About the breed
"Smooth Collie - one of the best decisions in my life!" - said once a friend of mine, and I couldn't agree more. I also believe it speaks for all those who have ever given a chance to this wonderful breed. Although it has never reached the glory of Lassie, smooths are just as remarkable, to say the least. In fact, because of being less popular, the breed probably stayed more faithful to its original form and character. A smooth collie is a medium sized dog, balanced and versatile, generally healthy and long living, of high intelligence and stable temperament. The coat is short and harsh, requires minimum grooming, which combined with easy going character makes it a pleasure to live with.
Smooth collies were bred in Great Britain to herd and drive sheep. Unlike rough collies who worked in colder Highlands and often had to do it on their own, smooths work relying more upon human leadership and contact, which could be the reason for some subtle differences in character. Physically, a rough and a smooth collie should be identical, except for the coat length and texture. Through history they were interbred on some occasions, but in 1993 their home country United Kingdom put a stop to it, and consequently most of Europe followed. In 2020s some of the European countries re-introduced rough to smooth matings to help widen the gene pool for both breeds.
Their size is 56 - 61 cm for males, 51 - 56 cm for females. Weight varies between 18 and 29.5 kg. There are three recognized colors: sable, tricolour and blue-merle. More on that subject here ยป
Double coat provides excellent protection from various weather conditions. The topcoat is flat, of harsh texture, the shortest on head and legs, longer on body (no more than 2 inches). The undercoat is very dense. Grooming is easy - no need for trimming or clipping, the coat keeps itself clean and is impossible to tangle. Extensive brushing is needed only in shedding periods, when they lose much more coat than most new owners would expect.
Their temperament is friendly and active, never nervous or aggressive. They are very devoted to their owners, calm and harmless to smaller animals, intensively friendly towards familiar people. Although they are usually reserved with strangers, they open easily to the friendly ones. Potential behavioural problems could be associated with barking and a tendency to softness, typical for all collie breeds when compared to continental sheepdogs. Socialization and human contact are very important.
Smooth collies are very inteligent and easily motivated, which makes them very suitable for various sports and obedience. The more activities you provide for them, the better. They will always accept their owner's lifestyle, but will never be truly happy if activities are reduced to short walks on a lead. Long, free walks in the countryside, playing with people and other dogs, running and different kinds of dog sports are highly recommended.
The breed is generally healthy, with life expectancy between 10 and 15 years.
A good smooth collie owner is capable of a good, quality relationship with their dog and active walks. Smooth collies are not suitable for harsh training methods, kennel life, or outdoor living.
