Smooth Collie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Smooth Collie

Tricolour Smooth Collie with training dumbbell
Other names	Collie (Smooth Coat)
Origin	Scotland
Classification / standards FCI standard
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Smooth Collie is a type of dog breed. It was first developed to help with herding sheep. This dog is like the famous Rough Collie (from "Lassie") but has a short coat. Some dog groups see them as the same breed, just with different coats.

History of the Smooth Collie

The early story of the Smooth Collie is a bit of a mystery. No one is completely sure where its name came from. Some people think "Collie" came from the word "coaly" because of the dogs' dark fur. Others believe it came from a type of sheep called "Colley" that had black faces.

The word might also come from old Scottish or Irish words for "doggie." This makes sense because the breed started in the Scottish Highlands, where people spoke Gaelic.

How Queen Victoria Helped the Breed

The modern story of both the Smooth and Rough Collie began when Queen Victoria became interested in these dogs. She saw them while visiting Balmoral Castle in Scotland. In 1860, she bought some of these dogs for her own kennels.

Because the Queen liked them, Smooth Collies became very popular. This helped change them from working farm dogs to pets. They also became popular for conformation showing, which is a type of dog sport.

Smooth and Rough Collies Today

Today, in places like the United States and Canada, the Smooth Collie and Rough Collie are seen as the same breed. This means they can have puppies together. But in other countries, like the United Kingdom and Australia, they are considered separate breeds. The Kennel Club (UK) used to let them breed together until 1993.

A Smooth Collie around 1915

What a Smooth Collie Looks Like

Smooth Collies are medium-large dogs. Female Smooth Collies are usually about 20–22 inches (51–56 cm) tall at the shoulder. Males are a bit taller, from 22–24 inches (56–61 cm). Females weigh around 40 lb (18 kg), and males can weigh up to 66 lb (30 kg).

In the United States and Canada, the standard size is 22–24 inches (56–61 cm) for females and 24–26 inches (61–66 cm) for males. Their weight can be from 50–75 lb (23–34 kg).

A blue merle Smooth Collie

A Smooth Collie is a bit longer than it is tall. It has a flat back and a deep chest. The shape of its head and its "sweet" expression are very important in dog shows. They have a long nose, a flat top of the head, and ears that stand up partly. Often, their ears need to be gently folded and taped when they are puppies so they don't stand straight up when they grow.

Their Coat

The Smooth Collie's coat has two layers. The bottom layer is soft and very thick. The top layer has straight, rough hairs. These top hairs are about one to two inches long. The hair is longer around their neck and on the back of their legs.

You should brush their coat well once a week. They shed a moderate amount of hair most of the year. But twice a year, during shedding season, they shed a lot more.

Their Colors

Smooth Collies come in four main colors.

• Sable: This is the color of Lassie. It can be light gold to a deep reddish-brown.
• Tricolor: These dogs are black with tan and white markings.
• Blue Merle: This color looks like silvery gray mixed with black, and they have tan markings.
• White: These Collies are mostly white. They have colored patches on their head and usually a spot on their body. These patches can be sable, tricolor, or blue merle.

A tricolor Smooth Collie

There is also a color called sable merle. This is a lighter, speckled version of sable. Sometimes, like with blue merle dogs, they can have blue or partly colored eyes. Blue or partly colored eyes are allowed in dog shows for non-blue merle Collies, but they are not preferred. Many sable merle Collies with blue or partly colored eyes have won dog show championships.

Smooth Collie Temperament

The Smooth Collie is usually a friendly and easy-to-train family dog. They are not aggressive, but they are alert and like to bark. This makes them good watchdogs if they are trained well. But if they bark too much, it can be a problem.

Collies are active and agile dogs. They need regular exercise to stay happy and healthy. This breed is smart and eager to please its owners, which makes them easy to train. When training them, it's best to be gentle. They are sensitive and don't like harsh treatment. They usually get along well with children and other animals, including other dogs.

Smooth Collies are great family pets. They also do well in obedience competitions, agility courses, herding trials, and other dog sports. Some are still used as working sheepdogs. They can also be very helpful as assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

Smooth Collie Health

Smooth Collies usually live a long time for their size, often 12 to 14 years. Like all dog breeds, they can have some health problems that are passed down through their family. Here are some of them:

• Collie eye anomaly (CEA): This is a group of eye problems. They can range from small issues with blood vessels to blind spots or serious problems with the retina. Many Collies have this problem. Dogs that are completely unaffected are rare. Good breeders try to increase the number of unaffected dogs. A vet can check for this problem before a puppy is six weeks old. It doesn't get worse over time. Dogs with mild CEA are fine pets or working dogs.

• Progressive retinal atrophy: This is when the retina in the eyes slowly gets worse, eventually leading to blindness. It's less common than CEA in Collies. It's also harder to prevent through breeding because symptoms often don't show up until the dog is older.

• Multidrug sensitivity (MDR1): This means some Collies can have bad, sometimes deadly, reactions to certain common medicines. One example is ivermectin, which is used to prevent heartworm and treat mites. Scientists have found the gene that causes this sensitivity. A simple blood test can now tell if a dog is at risk.

• Gastric dilatation volvulus (Bloat): This is a painful and often deadly twisting of the stomach. It happens in large or deep-chested dog breeds. You can often prevent it by feeding small meals. Also, don't let your dog exercise hard right before or after eating.

• Epilepsy: This causes seizures that have no clear cause. Medicine can often reduce how often the seizures happen, but there is no cure.

• Cyclic Neutropenia (Gray Collie Syndrome): This disease affects a dog's neutrophils, which are important parts of their immune system. Most puppies with this disease will die young. Even with the best care, affected dogs usually don't live past 2 or 3 years old.

Work and Sports for Smooth Collies

Smooth Collies are very versatile dogs. They can take part in many fun activities and competitions:

• Dog agility trials: Where dogs run through obstacle courses.
• Obedience: Where dogs show how well they follow commands.
• Showmanship: Where handlers present their dogs in dog shows.
• Flyball: A team sport where dogs race over hurdles to retrieve a ball.
• Tracking: Where dogs follow a scent trail.
• Search and rescue (SAR): Where dogs help find missing people.
• Assistance dog work: Helping people with disabilities.
• Herding events: Showing their natural ability to herd sheep.

Dogs can be tested to see if they have basic herding instincts. If they do, they can be trained to compete in herding trials.

See also

In Spanish: Collie de pelo corto para niños