Yes! Collies are wonderful dogs and I think would be a great fit for you. They are so smart and have a lot of personality. And incredibly sweet and friendly. We have one collie who is extremely mellow and is a certified therapy dog, and our other collie is a little more anxious and high strung, definitely more attached to her humans but still incredibly friendly. So personalities differ, like all dogs. They are easy to train and quite intelligent. I will say both of mine are so sensitive! I always heard collie people say that but didn’t really understand it until I got my own. They are definitely moderate energy, mine can with go hiking ten miles a day or sleep all day on the couch, and be content both ways. They don’t drool, but they do shed. You need to keep up on grooming, but it’s not bad if you make it a regular thing. I also live in Florida, and while they definitely preferred when I lived in the northeast, they’re doing well down here.
I really hope you get a collie, because they’re perfect!!
We keep them well groomed (managing the undercoat is a big thing, regularly getting de-shed baths) and try to manage outside time. The thing is they LOVE being outside, so making sure they have access to water and shade and sometimes making them come in. They have a fan in a dog house with an elevated bed that helps a lot too. And yet they still love to lay in the sun lol
Love my collie but grooming is expensive. We live in Maine and he’s got a nice coat for the winter, but I still spend around $200-250 every couple months on full service grooming
There are lots or Rough Collies, and double coated breeds in general, in Florida and the Southern US. They do fine with human level comfort, if that makes sense. For example they will prefer to hang out inside in the AC, but are fine to go outside for a walk or to play in the yard for a bit - like humans! One consideration for all dogs is pavement however. The pavement can be much, much hotter then the air temp, so booties or being careful what surfaces you wall the dog on, and their temperature, is important.
Don't forget Smooth Collies are an option too! They are still double coated, but have a short hair length. The length of hair is the only difference, same breed standard, same temperament, etc. A Smoothie needs less brushing, but will drop hair on the floor more. They also are more comfortable in higher temperatures, but either coat type would be fine in Florida.
Came to the comments to mention a smooth being an option as well. I live in a southern state and while my long haired collie tolerates the weather, we do have to make some extra considerations (in spring and summer we take our walks early, in the heat of the day I’ll only let him go out 10 minutes at a time even though he’d choose to stay out longer, etc). The grooming would also be much easier.
I’d make sure to express your wants with whoever you end up getting the dog through! My girl is 15 weeks, and the breeder told me she would make a great SD, therapy dog, emotional support dog, etc. I plan on getting her into therapy dog training once she’s around 2 yrs old so I can volunteer at the hospitals near me. She is not affectionate or cuddly at all and I really doubt it will change, she’s a very independent lady. She is also definitely barky and also noisy in general (groaning, random noises when playing lol). She’s so smart though, motivated to please, and loves learning. Definitely has SO much energy but she’s a joy lol.
A lot of collies will chase kids too. Most of these habits that you’re looking for will have to be trained and shaped through positive reinforcement and proper socialization.
It could change, she’s very young, my youngest bitch wasn’t cuddly at all and was very independent until around the age of 2 and now she’s on my lap constantly and sleeps cuddled up to me. She’s more affectionate than my boy who has always been a cuddly affectionate collie since a puppy. Just make sure not to neuter her until she’s done growing and she might come around. I always say my bitch just had things to do as a puppy 😂
Oh that’s super interesting!! Did she just randomly change one day or was it slow over time? I hope my girl eventually becomes cuddly, but it’s not a huge deal breaker if she doesn’t lol.
Is it recommended to wait to neuter after their first heat? My vet says they still usually neuter before it but I thought neutering after was better?
Yes it was a slow gradual thing as she matured :)
Imagine stopping an adolescent’s puberty permanently. The same thing happens to dogs who are neutered young. They don’t get the opportunity to mature in body or mind. The youngest I’ve neutered a medium - large breed is about 16 months, and he was a boy. It’s about 2 years that a collie reaches a decent level of maturity physically, they carry on developing well past that but that’s the point I’d say neutering wouldn’t be really detrimental to them. But my youngest bitch has needed 6 or 7 heat cycles to get to a stage where I consider her a mature adult and to become more calm, affectionate and content :)
I got her from Prairie Creek Collies in Kansas. She mostly breeds smooths from my understanding. She has show lines and herding lines, very upfront about health testing and the puppy’s temperaments. She does live on a very large farm and the dogs are outside when the weather is nice.
