Collie

A Rough Collie

Collie refers to various breeds of herding dog originating primarily in Scotland. The exact origin of the name is uncertain, although it probably originates in Early Scots col(l) (coal), meaning black. Another explanation sometimes put forward is that collie was a regional word for "something useful".

The fictional Lassie, star of movies, books, and television shows, was a Rough Collie, which helped to popularize Collies in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as in many other countries. Lad of Sunnybank also deserves credit for making the collie popular and was a real dog written about by Albert Payson Terhune. The Collie Club of America 1] is one of the oldest breed-specific clubs in existence in the United States (founded in 1886). However, there are three different dog breeds with "Collie" in their name:

• Collie (including both Rough Collie and Smooth Collie varieties)
• Border Collie
• Bearded Collie

The farm collie was a generic term for a wide range of herding dogs common in North America until the middle of the 20th century.

Shetland Sheepdogs (commonly known as "Shelties") are sometimes mistakenly called Miniature Collies, but they are a completely different breed of distinct origin.

The highlands of Scotland were the natural home of the Collie, where the sheepdogs had been used for centuries by shepherds, but the modern form of the breed was mostly developed in England in the late 1800s. This early form of the breed was usually referred to as the Scotch collie (or Scottish collie) in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Scotch collies were heavier and less fine-boned than today's Rough and Smooth dogs. The ancestors of the modern Collie were first exhibited as "Scotch Sheep-Dogs" in the 1860 Birmingham (England) dog show.

A rough tri-color puppy.

The modern Collie of both Rough and Smooth varieties are available in four distinct colors. Sable and White dogs are generally the most recognizable, the choice of the Lassie television and movie producers. The sable color on these dogs can range from a light blonde color to a deep reddish-brown, with any hue in between possible. Tri-Color dogs are mostly black and white with tan markings. Blue Merle collies are best described as Tri-Color dogs whose black has been diluted to a mottled gray-blue color. White collies are usually mostly white on the body with a head coloration of any of the three previous. A lesser-known variant of collie coloring is that of the "phantom merle" - a seemingly tricolor dog, with only perhaps a slight merling of one or two areas of fur, who actually carries the gene for merling. If bred to another dog with a merle gene, the resulting pups may be "double-dilute" - which can result in devastating neurological conditions.

As modern-day "Lassies", both rough and smooth collies have become successful assistance, and therapy dogs. At least one guide dog school, Southeastern Guide Dogs in Florida, currently trains smooth coated collies as guide dogs, and a number of collies are currently partnered with disabled individuals around the United States.

Some Collies suffer from a special gene defect due to a mutation in the multidrug resistance gene, MDR1. This is also known as "the Ivermectin-sensitive Collie". All dogs with this mutation must be descandents of a dog who lived in Great Britain in the midst of the 19th century. This mutation is found worldwide and can even cause the death of a dog, if he gets the wrong medicine (based on Ivermectin, Doramectin, Loperamid and many more pharmaceuticals). Therefore all Collies and breeds or dogs akin to them should be tested.

Temperament

Collies are known to be generally sweet and protective. They tend to be easy to train due to a middle level of intelligence and a willingness to please. They are natural herding dogs and need the companionship of a family or other dogs.

Famous Collies

• Lassie
• Colleen from Road Rovers
• Laddie from The Simpsons
• Blanco, pet of Lyndon Johnson
• Reveille, official mascot of Texas A&M University

External links

• Clubs, Associations, and Societies
  • Collie Club of America
• Informations about the MDR1-defect
  • American Working Collie Association