Do they require a lot of brushing?
About


When placing a puppy with a new owner, it's important for a breeder to know
that they will have  a good home for their entire life.  Because owning a dog is
such a long commitment with a variety of responsibilities, you should
understand the amount of care they require before deciding to purchase a
puppy.  Please honestly evaluate your lifestyle and consider the following
questions:

  • Am I ready for the commitment of owning a dog?  (Collies typically live for
    10-12 years)
  • Do I have a fenced yard in which a dog can exercise?
  • Do I have the expendable income for veterinarian costs, food, and general
    upkeep of the dog?
  • Puppies need a lot of attention and training when they are young.  Even
    grown dogs require consistent care such as providing food and water, yard
    clean-up and grooming.  Am I willing and able to commit my time to this?  
    (Even if this is to be a family pet, Mom will most likely be the one who
    shoulders much of the responsibility of caring for and cleaning up after the
    puppy, despite promises that are made ahead of time by other family
    members.  Is she willing and ready to do this?  Of course, she may also be
    the one who receives more of the dog's devotion in return.)
  • Do I have a "safe place" for my puppy to stay while I am working, sleeping
    and/or away to keep it from chewing the wrong things or going to the
    bathroom in the wrong places?
  • Is a collie the right breed for me?

                                                 
Am I ready for a collie puppy?
 
 
Collies
The American Kennel Club and Collie Club of America recognize 4 colors. The
one most people associate with a Collie is SABLE AND WHITE, which was
the color of Lassie. Sables can range from light, golden brown, to a dark rich
mahogany, tinged with black and usually have a white collar and legs.
TRI-COLORS are very striking, as they have a black body, a white collar and
legs, with tan markings about the face and above the eyes. BLUE MERLES are
somewhat less common, but are becoming more popular.  Their bodies are a
silver/grey with some black patches, a white collar and legs, and like the
tri-colors have tan markings about the face and above the eyes. WHITE
COLLIES are the rarest of the colors. These animals have white bodies with
colored heads and patches on their body which can be sable, tri or blue merle.
How big are Collies?
Are they a "one man" dog?
NO! When a Collie has a family, he loves the entire family. They are easily
adaptable to new situations and new people. Collies are truly "people dogs;"
they need companionship and are not happy without people around them. If
raised properly and
treated with respect, they make an ideal pet for the entire family.
Are they noisy?
Are Collies nervous or shy?
No. Collies are loving, outgoing animals that love people and have a zest for
life. Some Collies may be a little reserved towards strangers at first, but to
people they know, they are loving, and outgoing. A shy, nervous Collie is not
typical of the breed.
That depends on what you consider "a lot."  A common misconception is that
they need to be brushed every day.  In truth, a Rough Collie should be brushed
once or twice a week, and it will probably take you 10 to 20 minutes to do a
good job, depending on the amount of coat your dog has, and the time of
year.Collies have a double coat; a top coat and an undercoat. Females will
"blow" their undercoat after each heat cycle (typically every 7-10 months), and
spayed females and males will "blow" their undercoat once a year. More
grooming will be needed when they are shedding. The nice thing about Collie
hair is that it is easy to remove from furniture and carpets because it merely
lays on top, as opposed to the short, sharp coat of a Lab for example.  Collies
are noted for not having a "doggie" odor frequently found with some other
breeds, but a bath is recommended 4-6 times per year.
I've heard that you should not buy a
dog that is inbred.
What does that mean?

Collies are not only beautiful, they are intelligent, friendly, loyal, loving and
sensitive. They are genuine family dogs and their favorite place to be is with
people.  Their easy-going nature and fun-loving personality is suitable for
children of all ages and they make great companions for young or old.  
Typically, they do not demand constant attention, but are content just to be
in the company of their family.  Social animals, they usually get along well
with other family pets.

They are easy to train, clean dogs, and are one of the easiest breeds to
housebreak. Generally speaking, they do not usually stray far from home,
preferring their own yard. Like people, dogs have unique personalities. Some
Collies are more energetic while others are very mellow. Ask the breeder to
help you choose the puppy that best fits the pace of your lifestyle.  

If your Collie is not going to be shown or bred, it is highly recommended that
you spay or neuter him/her, not only to reduce the amount of unwanted
animals, but also for the long-term health of your pet.  Most reputable
breeders sell non-show puppies on a spay/neuter contract.
What Colors do Collies come in?
 
Are they good with children?
 
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT
COLLIES
There are two types of coat varieities found in collies.  The ROUGH variety
and the SMOOTH varieity.  Both varieties are the same except for the length
of their coats.  The collie is a double coated breed with a harsh outercoat and
a soft downy undercoat underneath.
Coat Variety
Collies are a medium sized dog, ranging from 22" to 24" (females) and 24" to
26" (males) at maturity. Females are usually 45 to 60 lbs. while the males are
60-75 lbs. For even more details about the standard, visit  Collie Club of
America, or see The Collie Standard.
 
VERY! One of the Collies' greatest assets is his natural love of children. Even
when not raised with children, they can be charming, playful and protective
with most well behaved kids. Stories have abounded for years of children
guarded and protected by the family Collie. While they are great companions
for older children because they love attention, rough housing, and playing
ball, they are equally content to quietly "babysit" younger children when
indoors.
 
