Chapter 4 - The Collie In Your Home
Gentle and engaging, a Collie will steal your heart and fill your home with delight. As a loyal companion, a friend for the children, or a worker on the farm, the Collie brings to its family a love that is unconditional, generous and forever. But with this love and loyalty comes a lifelong responsibility on the part of the owners to their Collie’s care and well being.
Size & Manageability
• FEMALES are at least 22 inches tall at the shoulders and weigh 50-60 pounds as adults;
• MALES are at least 24 inches tall and weigh 60-75 pounds as adults.
• MALES are at least 24 inches tall and weigh 60-75 pounds as adults.
A common misconception is that the Collie needs daily brushing or frequent bathing. The amount of coat care is dependent upon the amount of coat a dog may have and the time of year. Rough Collies in full coat should be brushed once every week or so. A dog that is out of coat or in summer coat requires less grooming. Smooth Collies will require less brushing and maintenance, but both varieties do shed. The Collie is generally clean and odor-free. Routine care of a Collie includes brushing, nail trimming, bathing, teeth and ear cleaning, and annual wellness checkups. Occasional trips to a grooming shop can assist a Collie owner in coat maintenance. Some industrious owners even spin their Collie’s shed fur: it makes one of the warmest yarns for knitting!