Farm collie

Two contemporary farm collies. Note the variation in color and build. The dog on the right is two months old.

Farm collie or farmcollie is an informal term for a class of herding dog, of the broader collie type. Farm collies are bred for more than looks; working dog traits, including cleverness, loyalty, and hardiness, are sought. Farm collies are also common household pets, and sometimes trained as guide dogs for the visually impaired. The term farm collie can have various meanings,^[1] including:

• Any collie-type dog that lives on a farm
• Any collie-type dog that does farm work, such as herding, livestock guarding, and pest control
• The descendants of the original Scotch collie landrace population brought from Scotland and England, and which lived and worked on farms in colonial North America, from which the (misnamed) Australian Shepherd and English Shepherd breeds derived
• A collie of a standardized breed of old-fashioned looks that does not meet current interpretations of breed standards

There are different standardised breeds of collie, each often called simply collie in their native regions, including:

• Border Collie, also known as the Scottish Sheepdog, derived from the Scotch collie, with a medium-length coat
• Welsh Collie, a.k.a. Welsh Sheepdog; developed alongside the Scotch collie, smaller and more nimble than the northern types^[2]
• Bearded Collie, a semi-long-haired derivative of the Scotch collie
• Rough Collie, a long-haired derivative of the Scotch collie; the Rough Collie is also an ancestor of the Shetland Sheepdog
• Smooth Collie, a short-haired derivative of the Scotch collie

A farm collie may be descended from any of these. The diversity of foundation stock breeds means that a farm collie's looks can vary greatly, ranging from those of a Border Collie to those of a Rough Collie.^[3] There are no current registries that include Farm Collies for show purposes, the American Working Farmcollie Association registers farm collies based on working ability and merit.

History

In the 1860s, Queen Victoria fell in love with the breed when she visited the Scottish Highlands, and collies became very fashionable. In the 1960s, the collie was much taller and bigger than it is today. Decades ago, collies were used for herding but they were replaced by Border Collies, it caused some collies to lose their herding instinct.^[2]

Temperament

While often used as a working, herding dog, many are kept as family pets, as they are friendly and good with children. This type of dog is also friendly with other dogs and even non-canine pets.^[4]

Height, weight

Height: males 53–61 cm (21–24 in); females 48–56 cm (19–22 in)

Weight: males 21–32 kg (46–71 lb); females 18–27 kg (40–60 lb)^[4]

Health

Collies are a generally healthy variety of dog, but are energetic, and need both exercise and mental stimulation, such as games and training.^[5]

See also

• Bobbie, the Wonder Dog
• Old Time Farm Shepherd

References

External links

• What is a Farm Collie?
• Farm Collie definition
• American Working Farmcollie Association
• Farm Collie Mailing List