Thanks to the popular movie and series about ‘Lassie,’ the Scottish shepherd dog is immensely loved by many. The sweet character of this dog matches its beautiful appearance. There are two different Collies, long-haired and short-haired. The long-haired is a bit more intensive in terms of grooming and has a slightly sweeter character. The short-haired Collie is more temperamental, but thanks to its short coat, it takes much less dirt and sand into the house. Discover even more fun facts about these wonderful and obedient dogs.
The drovers of Scotland: The Scottish Shepherd Dog, or ‘Lassie’
These dogs come from Scotland. It could not be otherwise with the name Scottish Shepherd Dog. This breed of dog is also called a Collie. When Britain was occupied by the Romans in the period between 27 BC and 395 AD, sheep and goats regularly arrived by boat. These sheep were kept together by slaves and kindly brave short-haired dogs.
These dogs were crossed with dogs that had been brought earlier by the Romans. These were dogs with a double and thick coat, a coat that could withstand various weather conditions. These dogs also had to guard livestock. They were also called “circling dogs,” because they often went in a circle around the herd.
The crossing between these two breeds of dogs gave them a cooperative nature. In the centuries that followed, this dog, of which there was a short-haired and a long-haired one, was also crossed with other dogs, such as the Setters and the Barsoi. The dogs lost their work as trackers and gradually the long-haired Collie developed as a dog for winning beauty awards at shows.
The long-haired collie was also used in the highlands of Scotland to herd the sheep. He had no guarding function because the wolf was already extinct in Scotland. The short-haired collie was used in the lowlands to herd cows. In doing so, the dog also had to protect the cows and owner from bandits. The temperament of the short-haired Collie was therefore somewhat fiercer than the easy-going long-haired Collie.
In the 1960s, the long-haired Collie became popular, thanks to the film adaptation of the book “Lassie come home” and the television series “Lassie. This made the dog hugely popular, which did not help the health of the breed. Fortunately, since the 1970s and 1980s, there has been a strict breeding policy, so the breed lost these health issues again.
The ideal family dog that loves physical contact
The Scottish shepherd dog loves contact with people. He prefers to be wherever his master is and seeks a lot of physical contact. So, a Collie likes to lie against your legs, or on your feet. So, watch out while cooking; your Scottish Shepherd Dog may just lie behind you. Collies are athletic.
So, when you challenge him enough physically and mentally, he will be calm and quiet at home. They are not demolishers, nor do they easily destroy toys of their own. The hunting instinct of these dogs is minimal. He enjoys running after a rabbit or bird. Is the animal out of sight? Then you can call him back with ease.
Collies are social, happy dogs that get along easily with other animals and people, if you socialize him well and early on. The Scottish shepherd dog also gets along well with other dogs. They do not seek quarrels and prefer to avoid confrontations. However, he does not let them walk over him and in his own territory he is also a bit fiercer than outside it. You can easily keep this dog breed with several dogs. They like to crawl together in the basket and take care of each other. Although this dog breed has a weather-resistant coat, most prefer not to go outside when it rains.
These dogs also go well with children. He senses moods and if a child is sad, the Collie will come and comfort him. Do watch your Scottish Shepherd with children running around and friends playing. This breed of dog tends to get excited by running children and sees it as his chance to bring the herd in line. They are also protective of the children in their own family. These dogs are not easily nervous or aggressive.
Scottish shepherd dog is a medium-sized dog with pointed muzzle
The Scottish shepherd dog comes in two varieties: short-haired and long-haired. The latter is the best known. The coat of these dogs is long and dense with a full collar and tail. A short-haired Collie has a short, flat-lying coat and its outer coat has a hard texture. The body of these dogs is long rather than tall. This dog breed wears their tail hanging, with the tip bent slightly upward.
The head of the Scottish shepherd dog is blunt and shaped like a wedge. The head is gradually narrowed toward the front. Its muzzle and skull are the same length. The ears are small and the tops of the ears droop somewhat. The coat of these dogs is usually sable-colored with white, tricolor or blue merle. The shoulder height of males is between 22 and 24 inches, of females between 20 and 22 inches. The weight of males is 40 to 60 pounds, of females it is 38 to 50 pounds.
A long-haired Collie needs regular brushing
The care of a long-haired Scottish Shepherd Dog is more intensive than a short-haired one. The double coat of the long-haired Collie should be brushed weekly. This will prevent your dog from getting mats in his coat. The undercoat of the long-haired Scottish Shepherd Dog is soft.
