie x kelpie and a collie x kelpie x huntaway - both working girls. The collie x kelpie is a quiet worker. The huntaway x is very vocal!

 

[Clodagh]

We have a collie x kelpie and a collie x kelpie x huntaway - both working girls. The collie x kelpie is a quiet worker. The huntaway x is very vocal!

Every farm seems to have a hunt away around here, they are much bigger than I expected. Mind you so far as I can remember the Australian kelpies were tiny little things compared to the English ones.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

This is why you would have them

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He’s traveled South Africa, England, Wales, Scotland, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Monaco, Austria, Denmark and I’ve probably left out a few. He’s travelled on boats, planes, trains, ferries. He’s always absolutely brilliant with perfect manners.

He’s not just obedient, he’s engaged. He listens because he wants to be part of the activity, and he’s smart enough to know how to be a great addition in every situation.

It’s not hard work if you have the right set up for them. He is just not a ‘pick up and put down’ kind of dog. He wants to be active in what you are doing. A walk or two a day, even if those are long walks, isn’t going to make up for the boredom in between. He lives for adventures and being at your side 24/7. It’s more important to keep his mind busy that to exercise him.

I think that’s where people get it wrong with collies - they say “border collies need a lot of exercise”. What they don’t get is that border collies need a lot of stimulation. Rio is a busy dog, so he’s a happy dog. He’s always with someone, doing something.

Rio is 13 now, and he’s as fit and active as ever. He’s just the best dog we’ve ever had.

This 100%

We have had three collies and all have been pets, they get more mental than physical stimulation. Most people think they need lots of walks and then forget about the brain which means you have a mentally bored collie.

 

[Moobli]

Every farm seems to have a hunt away around here, they are much bigger than I expected. Mind you so far as I can remember the Australian kelpies were tiny little things compared to the English ones.

Hubby had one years ago … looked like a Rottie.

 

[meleeka]

I’ve had two border collies and wouldn’t have another. The first one was 4 months old when we rehomed him from a clueless couple. They said he didn’t have a lead so when we got him I bought a collar, went to put it on him and he bit me. That should have told me all I needed to know, but I kept him til he died of old age and loved the crazy bones of him. I remember he herded the horses once, from one side of the large field to the other. It was incredibly impressive and very calm. He would have been an amazing working dog. He was always nervous with people, but was devoted to my kids so it that respect was a great family dog.

 

[Moobli]

Well we are taking in a 17 week old pup tomorrow night as the people who have him can’t cope. I’ll update once I’ve met him.

 

[Nici]

Well we are taking in a 17 week old pup tomorrow night as the people who have him can’t cope. I’ll update once I’ve met him.

How exciting! ?

 

[Nici]

I dream of getting a smooth collie one day. They seem like delightful dogs and I heard they were a little more laid-back than border collies.

 

[Moobli]

I dream of getting a smooth collie one day. They seem like delightful dogs and I heard they were a little more laid-back than border collies.

Like chalk and cheese ?

 

[Moobli]

How exciting! ?

Hopefully … and not just a headache ?

 

[TheresaW]

In all honestly, how do you tell the difference between a smooth collie and a border? Bo is smooth coated, but have always just assumed he’s a border.

 

[Moobli]

In all honestly, how do you tell the difference between a smooth collie and a border? Bo is smooth coated, but have always just assumed he’s a border.

A Smooth Collie is a different breed to a bare skinned/short haired border collie. A Smooth Collie is a Rough Collie (think Lassie) but without all the fluff. Nothing like border collies in looks, drive or temperament.

 

[Moobli]

Just a couple of Google images to show their difference in look ..,

Smooth Collie



Smooth haired Border Collie

 

[CorvusCorax]

Border, Rough, Smooth, Bearded are all different breeds as mentioned.

 

[TPO]

Is a "smooth coat" border collie not called a bearskin?

Mum had one thst we grew up with. She was a bearskin off a farm and she was pretty amazing. Great with us kids, excellent guard dog and protector of said children, competed up to a high level of working trials and tracking and was a pet in the house. She was too sharp to work on sheep so she rounded up cattle instead

 

[KittenInTheTree]

I have a Smooth Collie/Kelpie cross. He turned eleven this year, and is the very best dog ever.

 

[Moobli]

Is a "smooth coat" border collie not called a bearskin?

Mum had one thst we grew up with. She was a bearskin off a farm and she was pretty amazing. Great with us kids, excellent guard dog and protector of said children, competed up to a high level of working trials and tracking and was a pet in the house. She was too sharp to work on sheep so she rounded up cattle instead

Lots of old farmers/shepherds refer to them as bare-skin, ie no long coat.