Collie dogs make wonderful family pets. Collies are known for their sweet demeanor, loyalty and a high level of intelligence. Collie dogs are often seen on TV and in movies. Their natural intelligence makes them very easy to train and their natural willingness to please makes them very docile. Some famous collies from TV and movies include Lassie and Laddie from the TV show The Simpsons. Collies are wonderful herding dogs. Most people don’t realize there are a few different kinds of collie dog.

What Kinds Of Collies Are There?

Border Collies

A Border Collie is primarily a working dog. Developed in the border area between Scotland and England the Border Collie was bred to herd sheep and cattle. Border Collies are sometimes called the most intelligent of all dogs. Border collie puppies have extremely high energy levels and must have extensive daily exercise in order to stay healthy. Border Collies were bred as working dogs, not to conform to any specific standard, so there is no standard set of physical characteristics for Border Collies. Border Collies are not good family pets and would not be good city pets. Because of this, there are a number of Border Collie rescues where you can adopt a Border Collie if you have the right living situation for a Border Collie. You can also search on the Internet to find Border Collies for sale.

Bearded Collies

Bearded Collies were originally bred in Scotland to herd sheep. Now they are almost exclusively bred as family pets and show dogs. Bearded Collies have a high energy level, although not as high as a Border Collie. They require weekly grooming to take care of their long coats but are otherwise low-maintenance pets. Bearded collies excel at dog dog agility trials and love to run. Be careful when leaving them in an enclosed pen! They are accomplished escape artists. The popular film The Shaggy Dog starring Tim Allen featured a Bearded Collie.

Rough Collies

The most popular type of Collie is the Rough Collie. Lassie, popular movie and TV character, was a Rough Collie. Rough Collies make great family pets. Their long coats are dense and require surprisingly little maintenance. They are friendly and not aggressive. Like other Collie types Rough Collies need lots of exercise. Collie puppies are popular gifts for children. Not all dogs are appropriate for small children but a Collie makes a great family pet and will be a loyal and protective friend.