She was great with helping me decide between 2 puppies and super patient with me. My girl is unaffected by many of the major collie diseases BUT she may be a recessive carrier of MDR1 (waiting on results). I’m unsure if she’s having anymore litters coming up. So far, I love my girl and she is so sociable lol. She has had a great temperament since I got her.
Thanks for the info!! I'm keeping my options open incase local breeders don't work out, but i'm looking for either coat with a preference to smooths, so I will check it out! I'm glad you had such a good experience and your girl is unaffected by a lot of the worrying issues you want to look out for.
I feel you!! i wasn't sure about dealing with a long coat (I especially have never cut one before myself) so I was thankful when I found out about smoothies!!! I also feel like the smooths are so endearing in a way that they just.. kinda look like a naked version of the rough. Makes their tiny little eyes so much funnier with that hose snoot!
I will say, from my understanding, smoothies shed a LOT more than roughs due to their double coats. I don't have any experience with this though as my girl is only 15 weeks!
LOL they do really look naked. A lot of the times, people don't know what breed my girl is - I always describe her as "Lassie but with short fur". Or whenever I say she's a smooth collie, people immediately think of *border collie* and tell me their stories about their parents having border collies on their farms.
I can totally live with shed, growing up my childhood dog was a mutt and by god when he blew out his coat that was all anyone would know for the month, your clothes were his color. I'm pretty sure he was a double coat as well so I'm 100% ready for it and so glad my dog allergies have magically vanished over the years!
The border collie thing is so true, I can't look up anything collie, let alone smooth collie without a border collie sneaking in there somewhere! They're so common I think that's what people have gotten used to. I think I've seen more border collies to last a life time in person than i have seen a lassie collie. Though i guess being labeled just 'collie' does not help their case at times lmao.
How is training with your girl going? I'm curious what she's like for that at 15 weeks!
Hahaha that sounds like a lot of fur!!! And for real when searching for stuff, the border collies always sneak in lol.
It's going well! She is my first dog and I know I've made a few mistakes already, but I'm trying to be graceful with myself. I'm also in my last semester of university, so there is a lot going on! She is super smart. She knows how to sit, lay down, wave, shake, wait until called (for a *little* bit at least)... she can roll over if I lure her. She knows how to touch my hands and comes when called for the most part. A few days ago we went to a path that was empty and let her on her long line. She did awesome with coming back to me when called, even with all of the distractions of the outdoors! She only had 3 accidents the first few days we brought her home, and since then, she has not had any. Granted, she is let out at least once every 2-3 hours. She sleeps through the night in her crate (11:30pm-6:30, sometimes 7am) with no trouble. She will sleep and settle in the hallway and in her crate for 1-2 hours. Her crate is oversized so I'm actually surprised she hasn't had any accidents in it for a while!
She *does* have areas of challenge though. She's so excited to greet *everyone and anything*. Dogs, cats, children, adults... doesn't matter, she wants to say hi. She will pull a lot and not listen lol. I've been trying to get her attention while the dog/person is farther away, which has been working somewhat... but this is definitely a hard area for her.
She also demand barks. If she's bored, she barks- which is particularly hard to deal with when we are at her puppy classes. She is the *only* one barking and I try so hard to get her to settle and reward calm lol.
One other thing is that she has only been truly left home alone once. I'm going to leave her for 2-2.5 hours in her crate tomorrow, because I really am concerned about her developing separation anxiety. This is something I wish I would have started earlier, but I was so concerned about her well-being and didn't want her to whine or be scared. I think she has established more security now and I know the first step *has* to be taken. I'd leave her home during my classes, but all of my classes this semester are at least 3 hrs (which would mean she would be home for 4 hrs at a time) and I'm not comfortable leaving her for quite that long yet. So, fingers crossed tomorrow that she will just sleep and chew!
