Collection: Personalised Rough Collie Gifts

Sometimes also called Long-haired Collies, this breed is a small to medium-sized dog originally bred to herd sheep in Scotland mostly in the Highlands although the breed is also prevalent in Lowland areas. If you are still not sure what they look like, then research the famous character, ‘Lassie’ online. Immortalised in film and hugely famous, Lassie was responsible for a real surge in popularity of the Rough Collie.

This dog has a beautiful nature, good looks and an adorable temperament which goes a long way to explain why they are such a popular breed the world over.

No one can remember the antecedents of the Rough Collie because they have been around for literally centuries herding sheep in the Highlands of Scotland. They were originally known as Scotch Sheep-dogs. Some theories suggest that their ancestors were dogs brought by the Romans in 50 BC. Fast forward a few centuries and the breed was popularised by Queen Victoria, a great dog lover who is said to have saved the Rough Collie from decline. The Queen first came across them when visiting Balmoral.

The Rough Collie made it across the pond to the States in the 1880s and the Americans adored the breed from the start immortalising them in 1943 in Lassie Come Home, the first of several films produced by MGM.

For a working dog, Rough Collies are noted for their exceptionally calm and sensible temperaments. They are well-mannered, gentle and trainable and very as popular family pets; their lovely natures are matched by their attractive good looks. However, they are a sensitive breed and need to be kept in an appropriate environment where they have plenty of companionship.