Smooth collies

[MotherOfChickens]

I am window shopping, please bear with me.


Anyway, I have had border collies in the past. I've no experience of smooth or roughs. I realise they are a herding breed-are they much like borders or less intense?

I am soon to meet some Irish Red and White Setters and pretty excited about that

 

[Apercrumbie]

I know nothing about collies but the Setters are so exciting! We've had English Setters who are generally a bit less loopy than Irish Setters but still very 'away with the fairies' if you know what I mean. Once you've got through the shall I say interesting first two years, you could not wish for a lovelier natured dog. All the Irish Setters I've met have been so lovely, and almost as lovely as our English ones

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I have an Irish (red) right now and love him to bits. He'll not be around much longer though so am researching breeds for a puppy next year. He's had a lot of skin problems and I am ideally looking for something with less coat, the IRWS are a little chunkier too and this line all work. I must admit, I am not convinced I am a 110% looking forward to setter teenagedom again but expect I will be once I've met them!

The English are stunning but I've only met one and as a 3yo, has had way more issues (skin, thyroid, hips) than my Irish!

 

[madlady]

We had a rough collie when I was growing up - I have a border now.

Our rough collie was nowhere near as full on as a border. Also her herding instinct was less that nil - she was frightened of sheep! The only bit of herding instinct we ever saw with her was that she didn't like us as children moving too quickly. She was OK with us running or being on bikes but when we went sledging she couldn't cope and chased the sledge down the hill, she wasn't keen on us being on swings either. She was very easy to train, not as nervy as some borders can be and was a real family pet.

She did have problems with arthritis in her back end as she got older (they have more of a sloping back than a border) but even then she lived to 16.

 

[Apercrumbie]

I have an Irish (red) right now and love him to bits. He'll not be around much longer though so am researching breeds for a puppy next year. He's had a lot of skin problems and I am ideally looking for something with less coat, the IRWS are a little chunkier too and this line all work. I must admit, I am not convinced I am a 110% looking forward to setter teenagedom again but expect I will be once I've met them!

The English are stunning but I've only met one and as a 3yo, has had way more issues (skin, thyroid, hips) than my Irish!

You're right, Setters certainly aren't the hardiest anymore. Ours was a regular at the vets (mostly through her own doing though). As with every breed, it is vital to research the lines. I'm off to google smooth collies now!

 

[Alec Swan]

The genuine and properly bred 'Smooth' Collie is generally a particularly handsome dog. I remember a working dog from my childhood (60 years ago!!), she was called Buzz, and she had a power and a pace which many of today's Collies lack. Over the years, I've named 3 dogs (bitches) after her, and they weren't all sheep dogs!!

Are there any that are kept for work these days, does anyone know?

Alec.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

You're right, Setters certainly aren't the hardiest anymore. Ours was a regular at the vets (mostly through her own doing though). As with every breed, it is vital to research the lines. I'm off to google smooth collies now!

it is a shame although I am quite convinced that early neutering doesn't do them any favours-and with a breed with that temperament it seems daft to do it imho at least before they are adult. Mine is show bred, working ones seem impossible to find other than in Ireland.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I've owned a tricoloured Smooth Collie several years ago. They're almost the same as Rough Collies, except the coat length, and in general, they're considered to be a bit more sturdy in their mentality, compared to Rough Collies.

They're very attentive, and can mostly learn things relatively quickly, but sometimes you need to give them time to think things through. In my experience, they seem to value sight and hearing information, more than smell.
In Swedish mentality tests, the result clearly shows that both Smooth and Rough Collies have a very low hunting interest, and are less interested in toys, and playing with them, than the overall average for all breeds. E.g. my Raya could sometimes play a bit with the cords on a cardigan that I had, any similar cords was also fun, but dog toys, she hardly ever looked at.

The most negative thing I can think of, is that many Smooth (and Rough) Collies are sound sensitive, which can lead to fear of e.g. fireworks. About 20 years ago, when my sister came over for a visit with her first child, Raya thought he seemed nice and behaved very well, until a while later when he began screaming. She quickly disappeared into a bedroom, and was wary around him for several months. Some years later we met a bunch of teenagers out on a walk, two of the girls wanted to say Hello, and Raya was interested, but didn't dare to, because the boys sound level made her label them as babies. Strangely enough, hearing that my dog labelled them as babies, instantly made the boys lower their sound level, which made Raya become her ordinary, lovely self.
Raya never became afraid of fireworks, but the first time she heard one (surprised us out on a walk, wasn't anywhere near New Years Eve), she was standing quite close to my first Norwegian Buhund Nessie, who didn't even lift her head out of the bush were she was sniffing on something. I still remember seeing how Raya looked up at the sky, down at Nessie, up at the sky again, down at Nessie again, and then after a while, she just seemed to decide that it clearly wasn't something to get upset about.

