A Brief History of the Collie (Rough)
Collies
were long ago bred as sheep herding dogs in Scotland and northern
England. Although the exact origin of the collie remains uncertain,
both the smooth and rough collie existed long ago in the unwritten
history of the herding dogs of Scotland and northern England.
As sheep herding is one of the world's oldest occupations, the
collie's ancestors date far back in the history of dogs. The collie
was considered principally as a drover's dog used for guiding
cows and sheep to market, not for standing over and guarding them
at pasture.
Until the last two centuries, both the rough and smooth collie were strictly working dogs, without written pedigrees. Their masters saw no need for pedigrees, if indeed they were even interested in keeping stud books for their dog breeding. The earliest illustrations known to bear a resemblance to the collie are found as woodcuts in The History of Quadrupeds by Thomas Bewick, antedating 1800. The rough collie was described as a "shepherd's dog" and the smooth as a "ban dog." The rough collie was described as being only 14 inches at the shoulder and the smooth was said to be much larger and descended from the Mastiff. (Mastiff in this sense does not refer to the breed we know today by that name, but was something of a generic term used basically to describe a common type of dog.) The rough collies at that time were not only much smaller but had shorter, broader heads and were usually black, or black and white in colour.
From early in the 19th century, when some dog fanciers began to take interest in these dogs, the keeping of written pedigrees began and the breed progressed rapidly, becoming not only larger in stature but also more refined. The dog "Old Cockie" was born in 1867, and he is credited with not only stamping characteristic type on the rough collie, but he is believed by some authorities to be responsible for introducing to the breed the factors which led to the development of the sable coat colour in the collie. A short time later collies were seen of almost every imaginable colour, including red, buff, mottle of various shades and a few sables. At that time the most frequently seen colours were black, tan and white, black and white (without tan) and what are now called blue merles, but which were known then as "tortoise shell."
The early pedigrees were very much abbreviated, as compared with our present breed records. In fact, the first volume of the English stud book showed 78 "sheep dogs and scotch collies" registered up to 1874. Fifteen of them had written pedigrees but only three extended beyond sire and dam. Proof that pride of ownership was given priority over written records is found in the fact that it was in 1860 that the first classes for "scotch sheep dogs" were offered at the second dog show ever held in England, that of the Birmingham Dog Society. Both varieties competed in the same classes.
Shortly thereafter, Queen Victoria visited Balmoral and saw her first collies. They captivated her, and she enthusiastically began to sponsor them. There was a marked surge in the popularity of the breed which found itself not only the indispensable helpmate of the humble shepherd, but the treasure and the playmate of the royal and the rich. Collie type was essentially "fixed" by 1886 so that English breeders have never seen fit to change the height and weight established in their standard at that time. Numerous so-called "clarifying changes" have taken place in the United States standard over the ensuing years, but except for recognizing that the Collie has become slightly larger and heavier in the USA, there is no fundamental difference, even today, from that 1886 description of the ideal Collie.
Many of the early settlers in the new world brought dogs with them to herd their sheep and cattle in the colonies, but it was not until May of 1877, 17 years after their show ring debut in England, that they were shown in what had become the USA, at the second show of the Westminster Kennel Club in New York. Classes were offered for "shepherd dogs, or collie dogs" and a few were entered. The next year, however, would see great interest and excitement as two collies imported from Queen Victoria's Royal Balmoral Kennel were entered! Soon collies were to be found as prized possessions of the wealthy and socially elite on both sides of the Atlantic. Kennels were established in the USA by the well-known fancier J. P. Morgan and his financial contemporaries, and many fashionable estates up the Hudson River and on Long Island had collie kennels. English dogs were imported into the USA for what were then considered to be exorbitant prices.
Today's collies should still be bred as a working dog, and therefore when bred to the Collie Standard, they should have stamina, agility and intelligence. While the rough collie's coat can be very abundant, except on the head and legs, it must fit the collie well. The collie is not a show pony, it is a working dog! It has a harsh outer coat and a softer undercoat. The smooth collie's coat is short, hard, dense and flat, with good texture.
Today, both the smooth and rough collie come in three colours and colour combinations when bred to the Collie Standard. Sable and white coats are predominantly sable and varying shades of fawn (from light gold to dark mahogany) with white markings, usually on the chest, neck, legs, feet and tip of the tail; a blaze may appear on the foreface or back of the skull or both. Tri-color coats are predominantly black and have the same type of white markings as the sable and white coat, with tan shadings on and about the head and legs. Blue merle coats are a mottled or marbled color, predominantly blue-gray and black, with white markings as in sable and white coats, and sometimes with tan shadings, as in tri-color coats. White coats are not recognised as part of the Collie Standard in Australia or Europe, but are recognised in the USA where they are predominantly white in color, with sable, tri-color or blue merle markings. Both rough and smooth collie coats require regular and thorough brushings to keep them clean and free of mats.
Being no longer in great demand as a herder, today's collie, no matter where you find them in the world, has transferred their hard working, intelligence and loyalty; to serving as a devoted and reliable family dog, wonderful companions and family friends, and show a particular affinity for small children. Today's collie remains an alert watchdog, quick to sound alarm, and very protective of their family, although a collie should never be an aggressive dog. Elegant and beautiful in appearance, loyal and affectionate in all his actions, self-appointed guardian of everything he can see or hear, the collie will always represent, to his many admirers, the ideal family companion.
Collies are now bred, shown, and adored in most countries these days, and are one of those enduring breeds that we would all be the poorer without!