Rough Collie

Coat and looks how to spot one

long, dense double coat

The outer coat is straight and harsh to the touch, lying over a soft, thick undercoat. A generous mane and frill frame the neck and chest, and the legs and tail carry plenty of feathering, while the face and ear tips stay smooth. The body is balanced and graceful, topped by a refined, wedge-shaped head that gives the breed its gentle expression.62

Personality what they are like

A kind, even-tempered dog that is happy and active outdoors and settled and calm in the house. Collies bond closely with their people, pick up new things quickly and are sensitive to tone, so they respond best to gentle, reward-based training. Their herding background can show as a tendency to round people up, and a bored collie may become chatty.6247

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderate to fairly high: about 45-80 minutes a day of walks, play and mental work. Many collies enjoy herding, obedience, agility and similar dog sports.475

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

The Royal Kennel Club advises daily grooming. Brush through to the undercoat, paying extra attention to the mane, behind the ears and the feathering on the legs and trousers where tangles form; expect heavier shedding at seasonal coat changes.746

Home where they are happiest

Best suited to a home with a secure garden or regular access to open space. Their weather-resistant double coat copes well with cool, wet weather; in warm conditions they need shade and water. They are people-oriented and prefer to live indoors with the family.74

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A complete, balanced diet formulated for large-breed dogs and matched to life stage (puppy, adult, senior), with portions adjusted to keep a lean, fit body condition.4

Company who they like around

Very sociable and family-focused. The breed standard describes collies as getting on well with children and other dogs; they do not like being left alone for long periods.624

The story where it all began

The Rough Collie grew out of the working sheepdogs of the Scottish Highlands, where for centuries these dogs gathered and guarded flocks. The breed standard notes that Roman-era dogs brought to Scotland probably mixed with local types, and that Rough and Smooth Collies share the same roots, differing only in coat length. Collies were first shown in 1860 at Birmingham under the heading 'Scotch Sheep-Dogs', and from about 1870 breeders began to select for looks as well as work. A sable dog called Old Cockie, born in 1868, was widely used and helped make sable and white the favoured colour. Queen Victoria fell for the collies she saw in the Highlands in the 1860s and kept them at her royal kennels, which turned the breed into a fashionable companion. British imports reached the United States from 1879, the financier J. P. Morgan became a leading fancier, and the Collie Club of America was founded on 26 August 1886, one of the oldest breed clubs anywhere. Albert Payson Terhune's 'Lad, a Dog' (1919) and the Lassie films from 1943 onward made the Rough Collie one of the best-known dogs in the world. While Border Collies took over most serious sheep work in Britain, rough collies are still used for herding in parts of Europe and the US.63758

Recognised by the official bits

FCI

Standard No. 156 (Collie Rough), Group 1 Sheepdogs and Cattledogs, Section 1 Sheepdogs; definitive acceptance 13 Apr 1955; current standard published 8 Oct 20121

The Royal Kennel Club

Pastoral Group, listed as Collie (Rough); separate show classes for rough and smooth varieties began in 18707

UKC

Herding Dog Group; recognised 1914 as Scotch Collie, renamed Collie in 1991 (rough and smooth are varieties of one breed)2

AKC

Herding Group, as the Collie with rough and smooth coat varieties5

Popularity Ranked 39th of AKC-registered breeds in 2025 (AKC 'Collie', rough and smooth combined)9