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A Smooth Collie is a breed of dog developed originally for herding. It is a short-coated version of the Rough Collie of Lassie fame. Some breed organizations consider the smooth-coat and rough-coat dogs to be variations of the same breed.
Appearance: The Smooth Collie is a medium to large dog,
ranging in size from 20-26 inches at the shoulder and weighing
40-75 pounds. Standard size for the breed is on the larger end
of the range in the United States and Canada, smaller
elsewhere; for example, for the AKC, the range is 22 to 26
inches (56-66 cm) and 50 to 75 pounds (22.5-34 kg).
In all standards, females should be significantly smaller
than males. The Smooth Collie is slightly longer than it is
tall, with a level back and a deep chest. The features of the
head, particularly the "sweet" expression, are
considered very important in the show ring. The breed has a
long muzzle, flat skull, and semi-erect ears (although, in
practice, the ears typically must be folded over and taped in
puppyhood, or they will be fully upright in the adult dog).
Coat: The coat consists of a soft, extremely dense
undercoat and straight, harsh outer guard hairs. The guard
hairs are one to two inches long, with the longer hair mainly
in a ruff around the neck and on the backs of the thighs. The
coat requires a thorough weekly brushing. Shedding is moderate
most of the year, heavy during the twice-yearly shedding
season.
Colour: Smooth Collies come in four colors, three of
which are considered acceptable by all standards worldwide.
The universally accepted colors are sable (Lassie's color; can
be light gold to deep mahogany), tricolor (mainly black with
tan markings), and blue merle (silvery gray marbled with
black), all marked with white areas on the chest, neck,
feet/legs, and tail tip. Kennel clubs in the United States and
Canada also accept white, sometimes called color-headed white.
These Collies are predominantly white, with heads (and usually
a body spot) of one of the other three colors.
Temperament: The Smooth Collie is generally a
sociable, easily trained family dog. Although not an
aggressive breed, they are alert and vocal, making them both
good watchdogs if well trained and potential nuisances if
allowed to bark indiscriminately. This breed of dog needs a
lot of attention and is not for the inexperienced dog owner.
Training this breed requires a light touch, as they are
sensitive to correction and will balk at harsh treatment. They
get along well with children and sometimes other animals,
usually getting along with other dogs. Smooth Collies tend to
have retained more herding instincts than the rough variety,
and have noticeably higher energy levels.
Smooth Collies are used both as family pets and in
obedience competition, agility, herding trials, and other dog
sports. Some are still used as working sheepdogs. They are
also very useful as assistance dogs for the disabled.
Health: The Smooth Collie is a long-lived breed for
its size, usually living 10to 12 years. Like all dog breeds,
they are susceptible to certain inherited or partially
inherited health problems. Those problems currently include:
Collie eye anomaly (CEA): A collection of eye problems
ranging from minor blood vessel abnormalities to blind
spots to severely deformed or detached retinas. This
problem is so widespread in collies that completely
unaffected dogs (called "normal eyed") are
uncommon, although conscientious breeders have been able
to gradually increase the normal population. The problem
and its extent can be determined through an eye exam
conducted before six weeks of age, and does not get worse
over time. Mildly affected dogs suffer no impairments, and
are fine pets or working dogs.
Progressive retinal atrophy: Gradual degeneration of the
retinas of the eyes, eventually leading to blindness. This
disease is less common than CEA in Collies, but more
difficult to breed away from, as symptoms are not usually
detectable until the affected dog is middle-aged or older.
Multidrug sensitivity: Sometimes fatal reactions to a
class of common drugs, particularly ivermectin, used as a
heartworm preventative and treatment for mites. The gene
that causes this sensitivity has recently been identified,
and a dog's susceptibility can now be determined through a
simple blood test.
Gastric torsion ("Bloat"): A painful and often
fatal twisting of the stomach occurring in large or
deep-chested breeds. Bloat can usually be prevented by
feeding small meals and not allowing vigorous exercise
immediately before or after eating.
Epilepsy: Seizures of unknown origin. Frequency of the
seizures can often be significantly reduced through
medication, but there is no cure for this disease.
History: The early history of the Smooth Collie,
like that of many dog breeds, is largely a matter of
speculation. The most common view of the breed is that they
are descended from a population of shepherds' dogs brought to
Scotland by the Romans around the 5th century. Even the origin
of the breed's name is unclear, variously claimed to describe
the early shepherd dog's dark color ("coaly"), or
derived from the name of a breed of sheep once commonly kept
in Scotland ("Colley").
The modern history of both the Smooth and Rough Collie
began in the reign of Queen Victoria, who became interested in
the shepherds' dogs while at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. In
1860, she purchased some of the dogs for her own kennel. With
the Queen's interest, it became fashionable to own Smooth
Collies. Thus began the breed's transformation from working
farm dog, similar to the modern Border collie, to the largely
pet and show dog we know today.
The Smooth Collie today is considered a variety of the same
breed as the Rough Collie in countries such as the United
States and Canada, meaning that they can interbreed and some
statistics are kept only for "Collie" rather than
for both varieties individually. The smooth and rough are
classified as separate breeds in other countries, such as the
United Kingdom and Australia. The latter is a fairly recent
development, however, with the Kennel Club (UK) allowing the
interbreeding of the two varieties until 1993.
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