Rough collie: characteristics and content of the breed

The Rough Collie breed comes from old England herding dogs. Even then, they were distinguished by a long mane, a benevolent character and a sharp mind. As a result of selection work, the animal has become taller, more graceful, wool has acquired a special luxurious appearance. Therefore, today, in comparison with the 50s of the last century, the parameter standards have changed. When purchasing a puppy with a pedigree, you should pay special attention to this issue.

Collie with long hair, first of all, excellent watchmen and guards. But you should immediately make a reservation that they are not intended for sitting in a booth. A physically strong, hardy and active animal needs space and relative freedom. However, you can keep dogs both in a private house and in a city apartment, if you provide the pet with quality walking with active games and activities. Also, the dog can become a nanny for small children, this is possible, since the collie is absolutely devoid of aggressiveness.

Positive character traits are loyalty, poise, some shyness, calm, friendly attitude to other pets, cleanliness, ability to think outside the box. Dogs obedient, easy to train and trainable. Love for children, the ability to get along with them and the willingness to protect at any time made the dog an irreplaceable companion and a true friend of the family.

Scottish Shepherd Dogs with a pedigree have their own unique image and a special constitution, the parameters of which are spelled out in the RKF standards. Description of the breed:

• body the animal is harmonious in its proportions, mainly individuals with dry muscle mass predominate;
• the dog has moderately narrow back with a prominently convex lumbar region and a rounded sternum;
• head - wedge-shaped, elongated;
• obliquely planted eyes oval with a dark iris;
• nasal lobe always black and does not depend on the color of the coat;
• ears erect, triangular, retracted when the animal is in a calm state;
• in purebred dogs, straight and muscular limbs medium size;
• paws equipped with strong, rigid claws, rounded in shape, usually collected in a lump;
• tail long, fluffy, with a slightly curved tip, does not throw over the back.

The height of the dog at the withers is from 55 to 62 cm, bitches are much lower - their height is 50-55 cm. Based on this, the weight of the animals is from 18 to 30 kg. When moving, the shepherd brings out its front limbs far forward, pushing off with its hind legs. Such dynamics are not visually reflected on the back, which remains, as it were, static.

At the moment there are 2 types of collies. The former include taller dogs with developed ligaments, an elongated muzzle, a graceful neck and lean muscles. The second type is more compact, squat, arched back and thick undercoat. Their ears are larger, it is assumed that they can be lowered.

The breed is especially proud of its wool, which, according to the requirements of the RKF, provides for the following colors:

• combination of three colors - pronounced red tan marks and white spots of various sizes on the main black color of the body;
• blue merle - grayish and marble-blue shades, restrained, unobtrusive, noble-looking, sometimes with small blotches of black tones;
• light and dark gold palette sable tonesexcept for pastel creams and bright yellows, which are considered marriage.

Applicable to all three types of colors, the presence of white spots on the neck, muzzle and head, legs and the tip of the tail is appropriate. The shepherd's coat itself is thick, straight, shiny and smooth, without curls. But there are frills and a beautiful frill that descends below the chest in the form of a lush mane.

Despite the strength, high activity and good health, the breed has its drawbacks, which are the shepherd's predisposition to certain ailments. To the owner who decided to take a purebred puppy, it is worth knowing about the probable pathologies and complications arising under unfavorable conditions of detention.

• Eyes - the dog's weakest point, in the dark it practically does not see anything due to the presence of collie's eye syndrome. If you do not attach importance to this, soon problems with visual function will manifest themselves in the daytime. Redness of the eyes due to their constant irritation can develop in dogs due to an anomaly such as entropion - the turn of the eyelashes and the edge of the eyelid towards the eye.
• Sometimes an animal may suffer from birth lack of hearing.
• An unpleasant manifestation is and fungal skin infection leading to dermatitisaccompanied by severe itching.
• It is quite rare in the Rough Collie. disruption of the central nervous system, the consequence of which is the appearance of epileptic seizures.

You can buy a thoroughbred puppy only in an official kennel, where the animals have full documentation and a certificate.In the same place, the future owner can learn how to properly maintain a dog and how to feed it. You can take a little collie from your mother when he knows how to eat meat, cereals and dairy products. It is best to do this when he is already 3-4 months old. At this time, the appearance of the puppies has its own characteristics:

• they are not too massive, but strong and dense physique;
• medium development of the jaw;
• the puppy is covered with fluffy, long and delicate hair, while the hair is straight;
• tail of medium length;
• legs are straight, without curvature.

A dog at this age cannot have a too coarse and large jaw, you should be alert if the coat is curly or has a dull shade. A good sign if the animal is active, curious, friendly, does not hide in a corner, but makes contact.

Caring for a small Scottish shepherd dog includes the following mandatory points:

• for the puppy, you should immediately prepare his personal utensils for food and water, as well as a comfortable mattress;
• you will need to regularly comb the animal's hair with a brush, especially paying attention to the abdomen, chest, hind legs, it is advisable to use a special spray so as not to damage the hair;
• bathe the dog as its hairline becomes dirty in warm water;
• it is permissible to dry the pet with a hairdryer without using hot air;
• every day you will need to examine the eyes of the shepherd dog and wipe with veterinary lotion to prevent irritation;
• claws are cut a couple of times a month when they grow back;
• the ears are cleaned of excess wool regularly, and the wax is removed twice every 30 days;
• they walk with the baby up to 4 times a day, for an adult dog it is optimal 2 walks a day for an hour;
• an important point is vaccination, which is wiser to carry out in a veterinary clinic.

Up to 6 months, puppies are fed 6 times a day, and then gradually transferred to 3 meals. You can feed your pet 2 times a day per year. If the owner chose natural food for his dog, then the best products for collies are fresh beef and chicken breasts, cottage cheese, fresh boneless fish, cereals, vegetable side dishes and lactic acid products. It is necessary to give the dog and fortified supplements every day.

When feeding dry food, you need to use precise dosing of portions. In addition, both an adult dog and a puppy need clean drinking water, which is changed daily. It is necessary to accustom the puppy to order from the first days of his appearance in the house. The kid must know his place, what he can and cannot. On the street, it is permissible to remove an animal from the leash only when it unquestioningly fulfills the command "Come to me".

For more on the characteristics of the breed, see the next video.