Many theories have been put forward about
the origins of the Collie as a breed. But, it will remain a mystery whether the
typical sheepdog from the early 1800s, after cross breeding with Greyhounds, as
well as Gordon- and Irish Setters, led to the Collie.
Even the origin of the name of the breed
is based on supposition. The original name Colley could derive from the
Anglo-Saxon word col, meaning black, which was possibly the original colour of
the breed. It is also likely that the name derives from the black-faced sheep,
called colleys, that the Collie used to herd.
The Collie herded sheep in the Scottish
Highlands, sometimes without the shepherd's guidance. In order to cope with this
task, the dog needed to be able to act on his own initiative, a fact which
causes the Collie to differ in mentality from other breeds. The Collie does not
serve blindly - he loves his family, but there are moments when, due to his
personality, his own initiative shines through.
In 1871, Old Mec, a black and tan dog and Old Cockie, a sable and white dog, made their appearance during
the Birmingham show. All show collies can be traced back to their ancestor Old
Cockie.
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Ch. Metchley Wonder |
Already
after 4 generations, Metchley Wonder resembled more the type we know today,
staying practically unchanged over the decades. Towards the
beginning of the 1900s, the Collie was bred as a working dog and a show
dog. As shepherds continued contributing towards the breeding of
Collies, these two elements were fortunately not separated. |
Queen Victoria was so struck by the
working Collie's capabilities when she watched the royal shepherds and their
dogs doing their work, that she decided to keep Collies herself. From then on
the Collie grew in popularity. Breeders decided to buy up the best species from
the farmers and created a breed that started its triumph around the world.
It is well known that our Scottish
sheepdogs were used as war- and rescue dogs. The Collie was very popular as a
military rescue dog and messenger. During the war, the British used Collies
world-wide in military service, which triggered off the strong competition with
the German Shepherd dog. For patriotic reasons, only dogs of German origin were
used for military and police-force purposes in Germany, resulting in the fact
that the GS took over the Collie's place as the
working dog.
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At this
period it became the aim of Collie breeders and Breed clubs, to focus more
on appearance and beauty in order to create show dogs, which made the
Collie gain enormously in popularity again. Those who know the breed will
understand why the rough Collie, especially, became a fashionable dog in
the following years. Its appearance has changed considerably over the last
years. It is almost unthinkable that today's Collies, with their abundant
coats, would be able to herd sheep. During the
Lassie Boom emphasis was placed more on beauty and quantity at the expense
of performance and sound temperament. Fortunately, the Smooth Collie never
suffered the same fate |
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