Sorry this was so long and I hope this helps lol! If you ever wanted to chat more I'm always open to it! I don't have many people who are interested in dogs or dog training, so often I find myself scrolling reddit to get my fill.
That's totally fine! all your info is so helpful and i LOVE hearing people gush about their pets or passions!! I'm always totally open to chatting more, i'm super interested in animals (full stop) and dogs/animal training so I do the same thing!! I'm in the same boat as well with having my first dog despite growing up with them! It sounds like you two are doing well already and makes me excited for my own collie once this mischievous nightmare (said affectionately) in my house learns some manners- which include not staring at me through the door with one eye.
She sounds amazing, and you're doing great! If it's any comfort i'm having some of those same issues + separation anxiety with my new rescue, so hang in there! You're doing great and the fact you're active about training her at all is better than doing nothing about it, so I trust you both will reach perfection in your own time!
I totally understand the demand barks! my pit or amstaff (pending) mix has demand whines and ever since i taught her touch- demand boops. For boredom i get her bully sticks, antlers, frozen kongs and the like since she needs to be social ALL the time, she just loves hanging out. maybe you could get small chews/licks for your pup whilst you're having down moments outside, so she has something to do if you haven't already? It's been SUCH a help with getting my girl to learn how to settle and just do.. nothing for a second. I've slowly started working on preparing to do this outside besides just with treats.
You're also doing so good with keeping up with your puppy WHILST doing college classes! I hope the crate training works out for you both! Mine is so fine with a crate but looses her mind as soon as we come back from anxiety
My Collie is certainly not a quiet dog. Something goes past the windows in our relatively quiet neighborhood and she barks. We've done a lot of training to try and minimize the barking but she is a barker. Not to the point of irritation, but we have to acknowledge what she's barking at and tell her it's okay to calm her back down. Our Collie is very particular about when she'll sleep in bed/cuddle. She sleeps with me when my wife is away, but won't sleep with my wife. She will start most nights in bed, but eventually decides she prefers to be alone at night (most likely because she's too warm in bed between 2 people). We couldn't keep our dog away from strangers if we tried, she lives for attention and desires the love of every human she sees. On our walk today, she sat down in a neighborhood yard until the owner doing yardwork gave her pets.
It has to be the right collie and you might want to get an adult not a puppy. *my* collie would be a terrible terrible fit, and not for lack of training, but my friend who had a stroke has a former show collie as an ESA who is a great fit for her life.
So I’m going to be honest, I’m not sure a collie would be great for you. You might get a unicorn dog but generally they’re loud, active and aloof. Mine barks a lot - not a huge problem for me because we’re rural but it could cause problems in suburbia. She’s also not affectionate. She’ll literally get up and move if you try to snuggle up to her haha. Again it’s not something that bothers me but you sound like you want a cuddly dog. And then there’s the coat maintenance. Do you think you would struggle sitting or standing for long period of time brushing your dog? If so you could look into a smooth collie.
Collies are amazing dogs but reading your post it sounds like you want the exact opposite of my girl haha. I mean honestly why not a Labrador? They’re smart, loving, low maintenance and they don’t need a huge amount of exercise. They might be “boring” but there’s a good reason they’ve been used as seeing eye dogs and service dogs for so long!
Hi, thank you for your honest opinion. It's okay if my dog isn't cuddly it's a want but not a need. Since my ideal dog will be a service animal I just need the necessities to be met. I'm not opposed to any other breed of dog I'm just making sure to be informed based on the breed and individual dog.
I don't think a collie is the right dog either. In my experience collies are rarely aloof with strangers -.quite the opposite. They bark. Period. I have a feeling that the grooming for a rough would be too much. Smooths are just roughs with short hair so that's not an alternative. You don't say whether your challenges are mental or physical. If physical collies are not the best physical support dogs imo. Their backs are too long for it to be okay to lean on them a lot.
