Bred for herding, a Collie needs daily mental and physical exercise or it will become bored and frustrated. A happy Collie is gentle, devoted, and mild-mannered. They are intelligent and willing to please but can be stubborn. Once socialized and introduced, Collies are generally very good with children and make good playmates. But children should be supervised, as many Collies nip when excited. Their herding behaviors which include chasing, nipping, and prodding, need an outlet and cannot simply be suppressed. They may try to herd cats and other small pets but generally accept other animals, including dogs. Collies tend to be quite vocal and make excellent watchdogs. But with their love of people, they make only average guard dogs. Though not “clingy”, they relish every moment spent with their family. Left alone, they use their voice to express their displeasure to the discomfort of anyone within earshot. Sensitive dogs, they react more to loud noises than most breeds and sometimes do not do well in homes with high tension and loud voices. They have average exercise requirements. Owners willing to invest time with their dog will find a Collie to be a wonderful companion. More active outside than in, they enjoy daily walks, jogs, or herding sessions, but are fairly mellow indoors. Some think the smooth-coated Collie is more active and retains more of its herding instincts than the rough-coated variety.

Collies have two coat variations, rough, which is what most people visualize when the breed is mentioned and smooth, which is a short-hair variety. More specifically, the rough variety has a long, straight outer coat that is harsh to the touch. The undercoat is soft and extremely dense. The coat is most abundant on the mane and frill, and short on the face and legs. The four recognized colors are Sable and White, Tri-color, Blue Merle, and White. Tri-colored Collies are predominantly black, with white and tan markings. The Blue Merle is a mottled or “marbled” color, predominantly blue-grey and black with white markings and usually has tan shadings. The smooth-coated variety has a short, hard, dense, flat coat which is much easier to maintain. Both coat types shed heavily. An average dog stands 22-26 inches tall. Males typically weigh 60-75 pounds with females weighing 50-65 pounds. Collies are fairly cold-tolerant (particularly the Rough Variety) but are much happier indoors with family than outside.

Collies are smart and capable of learning a great deal. Although they can be stubborn, they are generally easy to train with consistent, light-handed methods. As with all herding dogs, it is important to provide regular mental and physical challenges so they do not become bored. But Collies are so interested in pleasing, they will participate in repetitive training simply because they are asked. Collies are reasonable pets for new owners, provided that you are prepared to be patient and take the time to train them, spend the time they need on an ongoing basis, and understand their tendency to shed.