Vintage Collection - Dogs (10)

Collie Dog

BEARDED COLLIE - Great For The Family

Photo  by Blake Handley 

The Bearded Collie is a medium-sized dog that weighs between 40-58 pounds. They are 20" to 22" in height. Their abundant hair gives the impression that they are larger than they actually are. They have a happy, friendly nature and are not watchdogs in any way as they are friendly with all that they meet.

Recognized by the AKC, the acceptable coat colors for the Bearded Collie are black, grey, tan, brown or fawn with some white markings. When they are puppies, they may or may not have white markings. As they mature, their coat color either fades or changes. The most common colors are black with white or gray with white. Their long, harsh, straight and shaggy outer coat and short, soft, thick undercoat require a daily brushing to prevent tangles. Their nickname is "beardie" because of the long, shaggy hair under their chin.

This energetic, loving, happy-go-lucky breed makes an excellent family pet. They are people dogs and love to be with their family. They are wonderful for homes with children and other dogs and can do well with other non-canine pets provided they have early socialization. They are enthusiastic, outgoing, and lively and require plenty of exercises and play time. They need a yard to run and roam. Having toys on hand is a good idea if you are going to be gone for an extended period of time. Early training is recommended because they have a stubborn tendency at times. They are easy to train.

Dating back over 500 years, the Bearded Collie originated in Scotland. They are considered to be descendants of the Polish sheepdog. They were bred to herd sheep and cattle, thus explaining their collie name which means herding dog in Scotland. They have also been used for tracking. They are still used as sheep herding dogs in some areas. 

Friendly to family and strangers alike, the Bearded Collie will greet all he meets with enthusiasm. Because they require regular outdoor exercise and play, they are best with active families who will give them the activity that they need. Homes with other dogs and children can feel confident in adding a Bearded Collie to their family.

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BORDER COLLIE - The Facts Every Owner of this Dog Breed Should Know

Border Collie - Photo: Pixabay

Bred for their intelligence and herding instincts, Border Collies are descended from British herding dogs. A medium sized dog, Border Collies will grow to about 19 to 22 inches and 30 to 45 pounds. They will live about 12 to 15 years. Border Collies have medium to long hair that comes in a variety of colors and is prone to shedding. Border Collies need to be brushed regularly to keep the coat healthy and dirt free. Border Collies are also known for their stare. Though their eyes can be brown, amber or blue, it is the Border Collie stare that people remember. This is part of the herding instinct, and a Border Collie will attempt to herd almost anything, including cars and children.

Great care must be taken with a Border Collie to ensure it does not hurt itself or others. A fenced in yard and plenty of leash training is a must with this breed. Border Collies are easy to train due to their intelligence, but, because of their desire to work, Border Collies must have work to do. If they are not given tasks to perform and room to roam, they will become bored and destructive.

They must have a lot of stimulation and activity to stay happy. Though good with children, Border Collies may attempt to herd them and, to keep the 'herd' in line, Border Collies have been known to nip. Border Collies usually do not do well with other animals, due to their herding instinct, and can become aggressive with other dogs of the same gender. Border Collies can be excellent household pets but must be cared for by a family willing to give them the training, attention, care, and activities they need. Border Collies are not recommended for people who live in apartments or those who do not plan on spending a lot of time with their pet.

Border Collies do have some breed specific issues. Some are prone to hip dysplasia, PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) and Collie Eye Anomaly. Many Border Collies are allergic to fleas and some are prone to epilepsy and deafness. Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) is a shoulder lameness that can develop between the ages of 4 to 12 months. Border Collies have also been known to work themselves to exhaustion and suffer from heat stroke in the hot weather.

Because Border Collies are very physically active, they are prone to athletic injuries, such as pulled muscles, cruciate ligament ruptures, cuts, and punctures, ripped toenails and footpads.