The outer coat is rough and straight. Is your dog moulting? If so, daily brushing is recommended. Also, have your dog trimmed regularly to keep the longer hairs on the front legs and tail in check. In addition, keep his teeth clean, trim his nails and keep ears and eyes clean.
Puppy food first and then food for adult dogs
Which food you want to feed your Scottish Shepherd Dog is up to you. You have a choice of kibble, CDV (Complete Fresh Food) or cooked meals. Then you also have the choice of which protein source to give and from which brand? Above all, look at your dog.
What does he do well on and does his coat shine? Of course, you will not give your puppy food for adult dogs, but puppy food. The proportions of puppy food and adult food are different. A puppy needs to grow and an adult dog does not.
Allergies, hip dysplasia and MDR1: the diseases and health problems of a Scottish Shepherd Dog
The Scottish Shepherd Dog is a strong breed. However, this dog breed is prone to a number of hereditary diseases, such as Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), hip dysplasia and deafness. There are dogs that can have epilepsy and endocrine diseases, where it is not known if it is hereditary or not.
Collies can get Osteochondritis Disseccans (OCD). This is a disease in which the shoulders become paralyzed. This disease can be seen as early as when your puppy is between four and 12 months old. Collies also sometimes suffer from allergies and skin diseases. Because this dog breed is so active, the chances of injuries are also high. Think torn muscles, ligaments and nails.
Some Scottish Shepherd dogs also suffer from Collienosis. This is when black pigment is missing from the nasal surface. Because of this, you should keep him out of the sun as much as possible and protect his nose with high factor sunscreen. In addition, Collies are hypersensitive to Ivermectin. You can have your Colli tested for MDR1 so you know if he is at increased risk for it. The life expectancy of this dog breed is 12 to 14 years.
Training the Scottish shepherd dog is easy and fun
Raising a Scottish shepherd dog is fairly easy. In fact, collies are very intelligent and learn quickly. Do you train him too little? Then he can be disobedient. This dog breed is also good to train for agility. You will also make a Scottish Shepherd Dog very happy with fetching.
This dog breed does not like raising his voice and is nervous if there is an argument in the family or if he is punished. Collies are quick to catch on when they have done something naughty. Rather, reward him when he has done something right, with a stroke and words of praise. This will keep you a happy dog, rather than a nervous one.
This is what you pay for a Scottish shepherd dog with a pedigree
If you want to buy a Scottish shepherd dog with a pedigree, count on spending about 1600 dollar. Collies without a pedigree are slightly cheaper. Besides buying your puppy, you’re not done yet. You’ll also want to give him a basket, feeders, food, a crate, toys, treats, and spend money on vet visits. Of these, some visits are planned, such as vaccinations and some because, unfortunately, something is wrong with your dog.
Active dogs for an active owner
Scottish shepherd dogs are energetic and need a lot of exercise. So count on not being done with three 15-minute walks outside. Although the Collie will adapt if you have less time for longer walks one day. While walking, you can get rid of his energy by letting him play fetch, ball games, obedience training, agility and flyball with him. Or get on your bike and let him run with you. With a puppy, though, you have to be careful. Stick to the maximum outlet time so the energy goes to growing strong bones, joints and muscles.
Recognition of the long-haired and short-haired Scottish shepherd dog
The Scottish shepherd belongs to breed group 1: sheep herders and drovers. Their origin is northern England and Scotland, where he was a herding dog. The long-haired Collie was recognized by the FCI on April 13, 1955. Its standard was published on Oct. 8, 2012. The Shorthaired Collie was recognized on Dec. 18, 1974, and its standard was published on July 27, 2021. Other names for the Scottish Shepherd are Collie, Scottish Collie and Shetland Sheepdog.
The Scottish Shepherd is a gentle sweetheart
The Scottish Shepherd is a suitable dog for families with children. Thanks to its gentle nature, it treats children very sweetly. It is a corpulent dog that likes to cuddle or interact with you. However, he usually chooses an owner in the family to whom he listens best and prefers to be with.
You must be actively inclined when you bring this dog breed into your home. After all, a Collie has energy for ten and needs to lose it during long walks and games with a ball. Do you have the time and do you like a soft cuddly bear? Then the Scottish shepherd dog is really for you.
