Collies form a distinctive type of herding dogs, including many related landraces and standardized breeds. The type originated in Scotland and Northern England. Collies are medium-sized, fairly lightly-built dogs, with pointed snouts. Many types have a distinctive white colour over the shoulders. Collies are very active and agile, and most types of collies have a very strong herding instinct. Collie breeds have spread through many parts of the world (especially Australia and North America), and have diversified into many varieties, sometimes mixed with other dog types. Some collie breeds have remained as working dogs for herding cattle, sheep, and other livestock, while others are kept as pets, show dogs or for dog sports, in which they display great agility, stamina and trainability. While the American Kennel Club has a breed they call “collie”, in fact, collie dogs are a distinctive type of herding dog inclusive of many related landraces and formal breeds. There are usually major distinctions between show dogs and those bred for herding trials or dog sports: the latter typically display great agility, stamina and trainability, and, more importantly, sagacity.

The common use of the name “collie” in some areas is limited largely to certain breeds—the name means Rough Collie by default in parts of the United States, and Border Collie in many rural parts of Great Britain. Many collie dog types do not include “collie” in their name (see Welsh Sheepdog at right).

Collie types and breeds

Herding dogs of collie type have long been widespread in Britain, and these can be regarded as a landrace from which several other landraces, types, and formal breeds have been derived, both in Britain and elsewhere. Many of them are working herding dogs, but some have been bred for conformation showing and as pets, sometimes losing their working instincts in the course of selection for appearance or a more subdued temperament.

Herding types tend to vary in appearance more than conformation and pet types, as they are bred primarily for their working ability, and appearance is thus of lower importance.

Dogs of collie type or ancestry include:

• Australian Cattle Dog
• Australian Collie or “Bordaussie”
• Australian Kelpie
• Australian Shepherd
• Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
• Bearded Collie
• Blue Lacy
• Border Collie
• Cumberland Sheepdog
• English Shepherd
• German Coolie, Koolie or Collie
• Huntaway
• Lurcher
• McNab Shepherd
• New Zealand Heading or Eye Dog
• Old English Sheepdog
• Scotch Collie
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Smithfield
• Welsh Sheepdog

Name

The exact origin of the name collie is uncertain; it may derive from the Scots word for ‘coal’. Alternatively, it may come from the related word coolly, referring to the black-faced mountain sheep of Scotland. The collie name usually refers to dogs of Scottish origin which have spread into many other parts of the world, often being called sheepdog or shepherd dog elsewhere.

Appearance

Collies are generally medium-sized dogs of about 22 to 32 kg (48 to 70 lb) and light to medium-boned. Cattle-herding types are more stocky. The fur may be short, or long, and the tail may be smooth, feathered, or bushy. In the 1800s, the occasional naturally bob-tailed dog would occur. The tail can be carried low with an upward swirl, or may be carried higher but never over the back. Each breed can vary in colouration, with the usual base colours being black, black-and-tan, red, red-and-tan, white with a coloured head with it without other body colouration of sable, black and tan, blue merle, sable merle sable. They often have white along with the main colour, usually under the belly and chest, over the shoulders, and on parts of the face and legs, but sometimes leaving only the head coloured – or white may be absent (unusual) or limited to the chest and toes (as in the Australian Kelpie). Merle colouration may also be present over any of the other colour combinations, even in landrace types. The most widespread patterns include sable, black and white, black and tan and tricolour (black-and-tan and white).