Herding (AKC)

Collie (Rough)

Origin: Scotland

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SizeLarge

Weight23–34 kg

Lifespan12–14 years

ExerciseHigh

ClimateModerate

Size at withers	56–66 cm
Weight range	23–34 kg
Life expectancy	12–14 years
Size class	Large (25–40 kg)
Normal resting vitals	Heart rate 60–110 bpm · Respiration 10–30/min · Temperature 38.3–39.2 °C
Coat	Long, profuse double coat with a heavy mane
Temperament	Gentle, biddable, family-oriented; classic 'Lassie'
Common health issues	Collie eye anomaly; MDR1 mutation; progressive retinal atrophy; dermatomyositis
Exercise needs	Moderate to high
Climate & housing suitability	Moderate heat tolerance; grooming is intensive.
Owner notes	MDR1 genetic testing is essential before administering certain medication classes.

Reminder. This monograph is decision-support, not veterinary advice. Health screening and specific management for Collie (Rough) should be discussed with a licensed veterinarian. It is a draft pending vet review.

Origin and purpose

Herding (AKC). Origin: Scotland.

MDR1 genetic testing is essential before administering certain medication classes.

What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the owner's job is to give it somewhere to go.

Temperament and training

Stated temperament: Gentle, biddable, family-oriented; classic 'Lassie'

This is a biddable breed that wants to work with you, which makes it forgiving of a novice's mistakes — but biddability is not the same as needing no training. Reward-based training, started early and kept short and frequent, is what these dogs thrive on. Punishment-based methods damage exactly the willingness that makes the breed easy.

Conditions this breed is predisposed to

Linked from this breed's documented health issues. Not a prediction — most dogs of any breed never develop these.

Urgent

Health screening — what to test, and when

Derived from this breed's documented predispositions. Take it to your vet as a starting point for a conversation — not a prescription. Your vet may reasonably add to it or leave items out for your dog.

Screen for	Test	When
Collie eye anomaly	Ophthalmologist examination of puppies, plus DNA test	Puppies at 6–8 weeks — the window matters; DNA once
MDR1 (ABCB1) drug sensitivity	DNA test (cheek swab)	Once, ideally before the dog ever needs medicating — then tell every vet
Progressive retinal atrophy	Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed	DNA once; eye examination annually

Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.

For breeders — test before you mate

The heritable subset of the screening above: the tests a responsible breeder of this breed completes before a mating, and the results a buyer is entitled to ask to see. A breeder who cannot produce them is telling you something.

Collie eye anomaly — Ophthalmologist examination of puppies, plus DNA test
MDR1 (ABCB1) drug sensitivity — DNA test (cheek swab)
Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed

Feeding

Growth is the thing that matters. Large-breed puppies must be fed a diet formulated for large-breed growth and must NOT be overfed or supplemented with calcium — growing too fast is a direct route to the joint disease this size of dog is already prone to. A lean puppy is a healthy puppy. As an adult, two measured meals a day, and keep the dog lean for life: excess weight is the single biggest accelerator of hip and elbow disease and arthritis.

Exercise and enrichment

Stated requirement: Moderate to high

A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.

Coat and grooming

Long, profuse double coat with a heavy mane. Brush 3–4× weekly; it mats behind the ears and under the elbows.

Climate and living conditions

Stated suitability: Moderate heat tolerance; grooming is intensive.

This breed carries a heavy double coat evolved for cold. It can be kept in a hot climate, but only with genuine commitment: shade and water at all times, exercise confined to the cool hours, and often air-conditioning through summer. Do NOT shave the double coat — counter-intuitively it insulates against heat as well as cold, and shaving it can ruin the coat and expose the skin to sunburn. Watch closely for heat stress, and think hard about whether the climate you live in is fair to this dog before acquiring one.

Ageing and senior care

Life expectancy: 12–14 years. This dog is a senior from around 7 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Large dogs age faster than small ones. Arthritis and cancer are the dominant concerns; do not dismiss a limp in an older large dog as 'just age' — bone cancer presents exactly that way. Senior care →

Before you take one home

Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.