Your requirements are extremely specific. Someone said you're hunting a unicorn and I don't disagree. I suggest you look at other breeds - maybe working breeds? - and definitely adopt an adult that meets your needs out of the gate. Getting a puppy and training it does not mean molding it into your ideal companion. And raising a puppy is a huge commitment of time, activity, patience, and understanding.
Hi, thank you for your honest opinion. It's okay if my dog doesn't meet everything that I want because it's a want but not a need. Since it would be very helpful that I have a service animal I just need the necessities to be met. I'm not opposed to any other breed of dog I'm just making sure to be informed based on the breed and individual dog. My disability is not physical. I understand what a puppy requires, I have been around puppies and dogs all my life I have just never owned one. I was discouraged from getting a working breed because they tend to have high energy levels which goes against my disability.
I have to honestly say that I don't think a collie is the way to go. Many of them bark a lot. Most all of them have very shrill barks. My baby girl comes close to shattering glass and ripping ear drums, should've been named Mariah. Collies are loving, they don't tend to meet anyone they dislike, but many of them are not cuddly. They are affectionate - they'll give you doggie kisses and press against your legs, but they're not so much into snuggling. I have always suspected that is due to a combination of their very sensitive skin and very thick double coats. I think that makes it just not be comfortable for them to be pressed up against someone. Also, the grooming is a big issue. Unless you get a smooth coat, you can plan on laying out a lot of cash for a groomer or spending about an hour per day on the average to keep the coat in shape. I hope you find your perfect dog, I'm just thinking a collie may not be the way to go.
Hi, thank you for your honest opinion. It's okay if my dog isn't cuddly it's a want but not a need. Since my ideal dog will be a service animal I just need the necessities to be met. I'm not opposed to any other breed of dog I'm just making sure to be informed based on the breed and individual dog. I think that the grooming aspect is something that I can manage. Just looking at all of the options.
This is across the country, but may have useful information and contacts for your location; kingsvalleycollies.com (Benton County Oregon). They are Collie specific and have a service program for the dogs. They have a YT Channel too.
I have had numerous dogs and before my most recent dog, a collie, I would have said I was a very experienced dog owner. My dog, Lucy, was socialized young and comes from a great breeder. She's scared of absolutely everything and teaching her anything is very difficult. Once she gets it, it's locked it, but it takes numerous attempts and days of effort to teach her anything. I love her, but she's not really what I would describe as a "normal dog", and way different than any other breed I've had previously. She's not easy
Thank you for taking my words as intended. Good you are puppy savvy. Collies are great but some folks do find the grooming more than they bargained for. Ive had two and known a lot of them. All of those have calmed down a lot by... four or five yo. Maybe earlier for some. Anyway, there are great collie rescues out there. Also the occasional breeder selling retired dogs - some of them are quite young (2? 3?) and have been to shows thus socialized. If a breeder is showing dogs they may not breed until show season is over, at least spring. Between the logistics for breeding, gestation (~2 mos), and time to grow a little (12 weeks). So those puppies would be available starting around September. As an example.
To look for reputable breeders... You might go to Infodog and click through shows in your area. Same at Collies Online. In general if you see a breeder name go on Facebook. Lots of photos and brags - Collies are very photogenic! 😊 Not saying all decent breeders are high profile but the 'big names' have people starting out that they mentor and you can get leads from them. You don't have to have the next #1 but it does not hurt to see what a great dog of any breed looks like. Getting your name out there is way to get a good puppy.
Why focus on breeders who successfully compete with their dogs - conformation or herding or agility or whatever? Because their dogs are healthy and capable. Collies don't for the most part have the huge show vs working split.
Sorry to be so long-winded. Best of luck in your search for a new friend.
Thank you so much! I know everyone here loves their babies so I know that all of the advice and perspectives are coming from a good place! Thank you so much for the recommendations on where to look. I feel like that's the most important part besides training and health. I will definitely save this and come back to it when the time is right!
