A Study of the Collie

I feel very fortunate to be a part of preserving a dog breed that has such a well documented history.  Being able to research our pedigrees online, and trace our collies’ ancestry all the way back to the first documented collies, is such an incredible gift.  This is largely due to the efforts of the Collie Club of America, our National club.  The CCA was formed in 1886, making it one of the oldest specialty clubs in America.  The American Kennel Club was formed in 1884, just two years earlier.  The CCA has had countless members working to carefully document and preserve our history.  They have many books and publications available, for any newcomers to the breed, and for those who are just interested in learning more about the development of our beloved breed.

With that in mind, I thought I would share some of the books available for anyone interested in learning more about the collie.  This is only a partial list, as there too many books and resources available to list them all in one post.  These are the ones that I have found to be particularly useful over the years.

The Collie by O.P. Bennett and C.H. Wheeler, written in 1924.  The authors were highly respected, as Dr. Bennett was a President of the Collie Club of America and C.H. Wheeler was an expert on the history and origins of the Collie in the United Kingdom.  The book is illustrated with rare vintage photographs of Collie Champions from 1874 through 1923.

The Magnificent Collie, by Patricia Starkweather, of  Glen Hill Collies.  This book was printed in 1997, and was written with the help of John Buddie of Tartanside Collies.  This book is a great resource, as it includes a chapter on the origins and history of the collie by Gayle Kaye, the breed standard, chapters on both the smooth and the rough collie, and information about influential collie breeders and kennels of the past.

Collie Concept, by George Bobbee Roos, 1988.  Roos shares her priceless knowledge and explains how to develop an eye for a dog, graphically illustrates balance, and teaches handling and care.

The New Collie, by the Collie Club of America.  There are different publications, with the white cover being the 1996 updated version and the red cover being the 1983 edition.  This is the book description: An important update of the story of one of America's most beloved purebreds, this book traces the Collie's origin from his beginnings as herding dog in Scotland to the favorite of millions. With chapters on the Standard, on training, breeding, showing, grooming breed character, general care and modern applications of the breed's natural herding ability, it's a "must have" reference.

And of course, I have to include American Collie Champions, published by the Collie Club of America.  There are eight separate volumes in the Library of Champions, beginning with volume 1, 1884 - 1961.  In each volume you will find pictures of all the collies who earned their championship title along with the names of their breeders and owners.  Learning the names of the collies in your pedigrees is fascinating, but having these books as a reference, to actually see pictures of those collies is priceless!

There are many other books and resources for those interested in learning about the collie.  I will have to do additional posts to cover more of them.  Of course, after writing this, I want to go look through my own copies now!