By Robert Benjamin - Copyright © 2006 Robert W. Benjamin Article Source: EzineArticles

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COLLIE DOG Breed History, Health Issues, Personality, Grooming and Living Conditions

Photo  by ThreeDee912 

Description: 

The Collie is a large dog, that is muscular but sleek, and they are a strong dog. The skull is flat at the top, the head is wedge-shaped. The muzzle is rounded, sloping downwards to the black nose. The overall facial look is slender. Their teeth should meet with a scissor bite. The eyes are oval and medium-sized, and are, most commonly, dark brown in color, except the blue merles, which may have blue eyes. This breed has petite ears and these are three-fourths erect with the tips of the ear folded forward. Dogs stand, 24 to 26 inches in height, with the bitches, 22 to 24 in height. Dogs are slightly heavier in weight, being 60 to 75 pounds with bitches being 50 to 65 pounds. 

The body is moderately longer than their height. This breed has straight legs. The tail is in good proportion to the body and is carried low with some upwards swirl at the tip. There are two coat varieties, smooth and a rough. The rough coat is long and plentiful and all over its body whiles on its head, there is a shorter coat which is also seen on the legs. On the neck, we see a cascading mane going around the neck and chest, this is straight and the longest hair we see on this dog. The smooth coat has short hair of about 1 inch all over the body. Both varieties come in white and tan, the tricolor of black, sable and white, there is also the merle whose colors are white with sable, tri colors or blue.

History:
The origins of this dog are a little muddled, but what is known for sure is that this dog has been a working dog in Scotland for centuries; the Collie was mainly used as a herding dog and was smaller in appearance than they are today. These dogs covered hard terrain, in all weathers. Queen Victoria had this dog at her Castle in 1860, and from this the dogs became popular. The Collie was mixed with the Borzoi, and to this day the Borzoi blood needs to be in any dog that is to be in the show ring. It's at this point, the working dog separated. The smooth collie is more popular in the United Kingdom than in America; whereas the rough collie is more popular generally. The AKC considers the rough and smooth collie, as varieties of the same breed. This breed's most famous role would have to be in the movie, "Lassie".

Temperament:
This is a sensitive, mild-mannered and highly intelligent dog. The Collie is easily trained and is playful and protective of their family. The Collie is energetic when outside. Socializing them well prevents them being too wary of strangers. This breed is not aggressive, they are loyal, that can become stubborn if firm but consistent rules are not set down. The Collie responds well to gentle training, but you still need to show good leadership to gain cooperation from this breed. This dog requires daily walks and will enjoy a good run, off the lead. Potty training is easier with this breed, as they learn quickly. The Collie requires a lot of exercises and mental stimulation to meet their needs.

Health issues: Some Collie lines are prone to PRA, Collie eye syndrome, hip problems.

Grooming:
The long coated Collie will need weekly brushing, or more often, whereas the smooth variety will need brushing every few weeks. Matting can occur in the long coated, and for the dog that is not being shown it may be kinder to cut this out. The Collie can be bathed as required. The long coated collie sheds heavily twice a year, whereas the smooth coated is an averaged shedder.

Living conditions: The Collie can live in an apartment as long as mental and physical activities are provided. This breed requires an average sized garden, with a shaded area for warmer weather.

Author: Scott Lipe - ArticleSource: GoArticles

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Differences Between BORDER COLLIES and COLLIES

Photo by haroldmeerveld

Border Collies and Collies are dog breeds often confused with each other. Both were originally bred in England and Scotland as farming and herding dogs. Although they have some similarities, they could not be more different from each other.

The Border Collie originated near the border of Scotland and England, thus the name while standard collies are from Northern England and parts of Scotland. Borders are bred to help herd livestock and help around the farm, they are well known for their intelligence and uncanny ability to find lost members of the herd, making them unique among herding dogs. They are very energetic, athletic and agile; these characteristics combined with being smart make them sure winners in dog sports and sheepdog competitions. It is also because of these characteristics, that they need a lot of physical and mental stimulation. Living in a condo or apartment complex simply will not do for this active dog. They are intelligent working dogs that need to have a purpose and lots of activities or they can become depressed. Compared to a standard collie, they are more energetic and need a whole lot more physical activity to keep them happy.