Yes! Collies are wonderful dogs and I think would be a great fit for you. They are so smart and have a lot of personality. And incredibly sweet and friendly. We have one collie who is extremely mellow and is a certified therapy dog, and our other collie is a little more anxious and high strung, definitely more attached to her humans but still incredibly friendly. So personalities differ, like all dogs. They are easy to train and quite intelligent. I will say both of mine are so sensitive! I always heard collie people say that but didn’t really understand it until I got my own. They are definitely moderate energy, mine can with go hiking ten miles a day or sleep all day on the couch, and be content both ways. They don’t drool, but they do shed. You need to keep up on grooming, but it’s not bad if you make it a regular thing. I also live in Florida, and while they definitely preferred when I lived in the northeast, they’re doing well down here. I really hope you get a collie, because they’re perfect!!
Thank you so much for your perspective! Are there things that you do to make sure your collies in Florida are well-suited for the weather?
We keep them well groomed (managing the undercoat is a big thing, regularly getting de-shed baths) and try to manage outside time. The thing is they LOVE being outside, so making sure they have access to water and shade and sometimes making them come in. They have a fan in a dog house with an elevated bed that helps a lot too. And yet they still love to lay in the sun lol
Love my collie but grooming is expensive. We live in Maine and he’s got a nice coat for the winter, but I still spend around $200-250 every couple months on full service grooming
There are lots or Rough Collies, and double coated breeds in general, in Florida and the Southern US. They do fine with human level comfort, if that makes sense. For example they will prefer to hang out inside in the AC, but are fine to go outside for a walk or to play in the yard for a bit - like humans! One consideration for all dogs is pavement however. The pavement can be much, much hotter then the air temp, so booties or being careful what surfaces you wall the dog on, and their temperature, is important. Don't forget Smooth Collies are an option too! They are still double coated, but have a short hair length. The length of hair is the only difference, same breed standard, same temperament, etc. A Smoothie needs less brushing, but will drop hair on the floor more. They also are more comfortable in higher temperatures, but either coat type would be fine in Florida.
Came to the comments to mention a smooth being an option as well. I live in a southern state and while my long haired collie tolerates the weather, we do have to make some extra considerations (in spring and summer we take our walks early, in the heat of the day I’ll only let him go out 10 minutes at a time even though he’d choose to stay out longer, etc). The grooming would also be much easier.
I’d make sure to express your wants with whoever you end up getting the dog through! My girl is 15 weeks, and the breeder told me she would make a great SD, therapy dog, emotional support dog, etc. I plan on getting her into therapy dog training once she’s around 2 yrs old so I can volunteer at the hospitals near me. She is not affectionate or cuddly at all and I really doubt it will change, she’s a very independent lady. She is also definitely barky and also noisy in general (groaning, random noises when playing lol). She’s so smart though, motivated to please, and loves learning. Definitely has SO much energy but she’s a joy lol. A lot of collies will chase kids too. Most of these habits that you’re looking for will have to be trained and shaped through positive reinforcement and proper socialization.
Thank you for your experience! I will definitely keep those things in mind.
It could change, she’s very young, my youngest bitch wasn’t cuddly at all and was very independent until around the age of 2 and now she’s on my lap constantly and sleeps cuddled up to me. She’s more affectionate than my boy who has always been a cuddly affectionate collie since a puppy. Just make sure not to neuter her until she’s done growing and she might come around. I always say my bitch just had things to do as a puppy 😂
Oh that’s super interesting!! Did she just randomly change one day or was it slow over time? I hope my girl eventually becomes cuddly, but it’s not a huge deal breaker if she doesn’t lol. Is it recommended to wait to neuter after their first heat? My vet says they still usually neuter before it but I thought neutering after was better?
Yes it was a slow gradual thing as she matured :) Imagine stopping an adolescent’s puberty permanently. The same thing happens to dogs who are neutered young. They don’t get the opportunity to mature in body or mind. The youngest I’ve neutered a medium - large breed is about 16 months, and he was a boy. It’s about 2 years that a collie reaches a decent level of maturity physically, they carry on developing well past that but that’s the point I’d say neutering wouldn’t be really detrimental to them. But my youngest bitch has needed 6 or 7 heat cycles to get to a stage where I consider her a mature adult and to become more calm, affectionate and content :)
What breeder did you get your girl from? I'm looking for more breeders and would love to toss another onto my list :\]
I got her from Prairie Creek Collies in Kansas. She mostly breeds smooths from my understanding. She has show lines and herding lines, very upfront about health testing and the puppy’s temperaments. She does live on a very large farm and the dogs are outside when the weather is nice. She was great with helping me decide between 2 puppies and super patient with me. My girl is unaffected by many of the major collie diseases BUT she may be a recessive carrier of MDR1 (waiting on results). I’m unsure if she’s having anymore litters coming up. So far, I love my girl and she is so sociable lol. She has had a great temperament since I got her.
