Collies are Top-Notch Dogs: Why I've Owned Several

I am 40 years old now, and looking back on my life with the different dogs that I have had, I can actually say I loved every one of them. You see, my father loved collies, and that was all we ever had when I was growing up. When one would pass away, we would get another. He never even considered getting any other breed of dog, and as I get older with children of my own, I understand why.

Let me give you a little bit of background on the collie. There are different kinds of collies....there's the bearded collie, border collie, smooth coat collie...etc. However, the one I truly love the most is the rough-coat collie. This is the breed our favorite television pet was...Lassie. Collie's belong to the herding group and were developed in Scotland for help on the farm with the livestock. The herding instinct is remains in effect today. They can be notorious for chasing cars if you do not train them otherwise.

Collie's coats come in different colors, but mainly you will find them to be sable and white. The sable however can range from a light tan to a dark brown, almost black. Their coat doesn't need alot of care. It does require some brushing. The last time I took my collie to the veterinarian, I asked him how often I should brush her and he said "once a week". While Collie's can make indoor pets, I would advise against this. They shed quite a bit, and are really more suited to outdoor living.

Collies don't get to be large dogs such as the german shepherd or great dane. I am 6'2" and my collie comes a little bit past my knees. The males are genearlly larger than the females, but the females are usually the cleaner of the two. They will go out of the yard to "do their business", while that isn't a great worry to the male.

They are an extremely loyal dog that will protect their owner or the owner's children with no regard for their own safety. I have seen my current collie attack a dog twice her size when it got too close to the chidlren while they were out in the yard playing baseball. The other dog was not even a match. Don't let this fool you though, the collie is one of the most gentle breeds there are. I have seen my children ride our collie through the yard like a horse! I made the children get off her, but she never once acted like she cared. She will run outside with the children until she is exhausted. They are very social animals ane want to be where their family is.

Collie's can be hard to train. If you begin a training program, stick with it and see through. Collie's are highly intelligent, and just like a child, will know if they have you wrapped around your finger. Try to train them yourself, but it you can't I would advise seding them to a professional trainer. It would be money well spent. A well trained Collie is something you will be very proud of.

I have always gotten AKC registered Collies from reputable breeders. You can find breeders both online and in the "real" world. I bought my last Collie from a breeder in Michigan that I found over the internet. Be sure to ask for the verternarian who cares for the dogs before you purchase one. Call the verternatian and follow-up to see if the breeder if reputable and cares about the animals he is raising. Most verternatians will be glad to discuss this with you. If you pla on buying a puppy from known "real world" breeder but don't know where to look for one, call you verterinarian's office and ask for a list of know Collie breeders in your State. If you cannot find it there, contact the Attorney General of your State or your local Humane Society.

I hope this article has been helpful. Get a Collie if you have chlidren, you won't regret it.