Border Collies are medium sized dogs, weighing about 20lbs to 25lbs with a typical height ranging from 18 to 22 inches depending on the gender. They have a double coat that can be thick or slick with black and white combination as the most common color. Some other color variations include black tri-color, red tricolor, chocolate and the very rare Australian red. The main difference that border collies have with a standard collie is the length of a coat; although they have a fair amount of hair it is not nearly as long as the standard collie. Although their ears are somewhat similarly erect or partly erect, their snout is also not as long making them look more like the Australian shepherd.

Photo by ThreeDee912

The standard Collie come in two varieties, the rough coat, long-haired and the smooth coat, short-haired collie. They come in black, white, tan and red tri-color combination as well as sable. Predominantly, they have a white coat covering the neck, chest, belly, and parts of the legs and face. They are slightly taller than the Border Collie and can reach up to 25 inches. They are also much stockier and can weigh anywhere from 39 to 66 pounds depending on the gender. They are more elegant looking and graceful compared to its rough Border brother. Perhaps because of their size, they are also less active than the Border, although they still need a considerable amount of exercise.

Both dog breeds make for great working dogs, show dogs and pets. They are ideal for an active family that can provide a space for them to run and play. Border Collies and standard collies are also great with children, although they must be trained not to nip them on the ankles. This is a behavior borne out of their herding instincts. They are very loyal and protective of their families and with proper care, they can be an excellent addition to the family.

By Lea Mullins Lea Mullins, a dog lover, has discussed the differences between Border Collies and Collies. Visit TrainPetDog.com to learn more about different dog breeds. Article Source: EzineArticls

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How Are SHELTIES Different From Collies?

At first glance, Shelties and Collies look almost the same. As puppies, they might even look identical but as they reach adulthood, the size difference becomes more obvious.

A Shetland Sheepdog (left) and a Rough Collie.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The reason for their striking similarity is because earlier Shelties were crossbred with Collies. This was in order to refine the diminutive herding dog from the Islands of Shetland. Despite this fact, the quantity of the Collie breed in Shetland sheepdogs is small. The two breeds were raised separately which fostered independent developments. The Collie progressed in Scotland while the Sheltie evolved in the Shetland Islands. Marked differences can be found in each of the breed's history, size, physical characteristics, and temperament.

Compared to the Sheltie, the Collie has been present in history books since the 17th century. 1655 wooden carvings show pictures of dogs that look identical to today's Collies. These herding dogs originated from Scotland. Initially, they were named "Colleydogs" because of the duties they performed for their owners. Many farmers raised these puppies to later herd the sheep in the country's highlands. A Colley is a black mask found on the sheep.

In the Shetland Islands, an antique copper etching dating back to 1840 contained pictures of a small dog. This was the first evidence of the Shetland sheepdog's heritage. Shelties also herded sheep but unlike its counterpart, the Collie, Shelties were used to keep sheep away from "toons" or small villages. Collies herded sheep in the mountains, while Shelties herded sheep away from the crops. Sheep were notorious for eating what farmers have planted. For this reason, Shelties were originally known as "Toonie Dogs".

Again, there is a resemblance in the coats but one can still tell them apart. The Collie's original colors were black and white, which no longer exists. Today's breed can come in blue merle, sable, and tricolor. Collies used to be bred with the Gordon Setter which is responsible for the tricolor puppies. Coats of this breed can be long or short. The short-coated variety makes it look naked compared to its long-coated cousins.

The Sheltie's original shades were tan and white. This also no longer exists. Today's Shelties come in black and white, sable, tricolor and blue merle. Tales of how a yacht that was visiting the islands left a King Charles Spaniel. This became the source of tricolor puppies. The gene could be traced back to that Spaniel. The Shetland Sheepdog should not have a short coat. It must have a harsh upper coat, in addition to the thick undercoat. Collies and Shelties both have rich coats. In the areas surrounding the head, chest, and tail, the fur is especially thicker.

