Long-haired collie: characteristics and content of the breed

The breed of Rough Collie is descended from the shepherd dogs of old England. Even then, they were distinguished by a long mane, a benevolent character, and a sharp mind. As a result of breeding work, the animal became taller, the graceful, acquired a special luxurious look. Therefore, today, compared to the 50s of the last century, the standards of parameters have changed. Buying a puppy with a pedigree, you should pay special attention to this issue.

Collies with long hair are, above all, excellent watchmen and 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 your pet with high-quality walking with active games and activities. Also, the dog can become a nanny for little children, it is possible, because the collie is absolutely devoid of aggressiveness.

Positive traits are loyalty, balance, some shyness, calm, friendly attitude to other pets, cleanliness, ability to think outside the box. Dogs obedient, easy to learn and amenable to training. The love for children, the ability to get along with them and the readiness to protect at any time made the dog an indispensable companion and a true family friend.

Scottish shepherds with a pedigree have their own unique image and a special constitution, the parameters of which are spelled out in the standards of RKF. Breed Description:

• body animal harmoniously in its proportions, mainly dominated by individuals with lean muscle mass;
• dog has moderate narrow back with distinctly convex lumbar and rounded sternum;
• head - wedge-shaped, elongated;
• sure ask eyes oval shape with a dark iris;
• nasal lobe always black and does not depend on coat color;
• ears standing, triangular, retracted when the animal is at rest;
• in purebred dogs straight and muscular limbs medium size;
• paws equipped with strong, tough claws, rounded in shape, usually gathered in a ball;
• tail long, fluffy, with a slightly curved tip, not 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. On this basis, the weight of animals is from 18 to 30 kg. When moving, the shepherd makes its front limbs far forward, pushing its hind legs. Such dynamics are not visually reflected on the back, which remains static.

At the moment there are 2 types of collie. The first are dogs with higher developed ligaments, elongated muzzle, graceful neck and lean muscles. The second type has a more compact, squat, curved back and thick undercoat. Their ears are larger, it is assumed that they can be omitted.

A special pride of the breed is its wool, which, according to the requirements of RKF, provides the following colors:

• combination of three colors - pronounced tan and white spots of various sizes on the main black color of the body;
• blue merle - greyish and marble-blue shades, restrained, unobtrusive, looking noble, sometimes with small patches of black tone;
• light and dark gold palette sable tones, excluding pastel cream and bright yellow colors that are considered marriage.

Applies to all three types of colors is appropriate is the presence of white spots on the neck, face and head, legs and tip of the tail. Sheepdog wool itself is thick, straight, shiny and smooth, has no curlicues. But there are lines and beautiful jabot, descending below the chest in the form of a magnificent mane.

Despite the strength, high activity and good health, the breed has its drawbacks, which consist in the shepherd's susceptibility to certain ailments. The owner, who decided to take a purebred puppy, it is worth knowing about the likely pathologies and complications arising under adverse conditions of detention.

• Eyes - the weakest point of the dog, in the dark, she sees almost nothing due to the presence of "eye collie" syndrome. If you do not attach any importance to this, problems with visual function will soon appear in the daytime. Red eyes due to their constant irritation can develop in dogs as a result of an abnormality such as entropion - the spread of eyelashes and the edge of the eyelid towards the eye.
• Sometimes an animal from birth can suffer lack of hearing.
• Unpleasant manifestation is fungal skin lesion leading to dermatitisaccompanied by severe itching.
• Rare collie is quite rare disruption of the central nervous system, the consequence of which is the appearance of epileptic seizures.

You can buy a purebred puppy only in the official kennel, where animals have full documentation and a certificate. There, the future owner can learn how to properly maintain a dog, and what to feed it. You can pick up a little collie from mom when he can eat meat, cereal and dairy products. It is best to do this when he is already 3-4 months old. At this time, the appearance of puppies has its own characteristics:

• they have not too massive, but strong and dense physique;
• moderate jaw development;
• the puppy is covered with fluffy, long and delicate hair, while the hair is straight;
• tail is of medium length;
• legs straight, not having a curvature.

The dog at this age can not be too rough and large jaws, you should be alerted if the wool is curly or different dull shade. A good sign, if the animal is active, curious, friendly, does not hide in the corner, but goes on contact.

Caring for a small Scottish shepherd dog includes the following mandatory items:

• for the puppy you should immediately prepare his personal dishes for food and water, as well as a comfortable mattress;
• you will need to regularly brush the animal's hair with a brush, especially paying attention to the abdomen, chest, hind legs, it is advisable to use a special spray to avoid damaging the hair;
• bathe the dog as its hair becomes polluted in warm water;
• it is permissible to dry the pet with a hair dryer without using hot air;
• Every day you will need to examine the eyes of a shepherd dog and wipe it with veterinary lotion to prevent irritation;
• claws are clipped a couple of times a month when they grow back;
• ears are cleaned of excess hair regularly, and sulfur is removed twice in 30 days;
• walk with the baby up to 4 times a day, optimal for an adult dog 2 walking a day for an hour;
• an important point is vaccination, which is more reasonable to be carried out in a veterinary clinic.

Up to 6 months puppies are fed 6 times a day, and then gradually transferred to 3 meals. In a year you can feed your pet 2 times a day. If the owner chose natural food for his dog, then the best products for 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 a dog and fortified supplements every day.

When feeding with dry food, it is necessary to use 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 its appearance in the house. The kid should know his place, that he can and can not. It is permissible to take an animal off the leash on the street only when it unquestioningly executes the command “To me”.

For more on the features of the breed, see the following video.