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Temperaments in Rough Collie of American Lines

If you are wondering what is the right dog for you, this is the place to be. In this introductory forum we talk about topics such as breed vs. mix, size, age, grooming, breeders, shelters, rescues as well as requirements for exercise, space and care. No question is too silly here. This particular forum is for getting and giving helpful, nice advice. It is definitely not a forum for criticizing someone else's opinion, knowledge or advice. This forum is all about tail wagging and learning.

  
Alva BH

I ordered the- best dog for me- & got her		 
 
Barked: Thu Oct 25, '12 9:22am PST 
Well, I'm not taking another dog so this might not be the right forum. But I want to ask a couple of questions about collies in America and thought I could find answers here.

AKC has their own standard for rough collie. I haven't read it for a while so I don't remember what it says about temperaments, but anyway, a standard usually tells how things should be, not how they really are.

So, my questions for those who know American collie breeders and collies:

What kind of temperament do the collies bred in North America have? Do tey like to fetch or play game of tug with their owners? Are they shy or friendly? Is fearfulness or nervousness common? How active they are like how much excercise or mental activities they need? How attached they are to their owners? Are they social towards other dogs?

Do the breeders consider the dog's temperament when they breed? What is important in the temperament by their opinion? How would a perfect collie be behind the looks? Do they breed collies for activities/jobs like agility, obedience, service or SAR work? Let's assume we are talking about responsible breeders.

I'd like to compare if the American collies and their breeders have any difference vs breeders and dogs here or at least how I believe the breed is like here. I live in Northern Europe and my dog is mostly European lines. But Alva does have one American import somewhere in her pedigree. Like as grand-grand-grand or something many grands father.
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Alva BH

I ordered the- best dog for me- & got her		 
 
Barked: Thu Oct 25, '12 9:24am PST 
And off course, if you have experience about rough collies from anywhere on the globe and you want to share your information, feel free smile
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Member Since
01/04/2009		 
 
Barked: Thu Oct 25, '12 10:21am PST 
I don't have a collie here, but I have a friend who breeds the rough and smooth collies. She gets both in her litters.

From what she says, hip dysplasia is very rare in collies here. You mostly see them in the show ring. I do herding with my dog who is a corgi, and most people who do work their dogs say that there isn't much instinct left in the smooth/rough collie breed. I don't know if that's true, but it is true that there aren't many working breeders of smooth/rough collies.

Typically, they're known as wonderful pets. I would not say they are shy, although they are reserved with strangers. They're amazing with children and I don't hesitate in recommending them for someone who wants a bigger dog.

You don't see them doing agility too much, but I have seen them doing Rally obedience and formal obedience. They're a very bright breed and tend to be very biddable from what I've seen.

so, that's just one person's view. I personally really like them, but their lack of drive prevents me from seriously being interested in getting one.
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Kolbe

Where can I run- today?		 
 
Barked: Thu Oct 25, '12 11:30am PST 
I have only owned (or more accurately my parents owned) Rough Collies so those are the only questions I can answer. We had three collies over the years.

What kind of temperament do the collies bred in North America have? Do tey like to fetch or play game of tug with their owners?

All of ours were very playful, with the female being a little less so. For fetch they all loved to run after the ball/stick/whatever but never brought it back, heh. They also loved tug.

Are they shy or friendly?

Ours were all outgoing and friendly.

Is fearfulness or nervousness common?

I don't think so -- at least none of ours were like that at all.

How active they are like how much excercise or mental activities they need?

In younger years they needed a moderate amount, not a ton though. In older years not much, they really just needed to be part of the family and enjoying a few brief walks here and there and that was about it.

How attached they are to their owners?

I would say fairly attached, but not to the point of separation anxiety. Ours were boarded whenever we went on vacation and they always did fine. They were very family oriented and trustworthy with children. They alert barked but were not protective unless they perceived a serious threat (which did happen when I was a child once).


Are they social towards other dogs?

Ours were all very dog-social, easygoing, ignored strange dogs on walks, etc.

Hope this helps.
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Farley

Farlekiin the- Dragonborn		 
 
Barked: Thu Oct 25, '12 12:02pm PST 
I don't know much about Collies or their breeding here, but I live in Western Canada and my agility trainer has a Smooth Collie that recently earned her AADC here in Canada. She is fairly young too, maybe a little over a year?
The dog is very nice. Doesn't have that neuroticism that you see in some herding breeds, has a stable temperament and is good with the other dogs. She seems pretty passive about strangers and people which seems pretty standard for a lot of herding breeds as well. She is high-energy but doesn't seem terribly high drive and has an off-switch from what I can tell. I'm not sure how toy/tug-driven she is, but I haven't observed her a whole lot.

I have no idea where the breeder is located but I'm pretty sure he purchased her here in Canada.

Edited by author Thu Oct 25, '12 12:14pm PST

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Niki

1229379		 
 
Barked: Thu Oct 25, '12 4:17pm PST 
My experience:

What kind of temperament do the collies bred in North America have? Do tey like to fetch or play game of tug with their owners?

Yes, definitely playful and can be silly. Love to play herd eachother (and take turns who is "sheep"), some are driven to fetch (can't put the frisbee) down, others don't really care for it.

Are they shy or friendly?

Definitely friendly, as they should be if well-bred. Shy, timid Collies are very common in poorly bred dogs. They are a sensitive breed and if mistreated, neglected, or not from well-balanced parents - being shy/neurotic will be an issue. They aren't in-your-face kind of friendly, like a labrador, but they should be accepting of strangers.

Is fearfulness or nervousness common?

Yes, like I said, in poorly bred dogs it is common. You definitely have to pick out your collie probably. They aren't as popular as they were in the 50s or 60s, so the amount of breeding has thankfully decreased. But if you go to a great breeder, it shouldn't be a problem. It's also more common in rescued Collies too.

How active they are like how much excercise or mental activities they need?

Active in the sense they will do what you ask them too - happy to hike with owners, run with other dogs, go for walks, etc. They are smart and need mental stimulation - especially in the younger years. Not too demanding in exercise though, a moderate amount (30 minutes 3x a day) is good.

How attached they are to their owners?

Definitely attached and loyal, they care about their owners! Separation anxiety is more common with rescued dogs (and can stem from the shy/timid personality types) ... but isn't a huge issue with the breed.

Are they social towards other dogs?

Yes, social and outgoing, but not annoying about it. smile But if they've had a negative experience with a dog or a breed, they will remember it.
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