Probably the most obvious difference between the two breeds is the size. A Sheltie's height ranges between 35 and 39cm, depending on the sex. These dogs weigh 7-12 kg. Collies are much bigger. Their height range is 51-61cm at the shoulders. Ideally, a Collie's weight should be within 18-30kg.

Both dogs are known for their alertness, willingness to please their owners and for being active. Shelties, however, are a bit livelier compared to Collies.

By Lea Mullins Lea Mullins, a long time dog owner, provides information on how are Shelties different from Collies. Visit TrainPetDog.com to learn about taking care of puppies. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Vintage Collection - Dogs (6)

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The COLLIE DOG.

The Collie dog makes an excellent sporting dog, and can be taught to do the work of the Pointer and the Setter, as well as that of the Water Spaniel and the Retriever. He can be trained to perform the duties of other breeds.  He is clever at hunting, having an excellent nose, is a good vermin-killer, and a most faithful watch, guard, and companion. 

Smooth collie during dogs show in Katowice (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Little is known with certainty of the origin of the Collie, but his cunning and his outward appearance would seem to indicate a relationship with the wild dog. Buffon was of opinion that he was the true dog of nature, the stock and model of the whole canine species. He considered the Sheepdog superior in instinct and intelligence to all other breeds, and that, with a character in which education has comparatively little share, he is the only animal born perfectly trained for the service of man.

At the shows this type of dog is invariably at the top of the class. He is considered the most tractable, and is certainly the most agile. Second to this type in favour is the smooth-coated variety, a very hard, useful dog, well adapted for hill work and usually very fleet of foot. He is not so sweet in temper as the black and white, and is slow to make friends. There is not a more  graceful and physically beautiful dog to be seen than the show Collie of the present period. Produced from the old working type, he is now practically a distinct breed.

The skull should be flat, moderately wide between the ears, and gradually tapering towards the eyes. There should only be a slight depression at stop. The width of skull necessarily depends upon combined length of skull and muzzle; and the whole must be considered in connection with the size of the dog. The cheek should not be full or prominent.

The muzzle should be of fair length, tapering to the nose, and must not show weakness or be snipy or lippy. Whatever the colour of the dog may be, the nose must be black. The teeth should be of good size, sound and level; very slight unevenness is permissible. The jaws Clean cut and powerful. The eyes are a very important feature, and give expression to the dog; they should be of medium size, set somewhat obliquely, of almond shape, and of a brown colour except in the case of merles, when the eyes are frequently (one or both) blue and white or china; expression full of intelligence, with a quick alert look when listening. The ears should be small and moderately wide at the base, and placed not too close together but on the top of the skull and not on the side of the head. When in repose they should be usually carried thrown back, but when on the alert brought forward and carried semi-erect, with tips slightly drooping in attitude of listening.

The neck should be muscular, powerful and of fair length, and somewhat arched.  The body should be strong, with well sprung ribs, chest deep, fairly broad behind the shoulders, which should be sloped, loins very powerful. The dog should be straight in front. The fore-legs should be straight and muscular, neither in nor out at elbows, with a fair amount of bone; the forearm somewhat fleshy, the pasterns showing flexibility without weakness. The hind-legs should be muscular at the thighs, clean and sinewy below the hocks, with well bent stifles. The feet should be oval in shape, soles well padded, and the toes arched and close together.

In general character he is a lithe active dog, his deep chest showing lung power, his neck strength, his sloping shoulders and well bent hocks indicating speed, and his expression high intelligence. He should be a fair length on the leg, giving him more of a racy than a cloddy appearance. In a few words, a Collie should show endurance, activity, and intelligence, with free and true action. In height dogs should be 22 ins. to 24 ins. at the shoulders, bitches 20 ins. to 22 ins. The weight for dogs is 45 to 65 lbs., bitches 40 to 55 lbs. The smooth collie only differs from the rough in its coat, which should be hard, dense and quite smooth.