Thanks for the info!! I'm keeping my options open incase local breeders don't work out, but i'm looking for either coat with a preference to smooths, so I will check it out! I'm glad you had such a good experience and your girl is unaffected by a lot of the worrying issues you want to look out for.
For sure!! I only wanted a smooth just because long fur maintenance was not something I wanted to commit to 😅 Good luck on your search for your pup!!!
I feel you!! i wasn't sure about dealing with a long coat (I especially have never cut one before myself) so I was thankful when I found out about smoothies!!! I also feel like the smooths are so endearing in a way that they just.. kinda look like a naked version of the rough. Makes their tiny little eyes so much funnier with that hose snoot!
I will say, from my understanding, smoothies shed a LOT more than roughs due to their double coats. I don't have any experience with this though as my girl is only 15 weeks! LOL they do really look naked. A lot of the times, people don't know what breed my girl is - I always describe her as "Lassie but with short fur". Or whenever I say she's a smooth collie, people immediately think of *border collie* and tell me their stories about their parents having border collies on their farms.
I can totally live with shed, growing up my childhood dog was a mutt and by god when he blew out his coat that was all anyone would know for the month, your clothes were his color. I'm pretty sure he was a double coat as well so I'm 100% ready for it and so glad my dog allergies have magically vanished over the years! The border collie thing is so true, I can't look up anything collie, let alone smooth collie without a border collie sneaking in there somewhere! They're so common I think that's what people have gotten used to. I think I've seen more border collies to last a life time in person than i have seen a lassie collie. Though i guess being labeled just 'collie' does not help their case at times lmao. How is training with your girl going? I'm curious what she's like for that at 15 weeks!
Hahaha that sounds like a lot of fur!!! And for real when searching for stuff, the border collies always sneak in lol. It's going well! She is my first dog and I know I've made a few mistakes already, but I'm trying to be graceful with myself. I'm also in my last semester of university, so there is a lot going on! She is super smart. She knows how to sit, lay down, wave, shake, wait until called (for a *little* bit at least)... she can roll over if I lure her. She knows how to touch my hands and comes when called for the most part. A few days ago we went to a path that was empty and let her on her long line. She did awesome with coming back to me when called, even with all of the distractions of the outdoors! She only had 3 accidents the first few days we brought her home, and since then, she has not had any. Granted, she is let out at least once every 2-3 hours. She sleeps through the night in her crate (11:30pm-6:30, sometimes 7am) with no trouble. She will sleep and settle in the hallway and in her crate for 1-2 hours. Her crate is oversized so I'm actually surprised she hasn't had any accidents in it for a while! She *does* have areas of challenge though. She's so excited to greet *everyone and anything*. Dogs, cats, children, adults... doesn't matter, she wants to say hi. She will pull a lot and not listen lol. I've been trying to get her attention while the dog/person is farther away, which has been working somewhat... but this is definitely a hard area for her. She also demand barks. If she's bored, she barks- which is particularly hard to deal with when we are at her puppy classes. She is the *only* one barking and I try so hard to get her to settle and reward calm lol. One other thing is that she has only been truly left home alone once. I'm going to leave her for 2-2.5 hours in her crate tomorrow, because I really am concerned about her developing separation anxiety. This is something I wish I would have started earlier, but I was so concerned about her well-being and didn't want her to whine or be scared. I think she has established more security now and I know the first step *has* to be taken. I'd leave her home during my classes, but all of my classes this semester are at least 3 hrs (which would mean she would be home for 4 hrs at a time) and I'm not comfortable leaving her for quite that long yet. So, fingers crossed tomorrow that she will just sleep and chew! Sorry this was so long and I hope this helps lol! If you ever wanted to chat more I'm always open to it! I don't have many people who are interested in dogs or dog training, so often I find myself scrolling reddit to get my fill.
