This fancy, show type of Collie is today called a Rough Collie, it is the type of dog many people think of when they hear “Collie”, the type of dog that portrayed Lassie on television and at the movies. As time went on we found them less susceptible to training, in trying to follow the fashion of long heads, and breeding to the winners, our puppies grew less intelligent, until at the present time we find that we do well to get one in ten worth the trouble of training” Dogdom Magazine, August 1908. Nearly all the puppies from these dogs proved to be good workers, in fact, I would say not less than fifty per cent of the puppies in those days proved to be intelligent and had the working instinct. Within about 20 years from the start of breeding Collies for dog shows people started complaining that the Collie was losing its instincts for farm work. Most of these show Collies never saw a farm or a sheep in their lives.Īlthough this dog show breeders may have improved the Collie’s looks, all of this breeding with no thought to intelligence or working ability did not improve their usefulness on farms. These show Collies started to get more elegant and graceful with longer, fuller coats and narrower heads with longer noses. In England these new arrivals caught the eye of dog show men who began to keep and breed the Collie for the goal of winning ribbons. Some of these immigrant Collies went to work on farms in their new homes, these formed the foundation of working Scotch Collies in America. Lassie is a classic example of a Rough Collie Rough Collies You can learn more about the history of the Collie by reading the article I wrote here. The Highland Clearances (1750 – 1860) forced many of these small Scottish farmers off of their land causing them to immigrate to England and America in droves, many of them bringing their Collie dogs with them. Protect and direct all stock, cows, sheep, horses, pigs and fowl.Herding is the obvious job for these dogs but these old Scottish Highland Collies did far more than that, they were expected to: These Scottish farms were not all that different from the average American small family farm today in the kinds of jobs they had for a farm dog. Collies Started as Farm DogsĬollies originated in Scotland where they were used to herd sheep and for other farm jobs. Collies started doing farm work in Scotland long ago. In this article I will explain the abilities of the different Collie breeds as it related to farm work and will provide the information needed to select a good working Collie for your farm. Some Collie breeds have lost their working instincts and others are very high-strung.
My research kept coming back to dog breeds in the Collie family, the question I kept asking at that time was “do Collies make good farm dogs”? The answer to that question which I found through much research is below.Ī Collie can be a great farm dog but much depends on the breed of Collie selected. We wanted a dog that would work around the farm but that was also a good family dog, one that would not be so focused on work that it would drive us crazy when there was no work to do. At that time I researched a lot of different breeds but rejected many of them because of negative traits. These steps will help ensure that their playpen is a safe, and comfortable place for your dog.Back in 2008 my wife and I bought a small farm in Oklahoma and as we settled in we immediately felt like we needed a good farm dog. The same goes for any bowls, blankets, or toys your pup could ingest, choke on, or become caught on. Most playpens are designed with very few small, loose, or otherwise dangerous pieces, but it’s always a good idea just to look it over and remove any items you think could be problematic. In time, your dog will know the pen as a happy and safe place.Īside from helping your dog get comfortable spending time in their playpen, you should also ensure there are no hazards on or inside the pen. You can start by simply spending around the playpen and encouraging your dog to go in and out by themself before placing your dog in their playpen for slowly increasing amounts of time. Just like with a crate, you should first help your dog become comfortable in the playpen before leaving them for extended periods. Playpens are a safe place your dog can relax for a few hours at a time. Is it safe to use a playpen for your dog?
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