Top 10 reasons to own a Collie

When people choose a particular dog breed to join their family it can be for a variety of reasons.  For some, it’s a dog breed they grew up with and it’s connected to happy childhood memories.  For others, they may have fallen in love with the dog breed after reading a story or watching a movie, and after researching the breed, realize it fit their lifestyle and family.  I know many people who chose their dog based on the breed’s ability to perform a particular task, dog sport or service.  Still others may have chosen that breed of dog solely because of its appearance.  

Lad and my daughter

Unfortunately, if a dog is chosen because of its appearance, or because of a fictional character in a book or movie, it doesn’t always work out.  The dog ends up rehomed, dumped in a shelter or abandoned, through no fault of its own.  I love the collie breed for many reasons.  Many of my family members had collies, so I was familiar with the breed and already knew the wonderful qualities and quirks they were known to possess.  I grew up reading the collie stories written by Albert Payson Terhune, and watching the old Lassie movies, so I loved their personalities and beauty.  Sharing my life with collies has also taught me to appreciate the amazing versatility of the collie breed.  So far there hasn’t been any dog sports that my collies have tried that they haven’t enjoyed.  The breed is athletic, intelligent and eager to please, a combination that leads to their ability to earn titles in a wide variety of sports.  

But the collie is not for everyone.  They can be a very vocal breed, and love to express their opinions on every subject.  They will grumble, whine, sigh and moan to let you know their thoughts and feelings.  They also love to bark, as it’s a tool that was developed in the breed to aid in herding, it’s part of their nature.  A bored collie will bark at everything, and needs a moderate amount of exercise each day to curb this.  But they do have a great off switch, and are happy to snuggle on the couch with you after a nice long walk.  And they are a double coated dog breed, so they shed, a lot.  It’s very manageable, as long as they are given a good brushing each week.  And lastly, the collie breed was developed to be loyal to their families.  They are social animals who thrive with affection and close interaction with their humans.  This is not a dog that will be happy left alone in the backyard, and they will vocalize their displeasure for all the world to hear.

This video is being shared courtesy of Selene and Wren, of SnootsnStuff, please stop by their Instagram for more cute videos!

So why should you consider owning a collie? These are our top 10 reasons we love this dog breed so much:

1) Intelligence - the collie is an intelligent breed.  they have to be intelligent to be able to perform the tasks they were originally bred to do.  With this intelligent dog, you can expect them to get into some mischief from time to time.  I’ve witnessed my Scarlett hustle by, hoping to avoid notice, carefully gripping the edge of a stolen plate in her little front teeth.  I hung a set of bells on the back door, intending to eventually teach the collies to ring them when they need to go outside.  I didn’t need to teach them.  Clever Sophie noticed that when the door opened the bells would jingle.  It didn’t take her long to begin ringing the bells whenever she wanted to go outside.  Sometimes I have to hide the bells, because she rings them nonstop on nice days, when she would prefer to be outside!

2) Athleticism - the collie is a naturally athletic dog breed.  The collie was bred to herd sheep and drive farm animals to market.  This makes them great at a variety of dog sports, like agility, and when combined with their intelligence, makes the collie breed a very versatile dog.  But unlike other high energy dog breeds, they enjoy long naps, preferably in a patch of sunshine, and love just spending time with their families.

3) Affectionate - the collie is a very affectionate dog, with their own family.  They love to be by your side, and will show their love for you in a variety of ways, including following you from room to room, your very own collie shaped shadow!  Collies make wonderful therapy dogs, because they are naturally sweet and are happy to make new friends.  But they definitely prefer the company of their own families over everyone else.

4) Intuitive - the collie was bred to work closely with humans, so they have become very good at reading our emotions.  This makes them very insightful when determining what we need.  I have watched Scarlett go to great lengths to make me smile.  Sometimes she will grab a toy or a pillow, stand in front of me with a gently wagging tail, waiting for me to appreciate the gift she’s found just for me.  I’ve come to realize that she could sense when I was stressed or unhappy before I did, and would actively try to soothe or amuse me.

