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| Smooth Collie | |||||||||||||
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 A tri-coloured Smooth Collie | |||||||||||||
| Other names | Collie (Smooth) | ||||||||||||
| Origin | Scotland | ||||||||||||
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| Dog ( domestic dog ) | |||||||||||||
The Smooth Collie is a breed of dog developed originally for herding. It is a short-coated version of the Rough Collie of Lassie fame. Some breed organisations consider the smooth-coat and rough-coat dogs to be variations of the same breed.
The early history of the Smooth Collie, like that of many dog breeds, is a matter of speculation. Even the origin of the breed's name is unclear, variously claimed to describe the early shepherd dog's dark colour ("coaly") or derived from the name of a breed of sheep with black faces once commonly kept in Scotland ("Colley") or derived from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning "useful." The word could also trace to Gaelic or/and Irish - in which the words for "doggie" are, respectively, càilean and coileán. This would be more consistent with the breed's origin in the Gaelic-speaking Scottish Highlands than an Anglo-Saxon term.
The modern history of both the Smooth and Rough Collie began in the reign of Queen Victoria, who became interested in the shepherds' dogs while at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. In 1860, she purchased some of the dogs for her own kennel. With the Queen's interest, it became fashionable to own Smooth Collies. Thus began the breed's transformation from working farm dog, similar to the modern Border collie, to the dog bred as a pet and for the sport of conformation showing that we know today.
The Smooth Collie today is considered a variety of the same breed as the Rough Collie in the United States, Canada, meaning that they can interbreed and some statistics are kept only for "Collie" rather than for both varieties individually. The smooth and rough are classified as separate breeds in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, and Australia. The latter is a fairly recent development, however, with the Kennel Club (UK) allowing the interbreeding of the two varieties until 1993.
A breed society, the Smooth Collie Club of Great Britain, was established in 1955. [1] The breed was definitively accepted by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1974. [2]
The Smooth Collie is of medium to large size: dogs stand some 56–61 cm (22–24 in) at the withers, bitches about 5 cm (2 in) less; weights are in the range 18–25 kg (40–55 lb) for bitches and about 21–30 kg (45–65 lb) for dogs. [3] [4]
It is slightly longer than it is tall, with a level back and a deep chest. The features of the head, particularly the "sweet" expression, are considered very important in the show ring. The breed has a long muzzle, flat skull, and semi-erect ears.
The outer coat is flat, short and harsh-textured, the undercoat soft and dense. Three coat colours are recognised: sable (sand-colour, ranging from pale gold to rich mahogany); tricolour (mostly black, with tan and white markings); and blue merle (silvery grey marbled with black, with or without tan markings), all marked with white areas on the chest, neck, feet, legs and tip of the tail. [3] [4]
The Smooth Collie is generally a sociable, easily trained family dog. Although not an aggressive breed, they are alert and vocal, making them both good watchdogs if well trained and potential nuisances if allowed to bark indiscriminately. Collies are agile and active dogs and need regular exercise in some way. This breed is easy to train, due to its high intelligence and eagerness to please its owners. Training this breed requires a light touch, as they are sensitive to correction and shy away from harsh treatment. They get along well with children and other animals, usually getting along with other dogs. Smooth Collies are used both as family pets and in obedience competition, agility, herding trials, and other dog sports. Some are still used as working sheepdogs. They are also very useful as assistance dogs for the disabled.
The Smooth Collie is a long-lived breed for its size, usually living 12 to 14 years. Like all dog breeds, they are susceptible to certain inherited or partially inherited health problems. Those problems currently include:
Smooth Collies can compete in dog agility trials, obedience, showmanship, flyball, tracking, search and rescue (SAR), assistance dog and herding events. Herding instincts and trainability can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. Collies exhibiting basic herding instincts can be trained to compete in herding trials. [6]
The Border Collie is a British breed of herding dog of the collie type of medium size. It originates in the region of the Anglo-Scottish border, and descends from the traditional sheepdogs once found all over the British Isles. It is kept mostly as a working sheep-herding dog or as a companion animal. It competes with success in sheepdog trials. It has been claimed that it is the most intelligent breed of dog.
Terrier is a type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of the terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, game, and fearless. There are five different groups of terrier, with each group having different shapes and sizes.
The Shetland Sheepdog, also known as the Sheltie, is a breed of herding dog that originated in the Shetland Islands of Scotland. It was formally recognized by The Kennel Club in 1909. It was originally called the Shetland Collie, but this caused controversy amongst Rough Collie breeders of the time, so the name was changed. It is a small dog, clever, vocal, willing to please, and trustworthy.