 
 
Collies, like other herding breeds, can be yappy if they are left alone outdoors
for long periods of time and become bored and lonely, or if they have visual
access to activity of which they can't be a part. The normal, active Collie
will bark when strangers arrive, at the neighbor's cat, and at strange
goings-on in the neighborhood. You can reduce the amount of barking if you
begin training them to be quiet when they are young.  If barking is a problem,
the dog can be "debarked" at the veterinarians. Debarking is usually a 30
minute surgery, done under anesthesia where the vocal chord is altered in
order to significantly reduce the volume at which the dog can bark. They still
make noise when they bark, but it is quite muffled, sounding more like a soft
cough, and does not travel through the neighborhood.
 
 
 
 
 
 
This is not true. Dogs are bred in three ways:

1.  Inbred - Which means breeding mother/son, father/daughter, sister/brother.

2.  Line-bred - Breeding a half sister/half brother, granddaughter/grandfather,
niece/uncle etc. to one another.

3.  Out-crossing - Which is having no related animals within three
generations.

There is no right way or wrong way to breed dogs.  Inbreeding does not make
shy or sickly animals, nor do "mixed breed" or out-crossed dogs have more
vigor than those that are line-bred.
What is a pedigree?


Your Collie's pedigree is his family tree. It shows three, four or sometimes five
generations of his family. While it may not mean a lot to a pet buyer, to a
breeder it is the blueprint of the dog's genetic makeup. The males are always on
the top side, while the females are on the bottom.  Some of the abbreviations
you may see are:
Should I take my Collie to obedience
class?
That's your choice.  All family pets need rules to live by, but since Collies are
generally compliant dogs, many people find they are able to easily train
them without professional obedience classes.  However, an obedience class
may be a lot of fun, helping you teach your dog specific commands like sit,
stay, come, lie down, and how to walk nicely on a lead, all of which will
make him more enjoyable to live with. Besides, you might find you enjoy the
challenge and choose to go on to competition obedience trials, which take
place at most dog shows. Spayed and neutered dogs, as well as those that
aren't necessarily show quality, are welcome to compete in obedience trials.  
You will be amazed at how quickly your Collie will learn with a little
practice and patience.
Do I need to fence my yard?
Yes. You should provide your Collie with a safe environment in which to
exercise. Under no circumstances should a Collie be kept on a chain or tied
out. Collies have an undercoat for warmth & an outer coat to repel weather
and do enjoy being outdoors, however, they need a warm, covered shelter if
they will be out for several hours at a time.  If you are not home during the
day, and especially if you live in the city, it is wise to keep them indoors
where they are safe and they won't have the opportunity to become a barker.  
Most Collies will be content indoors if you provide a properly-sized crate or
confined area for them. Many Collies can be given the run of the house once
they are mature.  Typically, breeders will not sell a dog to someone without a
fenced yard.
Tell me about the Collie eye problem
Collies have two different types of eye problems, the first and most common
being CEA - Collie Eye Anomaly, or sometimes called CEP - Collie Eye
Problem. It has been estimated that 90% of the Collie population is affected
with CEA. Most "grades" of CEA will NOT affect your dog's vision in any
way, now or later in life as it does not worsen with age.  The other major eye
problem in Collies is PRA - Progressive Retinal Atrophy.  This is a
progressive disease that occurs later in the animal's life.  It is very rare today
to see a case of PRA as breeders work very hard to avoid known PRA carriers
in their breeding programs. For a further, detailed explanation about collies'
eyes, go to Eye Disease in Collies, (taken from colliehealth.org).

All reputable breeders take their Collie puppies to a canine opthalmologist
between 6 and 8 weeks of age to have their eyes checked, and most breeders
will supply you with the Opthalmic Examination Form upon request.
 
 
Are Collies prone to hip dysplasia?
The old adage, "you get what you pay for" is true of purebred animals. The
price you pay includes the stud fee that was paid, the transporting of the
bitch, the cost of worming, shots, registrations, advertising, eye checks,
feeding...plus you are paying for the generations of quality champions that
are behind your dog. You are paying for a beautiful Collie that you can be
assured will look like a Collie should, and act like a Collie does. You are
paying for the time the professional breeder put into each litter and for the
wonderful temperament they are producing. You are paying for a quality
animal that you can be proud of for many years. You are paying for a heritage.
Portions of the above information were edited from material found at the
Collie Club of America website and The American Smooth Collie Association
website
 
Rough Collie
 
Sable & White
Tri-colored
Blue Merle
Sable headed White
 
 
 
 
 
Smooth Collie
 

No, Collies today are relatively free of that disease, although it does occur in
approximately 1% of the population. The term "X-rayed clear" means that the
animal was x-rayed and found clear of hip dysplasia.
Why are purebred animals more
expensive than mixed breeds?
 
AKC Confomation Titles:

CH. - Champion (or Am.CH. - American Champion)
CAN.CH. - Canadian Champion
INT.CH. - International Champion
BIS - All Breed Best in Show Winner
BISS - Best in Specialty Show Winner
ROM - Register of Merit
NE - Normal Eyed

Obedience and Additional AKC Titles:

C.D. Companion Dog
C.D.X. - Companion Dog Excellent
U.D. - Utility Dog
OTCh. - Obedience Trial Champion
V.C. - Versatility Companion
HC or HIT - Herding Instinct Certified
T.T. - Temperment Tested