index

We hope these pages will help you learn more about our beautiful breed.
You will find links to many breeders throughout Australia and Worldwide. Learn
about events taking place, show results, care and grooming of your collie, obedience
and much, much more.
We hope you will visit our guest book with your comments and let us know if there is anything you would like to see on these pages. Please read on, and enjoy . . .

The collie is intelligent and gentle with all family members. It is one of the most beautiful dog breeds in the world, and if well trained and taken care of, your Collie will be a faithful companion for years to come.

There are a number of breeds which bear the word Collie in their names. There is the well known shepherd's friend, Border Collie, the long haired Bearded Collie, the larger Rough Collie of Lassie's fame, and the rarer Smooth Collie, the only Collie breed with short hair. This page focuses on the last two breeds. Unless otherwise stated, the Collie will refer to both Rough and Smooth breeds.

The Collie is not an extreme breed and does not need any extras such as tail docking, or fancy clipping to look its best. The long head with its half tipped ears and almond shaped eye is the main characteristic of the breed. It is very useful to help open up fly-screen doors or give a quick lick on your cheek!

The Collie is a medium-sized breed, weighing about 20-25kg for an adult female and 25-30kg for a male. Because of this relatively light weight, they rarely suffer from hip or elbow displasia like similar size breeds.

While some breeders say that Smooth Collies are more active than Roughs, it is probably that the amount of hair that a Rough collie

carries makes people think they look heavier and slower. In fact, the two breeds have the same body underneath all this coat. Smooth and Rough Collies are still crossed to one another and puppies of both coat length can be found in the same litter.

Collies do not slobber and only need a bath if they have been left in muddy or dirty conditions. It is not necessary to clip a Rough Collie in summer. Their thick undercoat usually drops in early summer, and as long as they can have free access to a shady spot and to fresh water, your Rough collie should not be too perturbed by our hot summers.

Rough Collies need a good brush every day or so, especially behind the ears where the coat is often softer and mats easily. The Smooth Collie can go without a brush for several days. It is only when both breeds drop their undercoat that they need brushing regularly to help get rid of the dead hairs. Brushing once a day then, for a week or two, will help save your carpets and car cushion from disappearing under a thick coat of soft greyish hairs.

The (Rough and Smooth) Collie is a highly diverse breed, something that not too many people realise. The Collie comes in 3 colours, 2 coat lengths and one size to fit all.

There is the showy Sable with its golden coat shimmering in the sun. The dark Tricolour with its black coat looks stunning against the white collar. The Blue Merle can have blue eyes and shows off a blue body splashed with black. All these colours come with contrasting white markings on the collar, legs and tip of tail. Sometimes the head can also have a white blaze. These markings do not have to be symmetrical and no one Collie looks quite the same as another.

The Rough Collie is the best known and loved with its abundant waterproof coat. Males are particularly spectacular with their big manes and long feathers on the legs. The Rough Collie developed its harsh coat to herd sheep in extreme weather conditions.

The much lesser known Smooth Collie is still a rare breed in Australia. It was bred to herd cattle in the lowlands of England and is well suited to our warmer climate. It has a short coat with a thick undercoat, showing off the elegant body lines of the breed. It also comes in the three colours described above. Smooth Collies were used to develop the Australian Cattle Dog and the Kelpie in this country last century.