But other than that, I'm always surprised that Smooth Collies isn't a more popular breed. I suppose it is like with Norwegian Buhunds, they're overlooked because their appearance isn't flashy enough. Even though I realised that I prefer to own dogs one size smaller than Smooth Collies, they're a good choice for someone who wants an averagely active dog.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

thanks FL, they do sound like they might be a good fit for us-and I think they are stunning! especially the tricolour. Sound sensitivity I can cope with-we don't get fireworks up here and very little shooting but good to know for socialisation purposes.

 

[Chiffy]

Oh yes MoC, a smooth collie is definitely on my short list if I can ever move away from my flatcoat so for a minute! I have done quite a bit of research and am still keen. There are not that many bred so you would need to get your name down.
As far as Red and White Setters are concernedI have only personally known one and he was super. Much steadier, biddable and trainable than the Irish (Red). Just a lovely family dog.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

thank you Chiffy, much to look forward to

 

[Clodagh]

My mum has a smooth collie, from a preloved ad, the dog was about 7 when they got her and totally neurotic. She is now a really nice dog, much, much calmer than a border collie, but still intelligent and trainable. She is very vocal. I like her a lot.
We had setters when I was a child, so 40 years ago now and they were lovely. I fancy getting one now but my OH pointed out in our woodland cover they would be no use out shooting, you would be saying ' Where is that bloody dog now' and the poor thing may well be pointing the other side of a bramble bush.

 

[meesha]

No comment as had long haired border collie before who we loved but had strong working drive and was not really a people dog, now have short haired as below, brilliant with people and all animals, very loving and easy to do, always happy, never puts on/loses weight. Does have a strong horse attachment though

 

[Alec Swan]

No comment as had long haired border collie before who we loved but had strong working drive and was not really a people dog, now have short haired as below, brilliant with people and all animals, very loving and easy to do, always happy, never puts on/loses weight. Does have a strong horse attachment though

Is your dog a Smooth Collie, or a short coated Border Collie? She's handsome, whatever!

Alec.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Is your dog a Smooth Collie, or a short coated Border Collie? She's handsome, whatever!

Alec.

It looks like a Border Collie with short coat, to me.

To avoid confusion, this is the type of Smooth Collie which my Raya was:

(photos of Smooth Collies found by Google search, I don't have any digital photos of her)

 

[meesha]

No idea, bought from a stupid girl who advertised her for sale at 5 months as son allergic so she was locking dog in cage in spare room and keeping door shut! Strangely when I viewed her the child played with her, rolling around on the ground as he was only allergic in the house! No paperwork, she promised it but it never appeared!

 

[Chiffy]

Looks like a short haired border meesha but lovely whatever.
Thanks for the pictures FL, definitely am 'I want' for me. I can't understand why they are rare, so much easier to manage than the roughs.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

She's lovely Meesha, looks a lot like the bitch that prompted my spaying thread.

I have been in contact with some smooth breeders so we'll see. In other news, I have a home check on Monday. Seems as though there are a couple of rescues/rehome organisations that will consider me.

 

[Chiffy]

Ooh MoC, getting exciting, keep us informed and good luck.

 

[meesha]

Love the smooth collies, wasnt really aware of them before ! Good luck with the rescues - I must have contacted 20 or so last year but never a collie in sight - all were snapped up immediately !! I remember when we got our first collie back in 2000 ish the rescues were full of them - now they are all full of staffs !!

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Love the smooth collies, wasnt really aware of them before ! Good luck with the rescues - I must have contacted 20 or so last year but never a collie in sight - all were snapped up immediately !! I remember when we got our first collie back in 2000 ish the rescues were full of them - now they are all full of staffs !!

hoping for a good old fashioned mutt from the rescue-smooth collie or IRWS pup later on

 

[galaxy]

My sis in law has a smooth collie. I do agility, with gsps admittedly, but am obviously surround by border collies! IMO my sis in laws smooth is a watered down border. Lol. There are clearly obvious traits, her attitude towards other dogs (just not very interested and then a bossy snap (although not aggressive) if they get in her face), but she lives with 3 small children and is very calm and kind around them. She doesn't get a huge amount of exercise and is happy.

They aren't easy to source though from their experience! They had to wait about 9 months for one to be available.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

watered down borders are fine with me I always said I wouldn't have another collie after Psycho Bob, may he RIP. They are lovely arent they-all the breeders I've spoken to so far have been super.

 

[Thistle]

it is a shame although I am quite convinced that early neutering doesn't do them any favours-and with a breed with that temperament it seems daft to do it imho at least before they are adult. Mine is show bred, working ones seem impossible to find other than in Ireland.

There is a breeder of working RS in Hertfordshire, a friend has an adult and has just had another pup. Don't know if any pups left. They are smaller, lighter and less hairy than their show bred cousins

 

[MotherOfChickens]

There is a breeder of working RS in Hertfordshire, a friend has an adult and has just had another pup. Don't know if any pups left. They are smaller, lighter and less hairy than their show bred cousins

Thistle, I would greatly appreciate any contact details or happy to pass mine along please? Not in the market for a pup yet anyway but the contact would be brilliant.