The Affenpinscher is a German breed of small toy dog of Pinscher type. Originally developed as a mouser, the Affenpinscher is now commonly found as a companion worldwide.
The Mudi is a herding dog breed from Hungary. It is closely related to the Puli and Pumi, from which it was separated in the 1930s. They continue to be used in herding, as well as participating in a variety of dog sports.
A working dog is a dog used to perform practical tasks, as opposed to pet or companion dogs.
Collies form a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. The type originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many types have a distinctive white color over the shoulders. Collies are very active and agile, and most types of collies have a very strong herding instinct. Collie breeds have spread through many parts of the world, and have diversified into many varieties, sometimes mixed with other dog types.
The Pyrenean Sheepdog, the Chien de Berger des Pyrénées in French, is a small to medium-sized breed of herding dog from the Pyrenees Mountains region of France. It is found herding flocks of sheep throughout the Pyrenees alongside the much larger Pyrenean Mountain Dog which is kept as a flock guardian.
The Australian Shepherd is a breed of herding dog from the United States. The name of the breed is technically a misnomer, as it was developed in California in the 19th century. It is believed to have its origins in sheepdog breeds from northwest Spain, as well as collies imported, alongside sheep, from Australia and New Zealand; the breed reportedly took its name from this trade. Originally used solely as a herding dog, the Australian Shepherd has become one of the most popular companion dog breeds in North America.
The Parson Russell Terrier is a breed of small white terrier that was the original Fox Terrier of the 18th century. The breed is named after the Reverend Jack Russell, credited with the creation of this type of dog. It is the recognised conformation show variety of the Jack Russell Terrier and was first recognised in 1990 in the United Kingdom as the Parson Jack Russell Terrier. In America, it was first recognised as the Jack Russell Terrier in 1997. The name was changed to its current form in 1999 in the UK and by 2008 all international kennel clubs recognised it under the new name.
The Weimaraner is a German breed of hunting dog of medium to large size, with history going back at least to the nineteenth century.
The Rough Collie is a long-coated dog breed of medium to large size that, in its original form, was a type of collie used and bred for herding sheep in Scotland. More recent breeding has focused on the Collie as a show dog, and also companion. The breed specifications call for a distinctive long narrow tapered snout and tipped (semiprick) ears, so some dogs have their ears taped when young. Rough Collies generally come in shades of sable and white, blue merle, tri-coloured, and colour-headed white.
The Polish Lowland Sheepdog, is a medium-sized, shaggy-coated, sheep dog breed native to Poland.
The Lancashire Heeler is a small breed of dog developed for use as a drover and herder of cattle. The Lancashire Heeler is listed by the Kennel Club (UK) as an endangered breed. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2024.
The Dutch Shepherd is a herding dog of Dutch origin. They were used by shepherds and farmers who needed a versatile dog, with few demands, and a dog that was able to adapt to a harsh and meager existence.
The Kromfohrländer is a modern German breed of companion dog. It originated in Germany in the years after the end of the Second World War. There are two coat types, a smooth-haired and a rough-haired.
The Transylvanian Hound, also known as the Transylvanian Scent Hound or Hungarian Hound, is a Hungarian breed of scent hound used primarily for hunting. It originated in the former Kingdom of Hungary in the historical region of Transylvania, which is now part of Romania. It is strong and of medium size, characterized by a black body with tan and sometimes white markings on the muzzle, chest and extremities, and distinctive tan eyebrow spots. It has a high-pitched bark for a dog of its size. The breed was rescued from extinction by focused breeding efforts in the late twentieth century. There were formerly two varieties, the tall and the short, developed for different kinds of hunting in the Middle Ages. Only the tall variety survives today.
The Portuguese Sheepdog is a medium-sized breed of dog of the herding dog type, and is one of the indigenous regional dogs of Portugal. The Portuguese name refers to Serra de Aires, a mountain near Montforte in the Alentejo region. The breed is nicknamed cão macaco for its furry face and lively attitude.
The Saint Miguel Cattle Dog is a dog breed of mastiff type originating on São Miguel Island in the Azores, an island chain which is one of the autonomous regions of Portugal. The breed was originally used as a herding dog for working with cattle.
The Gaucho Sheepdog (Portuguese: Ovelheiro gaúcho) is a dog breed that originated in the Pampas, Brazil. The breed is not recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), but it has been recognized by the CBKC, a Brazilian kennel club affiliated with FCI. Dogs of this breed are often characterized as sturdy and agile, which makes them suitable for herding activities. The Gaucho sheepdog is widely used for herding sheep and other livestock, especially in the southern region of Brazil.