5) Empathetic - I think this is true of most dogs, and it’s one the qualities that make dogs so special.  Dogs make excellent therapy animals because of their ability to offer comfort to those in need.  And the collie is known for being particularly sensitive.  Their gentle, compassionate nature makes the collie excel at therapy work.  With their gift of empathy, they always seem to find the person who needs them the most.

6) Beauty - while all dogs are adorable and lovable, the collie is just one of those breeds that were gifted with a little something extra.  Their graceful, elegant appearance and striking markings, are definitely eye catching.  When I’m out walking my collies, or doing a therapy visit, people will always stop me to compliment them.  I’ve even had people stop their car to ask about them because of their beauty.  So if you don’t mind owning a dog that literally stops traffic, the collie may be the dog for you!

7) Trainability - Collies are very easy to train, often learning from each other as well as their humans.  My rough collie, Ryder, began doing the classic “Lassie” wave as a puppy.  We thought it was adorable, and lavished him with praise, so it became one of his methods of asking for a treat.  He was the only one of our collies that did this, and we never taught any of the others to do it, as it became his own special trick.  What we didn’t realize was that Scarlett, showing her high intelligence, was watching.  And one day, when we had Ryder sit and do his wave, a trick we dubbed “show us Lassie,” Scarlett hurried over and sat right next to him…and started waving her paw in the air!  She had been observing what Ryder was doing, when we asked him to “show us Lassie,” and how it earned him praise and cookies, and wanted her fair share!   And while Scarlett is incredibly special, most collies are easily trained with gentle, positive training methods.  I recently came across a Facebook post honoring a collie that has earned an incredible 69 titles!  I honestly believe there isn’t anything this amazing breed can’t be trained to do!  There are collies doing search and rescue, Barnhunt, agility, obedience, Therapy visits, service work, herding, dock diving, carting, and so much more!

Beautiful, clever Scarlett

8) Easy to groom - Collies are very clean.  I mentioned above that they do require a weekly brushing, and when they are shedding, there will be increased sweeping and vacuuming around the house.  But in general, collies are a pretty clean dog breed.  Mine will avoid puddles, as they don’t like to get their snowy, white paws dirty.  And unlike other breeds, like doodles, they don’t require expensive trips to the dog groomers every couple months.  I bring my collies to a “do it yourself” dog wash, and for $12, I get the use of a raised tub, dog shampoo, towels and a blow dryer.  If the rough coat seems like too much brushing, there is always the shorter, smooth coated collie.  But both the rough and the smooth are a double coated dog breed, so both will still require that weekly brushing to maintain their beautiful coats.

9) Great with children - the collie is often pictured with children, and there is a reason for that.  They are devoted companions, and they are very affectionate and protective of children. Their playful nature makes them an ideal best friend for a child.  They are always ready to lend a sympathetic ear to a child’s woes, and are happy to be a shoulder to cry on.  While it’s true they may try to herd children, or other family members, with some training and guidance this can be managed.

My grandson, getting comforted by Ryder

10) Real life heroes - collies are known for their brave and heroic acts.  Don’t believe me?  Please check out this post, which shows just a handful of times a collie has saved the day!  Recently a collie named Rowdy risked his own life to save his family’s four year old child, click here for his story.  You have to love a hero!

With their stunning beauty, collies can be found in all forms of art.  And with their brave and loyal hearts, as well as their fun loving, impish sense of humor, they have been celebrated in books, film and television.  They are an ideal family dog, are one of the top breeds chosen as service dogs, and with their intelligence, they make a very versatile companion for anyone interested in competing in dog sports.  If you haven’t considered a collie for your next best friend, please research the breed and see if they would be right for you.  The Collie Club of America has a great resource to learn more, please click here.