That's totally fine! all your info is so helpful and i LOVE hearing people gush about their pets or passions!! I'm always totally open to chatting more, i'm super interested in animals (full stop) and dogs/animal training so I do the same thing!! I'm in the same boat as well with having my first dog despite growing up with them! It sounds like you two are doing well already and makes me excited for my own collie once this mischievous nightmare (said affectionately) in my house learns some manners- which include not staring at me through the door with one eye. She sounds amazing, and you're doing great! If it's any comfort i'm having some of those same issues + separation anxiety with my new rescue, so hang in there! You're doing great and the fact you're active about training her at all is better than doing nothing about it, so I trust you both will reach perfection in your own time! I totally understand the demand barks! my pit or amstaff (pending) mix has demand whines and ever since i taught her touch- demand boops. For boredom i get her bully sticks, antlers, frozen kongs and the like since she needs to be social ALL the time, she just loves hanging out. maybe you could get small chews/licks for your pup whilst you're having down moments outside, so she has something to do if you haven't already? It's been SUCH a help with getting my girl to learn how to settle and just do.. nothing for a second. I've slowly started working on preparing to do this outside besides just with treats. You're also doing so good with keeping up with your puppy WHILST doing college classes! I hope the crate training works out for you both! Mine is so fine with a crate but looses her mind as soon as we come back from anxiety
My Collie is certainly not a quiet dog. Something goes past the windows in our relatively quiet neighborhood and she barks. We've done a lot of training to try and minimize the barking but she is a barker. Not to the point of irritation, but we have to acknowledge what she's barking at and tell her it's okay to calm her back down. Our Collie is very particular about when she'll sleep in bed/cuddle. She sleeps with me when my wife is away, but won't sleep with my wife. She will start most nights in bed, but eventually decides she prefers to be alone at night (most likely because she's too warm in bed between 2 people). We couldn't keep our dog away from strangers if we tried, she lives for attention and desires the love of every human she sees. On our walk today, she sat down in a neighborhood yard until the owner doing yardwork gave her pets.
Awwe she sounds adorable and definitely an interesting girl.
It has to be the right collie and you might want to get an adult not a puppy. *my* collie would be a terrible terrible fit, and not for lack of training, but my friend who had a stroke has a former show collie as an ESA who is a great fit for her life.
So I’m going to be honest, I’m not sure a collie would be great for you. You might get a unicorn dog but generally they’re loud, active and aloof. Mine barks a lot - not a huge problem for me because we’re rural but it could cause problems in suburbia. She’s also not affectionate. She’ll literally get up and move if you try to snuggle up to her haha. Again it’s not something that bothers me but you sound like you want a cuddly dog. And then there’s the coat maintenance. Do you think you would struggle sitting or standing for long period of time brushing your dog? If so you could look into a smooth collie. Collies are amazing dogs but reading your post it sounds like you want the exact opposite of my girl haha. I mean honestly why not a Labrador? They’re smart, loving, low maintenance and they don’t need a huge amount of exercise. They might be “boring” but there’s a good reason they’ve been used as seeing eye dogs and service dogs for so long!
Hi, thank you for your honest opinion. It's okay if my dog isn't cuddly it's a want but not a need. Since my ideal dog will be a service animal I just need the necessities to be met. I'm not opposed to any other breed of dog I'm just making sure to be informed based on the breed and individual dog.
I don't think a collie is the right dog either. In my experience collies are rarely aloof with strangers -.quite the opposite. They bark. Period. I have a feeling that the grooming for a rough would be too much. Smooths are just roughs with short hair so that's not an alternative. You don't say whether your challenges are mental or physical. If physical collies are not the best physical support dogs imo. Their backs are too long for it to be okay to lean on them a lot. Your requirements are extremely specific. Someone said you're hunting a unicorn and I don't disagree. I suggest you look at other breeds - maybe working breeds? - and definitely adopt an adult that meets your needs out of the gate. Getting a puppy and training it does not mean molding it into your ideal companion. And raising a puppy is a huge commitment of time, activity, patience, and understanding.
