Long-haired collie: characteristics and content of the breed

The collie breed comes from the shepherd dogs of old England. Even then, they were distinguished by a long mane, a friendly character and a sharp mind. As a result of breeding work, the animal became taller, more elegant, and wool acquired a special luxurious appearance. Therefore, today, compared with the 50s of the last century, the standards of parameters have changed. When acquiring a puppy with a pedigree, it is worth paying special attention to this issue.

Long-haired collies are, above all, excellent watchmen and security guards. But you should immediately make a reservation that they are not intended for sitting in a booth. A physically strong, enduring 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 a good walk with active games and activities. Also, the dog can become a nanny for young children, this is possible because the collie is completely devoid of aggressiveness.

Positive traits are devotion, poise, some shyness, a calm, friendly attitude to other pets, cleanliness, the ability to think outside the box. Dogs obedient, easily trained and amenable to training. Love for children, the ability to get along with them and the willingness to protect at any time made the dog an indispensable companion and true friend of the family.

Scottish shepherd dogs with a pedigree have their own unique image and special constitution, the parameters of which are prescribed in the standards of the RKF. Description of the breed:

• body animal harmoniously in its proportions, mainly individuals with dry muscle mass predominate;
• the dog has moderately narrow back with a convexly convex lumbar region and a rounded sternum;
• head - wedge-shaped, elongated;
• slanting eyes oval with a dark iris;
• nose lobe always black and independent of coat color;
• 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 bent tip, does not throw on the back.

The height of the dog at the withers is from 55 to 62 cm, the 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 carries the forelimbs far forward, pushing off its hind legs. Such dynamics are not visually reflected on the back, which remains as if static.

There are currently 2 types of collies. The first include higher dogs with developed ligaments, an elongated muzzle, a graceful neck and dry muscles. The second type has a greater compactness, squat, arched back and thick undercoat. Their ears are larger, it is assumed that they can be lowered.

A particular pride of the breed is 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 in the main black color of the body;
• blue merle - grayish and marbled-blue shades, restrained, unobtrusive, looking noble, sometimes with small specks of black tone;
• light and dark gold palette sable tonesexcluding pastel cream and bright yellow colors considered marriage.

Applies to all three types of colors is the presence of white spots on the neck, face and head, legs and tip of the tail. The shepherd’s hair itself is thick, straight, shiny and smooth, without curls. But there are scabs and a beautiful frill, descending below the chest in the form of a lush mane.

Despite the strength, high activity and good health, the breed has its drawbacks, which include the predisposition of the shepherd to certain ailments. To the owner who decided to take a thoroughbred puppy, it is worth knowing about the likely pathologies and complications arising under adverse conditions of detention.

• Eyes - the dog’s weakest point, in the dark she sees practically nothing due to the presence of the “collie eye” syndrome. If you do not attach importance to this, soon problems with visual function will also appear in the daytime. Redness of the eyes due to their constant irritation can develop in dogs due to such an anomaly as entropion - a turn of the eyelashes and the edges of the eyelid towards the eye.
• Sometimes an animal may suffer from birth lack of hearing.
• An unpleasant manifestation is also fungal skin lesions leading to dermatitisaccompanied by severe itching.
• Rarely encountered in a long-haired collie disruption of the central nervous system, the consequence of which is the appearance of epileptic seizures.

A thoroughbred puppy can be purchased only in the official kennel, where the animals have full documentation and a certificate.There, the future owner can learn how to properly maintain the dog, and how to feed it. You can pick up a little collie from your mother when he knows how to eat meat, cereals and dairy products. Best of all, do it when he is already 3-4 months old. At this time, the appearance of the puppies has its own characteristics:

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

A dog at this age cannot have a jaw that is too coarse and large; one should be wary 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 provides the following mandatory points:

• for the puppy, immediately prepare his personal dishes for food and water, as well as a comfortable mattress;
• you will need to regularly comb out the animal’s hair with a brush, especially paying attention to the area of ​​the abdomen, chest, hind legs, it is advisable to use a special spray to prevent damage to the hair;
• bathe the dog as its hair is contaminated in warm water;
• it is permissible to dry the pet with a hairdryer without using hot air;
• daily it will be necessary to examine the eyes of the shepherd and wipe it 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 hair regularly, and sulfur is removed twice in 30 days;
• with the baby they walk up to 4 times a day; for an adult dog, it is optimal to walk 2 times 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. In the year you can feed your pet 2 times a day. If the owner has chosen natural food for his dog, then the best products for a collie 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 fortified supplements every day.

When feeding with dry food, you need to use the exact dosage of portions. In addition, both an adult dog and a puppy need clean drinking water, which is changed daily. It is necessary to teach a puppy to order from the first days of his appearance in the house. The kid should know his place, which he can and cannot. On the street, removing an animal from a leash is permissible only when it unquestioningly carries out the “To me” command.

See more about breed features in the next video.