Scottish Collie12

03/10/2024

03/10/2024

The Collie is a medium-sized dog with a harmonious build. It is elegant and at the same time quite strong. The muscles are well developed, but this is not visible outwardly due to the thick coat.

03/08/2024

It is officially believed that the breed originated from dogs brought to Scotland by the Romans and then crossed with native animals. The long-haired and short-haired collies split into two lines much later, although both species retain their working qualities.

03/08/2024

How exactly the collie dog breed originated and who were among their ancestors is a mystery. And, probably, humanity will never be able to know the truth. The species is classified as naturally formed. What is known is that it originated in Scotland. That is why these dogs are called Scottish Shepherds.

03/04/2024

The breed was bred as a herder to work with herds of livestock and for a long time it was used only as such. Everything changed when Queen Victoria noticed the long-haired beauties. After this, collies began to appear in homes as companions.

03/02/2024

THE DANGERS OF GENETIC TESTING...

Genetic testing is a valuable tool but can be very dangerous if used incorrectly. As we strive the produce litters that are genetically clean of harmful mutuations, we MUST be careful not to limit our gene pool by only breeding clear dogs. Genetic diversity is CRITICAL to the health of any breed and for that reason, at SCPS we are an open registry allowing collies to join from all backgrounds and origins as long as they fit our bred standards. We also strongly encourage collies who are geneticially clear to be used to clean up valuable lines who may have genetic mutuations but also have much to contribute to our gene pool in regards to genetic diversity and Scottish Collie traits. Should a collie have great herding drive, excellent structure and temperment but may be infected with MDR1, it would be our goal to see that collie bred to an MDR1 clear partner. Due to the clear gene in the breeding, the pups would not be infected and we would have brought in a new line for genetic diversity and cleaned it up at the same time. Those pups could then produce MDR1 clear offspring If properly bred.

We encourage all of our breeders to use their genetically clear collies to clean up other lines to increase our genetic diversity. Genetically clear breeding stock is a great asset if used correctly, but if we only use genetic testing to screen out imperfect scores, we are doing a great harm to our preservation movement.

SCPS isn't just about producing beautiful, healthy classic collies, but preserving this breed through genetic diversity. Please help preserve as many lines as possible by breeding smartly and responsibly.

Thank you.

Scottishcolliepreservationsociety.com

03/02/2024

Snuggles in front of the fire. March seems to be following the same program as February around here!

03/02/2024

The breed's character is balanced, friendly and open. However, activity needs to be taken into account. You need to walk your shepherd for at least two hours a day.

02/29/2024

Welcome

02/29/2024

The Scottish Shepherd Collie (Rough Collie) is a sophisticated and elegant dog with an active and cheerful disposition. She will make an excellent friend, a reliable companion, a loyal family member.

02/29/2024

THE LASSIE SYNDROME

What’s That, Lassie? Timmy’s Fallen Down a Well?

Hand me that wrench, will ya?
Did you know Lassie never actually pulled Timmy from a well? A railroad track and quicksand, but never a well.

In the 1940s, Lassie Come Home, and other Lassie films, began a Rough Collie craze. This intensified with the very popular Lassie TV show that ran for 17 years, not to mention reruns.

This did not just make collies popular in general. People wanted a “Lassie collie,” which meant the dog had to have the same markings as the TV Lassie, particularly the white blaze on the face, a white collar, four white feet and larger than the original collie.

Yes, TV Lassie was larger than the original collie, so he could play opposite a small boy for a longer period of time. (Yes, Lassie was a “girl,” but always played by a boy").

Unscrupulous breeding of collies followed, creating temperament problems and intensifying collie health problems. Collies, unfortunately, have many breed-associated medical conditions, something not obvious in the ever ready, rugged farm dog portrayed on the screen.

But one of the biggest problems with the Lassie craze, it seems, was that uninformed buyers assumed all collies came trained to watch over young children and travel across continents to find their way home. These owners found themselves with a breed that, while highly intelligent and loyal, needed years of training like any other dog.

Sadly, there are dog buyers out there who think a puppy is like a Mercedes or the newest iPhone. I want to say to these people that a DOG is a living creature and each one is unique, not a status symbol. Collies are herders and can be barkers and although they are very smart they don't come completely trained. Your “Lassie puppy,” 10 generations removed from the original film star, does not come with an on/off switch, a personal groomer or a tag on his collar stating “Already Trained.”

Inbreeding and overbreeding for the distinctive Lassie markings to include the white blazes and four white feet — certainly didn’t help collies.

The collie craze is finally over, having taken more than 50 years or so to peeter out and now it is time for breeders of conscience to recover the collie back to it's Scottish Collie roots of a working breed of sound temperment, health and versatility. ~ Scottish Collie Preservation Society

(info extracted from http://www.petful.com/author/debora-lichtenberg/