The Collie

Collie refers to various breeds of herding dog originating from Britain, especially from the upland areas of the north and west.  The exact origin of the name is not certain, although it may derive from Early Scots coll ("coal" or "black").

The name collie especially refers to dogs of Scottish origin. However, the collie type is far more widespread in Britain and many other parts of the world. They are very often referred to as sheepdogs or shepherd dogs. In the United States, "collie" is most often used to refer only to Rough Collies rather than the collective grouping of all collie breeds.

Collies have a general weight of 10 to 25 kg. They are lightly built with a pointed snout and erect or partly erect ears, which gives then a foxy impression. The types that are used for cattle herding tend to be a little more stocky. Collies are always active, alert, and agile. Their fur can be short, flat, or long, with a tail that may be smooth, feathered, or bushy. Collies can come in various colors including black, black and tan, red, red and tan, or sable. Many types have white coloring along with the main color, usually under the belly or chest, over the shoulders, and on parts of the face and legs. It is also possible for the Merle coloration to be present over any other color combinations. The most widespread patterns in this breed are black and white, or tricolor, which is black-and-tan and white.

Working Collies are energetic and agile dogs with excellent endurance. They are more than capable of running all day and playing with fetch dog toys without tiring. They are intelligent, and instinctively highly motivated to work. These characteristics generally make working Collies unsuitable for pets, as few owners are able to give them the amount of mental and physical exercise they need, which may result in the dog becoming unhappy and badly behaved and possibly tearing up their dog steps.

Certain types of Collie such as Rough Collies, Smooth Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, and some breeds of Border Collie have been bred as pet and show dogs. These types have proven to be gentle, loyal, highly trainable, and well suited as pets. Because of their gentleness and loyalty, they make fantastic companions for children. They are more so suited to being companions than guard dogs, even though the individual personalities of these dogs do vary.

 
Some of the dogs that are of collie type or ancestry include: Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Collie, Australian Kelpie, Bearded Collie, Border Collie, Rough Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Smooth Collie, and the Welsh Sheepdog.