Collie facts for kids

Collies are a special kind of herding dog. They come from Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized dogs, usually not too heavy, with pointed noses. Many of them have a white patch over their shoulders.

Collies are very active and quick. Most types of collies have a strong natural instinct to herd animals like sheep and cattle. Collie breeds have spread all over the world, especially to Australia and North America.

Some collies are still working dogs that herd livestock. Others are kept as pets or show dogs. They are also great at dog sports because they are so agile, have lots of energy, and are easy to train.

When people say "collie," they might mean different things. In some parts of the United States, it often means a Rough Collie. In many rural areas of Great Britain, it usually means a Border Collie. But many dogs that are part of the collie family don't even have "collie" in their name, like the Welsh Sheepdog.

A Border Collie

A Bearded Collie

A Welsh Sheepdog

What's in a Name?

The exact start of the name collie isn't fully known. It might come from a Scottish word for 'coal'. Or it could come from the word coolly, which referred to the black-faced mountain sheep in Scotland. The name collie usually describes dogs from Scotland that have traveled to many other parts of the world. In other places, they are often called sheepdogs or shepherd dogs.

What Collies Look Like

Appearance

Collies are generally medium-sized dogs. They usually weigh between 48 and 70 pounds. Dogs used for herding cattle might be a bit stronger and heavier. Their fur can be short or long. Their tails can be smooth, fluffy, or bushy.

Collies come in many colors. The main colors are black, black-and-tan, red, or red-and-tan. They can also be white with a colored head, or have colors like sable, blue merle, or sable merle. They often have white fur on their belly, chest, shoulders, face, and legs. Sometimes, only their head is colored, and the rest of their body is white.

The most common patterns are sable, black and white, black and tan, and tricolor (black-and-tan and white).

How Collies Act

Collies can be very easy to train. Some, like the Border Collie, really need a "job" to do. Other collie breeds fit well into an active family life. Collies are also known for being sensitive and understanding how people feel.

Working Collies

A working collie, like a Border Collie, is a very energetic and quick dog. They have amazing stamina. When they are fit, they can run all day without getting tired, even on rough or steep land. Working collies are very smart for their jobs and naturally want to work. They are often very loyal to their owners.

These qualities make working collies great for dog sports. Besides herding, they are good at activities like sheepdog trials, flyball, disc dog, and dog agility. Working collies have strong herding instincts. Some can be very focused on their work, almost to the point of being obsessed!

Pet and Show Collies

Some types of collies, like Rough Collies, Smooth Collies, and Shetland Sheepdogs, have been bred for many years to be pets and conformation show dogs. They are not always used for herding anymore. All collie breeds are very trainable, gentle, loyal, and smart. This makes them great pets. Their gentle nature and loyalty also make them good with children. They are often better as watchdogs (barking to alert you) than as guard dogs (protecting you physically).

The gentle and smart nature of collies has been shown in books and movies. The famous dog Lassie was a Rough Collie. Her intelligence and loyalty were shown in many films, books, and TV shows. Lassie was inspired by a collie named Tootsie, owned by author Eric P. Knight.

Types of Collies

A Rough Collie

Herding dogs that are of the collie type have been common in Great Britain for a long time. Many different types and breeds have come from them, both in Britain and other places. Many are still working herding dogs. But some have been bred for dog shows and as pets. These dogs sometimes lose their herding instincts because they are chosen for their looks or a calmer personality.

Working collies often look more varied than show or pet collies. This is because they are bred mainly for their ability to work, so their appearance is less important.

Here are some dogs that are collie types or have collie ancestors:

• Australian Cattle Dog: Used in Australia to herd cattle. These dogs are strong, with upright ears and short fur. They are usually mottled grey or red.
• Australian Kelpie: Developed in Australia from collies brought from Scotland. They have upright ears, short fur, and are usually black or red, often with white on their chest and toes.
• Australian Shepherd: This breed came from the Western United States. They were used to herd sheep and cattle. They have shaggy, medium-length fur in many colors, and often have different colored eyes.
• Bearded Collie: Now mostly a pet and show dog, but some still work. They have long, shaggy fur that forms a "beard." They are born black, blue, brown, or fawn, and their coat often lightens as they get older.
• Border Collie: The most famous breed for herding sheep worldwide. They came from Scotland and Northern England. They have semi-upright or floppy ears. Their fur can be silky or fairly long, usually black, red, or merle, often with white.
• English Shepherd: Developed in the US from collie-type dogs from Britain. They have floppy ears, thick fur, and are usually red, black, or black-and-tan, with white over their shoulders.
• Koolie (also called German Coolie): Developed in Australia. They have upright ears, short fur, and are often black, red, or merle, sometimes with white on their neck or shoulders.
• Old English Sheepdog: These dogs are larger than most collies. They have no tail, floppy ears, and long, silky hair, usually grey and white.
• Scotch Collie (includes Rough Collie and Smooth Collie): These dogs are still used for herding and for shows. They have a long, narrow face, are tall, and have lots of fur. They come in sable, tri-color, blue merle, and color-headed white.
• Shetland Sheepdog: A small show and pet breed. They look like miniature Rough Collies. They are very small, with nearly upright ears and long, silky fur. They are often sable or merle with white.
• Welsh Sheepdog: A herding dog from Wales. They have upright or semi-upright ears, short or silky fur, and are usually red, black, or merle, often with white over their shoulders.

Famous Collies

• Blanco: Pet of US President Lyndon B. Johnson.
• Kep: Pet of author Beatrix Potter, shown in her book The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck.
• Lad: Pet of author Albert Payson Terhune, famous from the book Lad, A Dog.
• Pickles: Famous for finding the stolen FIFA World Cup Trophy in 1966.
• Pal: The dog who first played Lassie.
• Reveille: A Rough Collie, the official mascot of Texas A&M University.
• Rob and Sheila: Both awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery during war.
• Silverton Bobbie: In 1923, he traveled 2,800 miles from Indiana all the way back home to Silverton, Oregon.

Collies in Stories

• Lassie: A fictional Rough Collie dog character created by Eric Knight. She starred in many movies and a long-running TV series.
• Fly and Rex: The herding dogs from the movie Babe.
• Dog: The Border Collie from the comic strip Footrot Flats.
• Colleen: A female collie in the cartoon Road Rovers.
• Nana: A female Border Collie in the movie Snow Dogs.
• Shadow: A sheepdog from Enid Blyton's book Shadow the Sheepdog.
• Murray: The male collie from the TV series Mad About You.

See also

In Spanish: Collie para niños