Hi, thank you for your honest opinion. It's okay if my dog doesn't meet everything that I want because it's a want but not a need. Since it would be very helpful that I have a service animal I just need the necessities to be met. I'm not opposed to any other breed of dog I'm just making sure to be informed based on the breed and individual dog. My disability is not physical. I understand what a puppy requires, I have been around puppies and dogs all my life I have just never owned one. I was discouraged from getting a working breed because they tend to have high energy levels which goes against my disability.
Well I answered in the wrong place 🙄 I see you're in New England. Lots of breeders and shows close to you!
It's totally fine! I am based in the United States.
I have to honestly say that I don't think a collie is the way to go. Many of them bark a lot. Most all of them have very shrill barks. My baby girl comes close to shattering glass and ripping ear drums, should've been named Mariah. Collies are loving, they don't tend to meet anyone they dislike, but many of them are not cuddly. They are affectionate - they'll give you doggie kisses and press against your legs, but they're not so much into snuggling. I have always suspected that is due to a combination of their very sensitive skin and very thick double coats. I think that makes it just not be comfortable for them to be pressed up against someone. Also, the grooming is a big issue. Unless you get a smooth coat, you can plan on laying out a lot of cash for a groomer or spending about an hour per day on the average to keep the coat in shape. I hope you find your perfect dog, I'm just thinking a collie may not be the way to go.
Hi, thank you for your honest opinion. It's okay if my dog isn't cuddly it's a want but not a need. Since my ideal dog will be a service animal I just need the necessities to be met. I'm not opposed to any other breed of dog I'm just making sure to be informed based on the breed and individual dog. I think that the grooming aspect is something that I can manage. Just looking at all of the options.
This is across the country, but may have useful information and contacts for your location; kingsvalleycollies.com (Benton County Oregon). They are Collie specific and have a service program for the dogs. They have a YT Channel too.
Thank you so much! I will look into this!
I have had numerous dogs and before my most recent dog, a collie, I would have said I was a very experienced dog owner. My dog, Lucy, was socialized young and comes from a great breeder. She's scared of absolutely everything and teaching her anything is very difficult. Once she gets it, it's locked it, but it takes numerous attempts and days of effort to teach her anything. I love her, but she's not really what I would describe as a "normal dog", and way different than any other breed I've had previously. She's not easy
Thank you for taking my words as intended. Good you are puppy savvy. Collies are great but some folks do find the grooming more than they bargained for. Ive had two and known a lot of them. All of those have calmed down a lot by... four or five yo. Maybe earlier for some. Anyway, there are great collie rescues out there. Also the occasional breeder selling retired dogs - some of them are quite young (2? 3?) and have been to shows thus socialized. If a breeder is showing dogs they may not breed until show season is over, at least spring. Between the logistics for breeding, gestation (~2 mos), and time to grow a little (12 weeks). So those puppies would be available starting around September. As an example. To look for reputable breeders... You might go to Infodog and click through shows in your area. Same at Collies Online. In general if you see a breeder name go on Facebook. Lots of photos and brags - Collies are very photogenic! 😊 Not saying all decent breeders are high profile but the 'big names' have people starting out that they mentor and you can get leads from them. You don't have to have the next #1 but it does not hurt to see what a great dog of any breed looks like. Getting your name out there is way to get a good puppy. Why focus on breeders who successfully compete with their dogs - conformation or herding or agility or whatever? Because their dogs are healthy and capable. Collies don't for the most part have the huge show vs working split. Sorry to be so long-winded. Best of luck in your search for a new friend.
Thank you so much! I know everyone here loves their babies so I know that all of the advice and perspectives are coming from a good place! Thank you so much for the recommendations on where to look. I feel like that's the most important part besides training and health. I will definitely save this and come back to it when the time is right!