Scotch Collie vs Longhaired Weimaraner - Breed Comparison

You may be used to the sleek, silver shorthaired Weimaraner, but did you know you get a beautiful long haired version too? Known also as the Long Coated Weimaraner or the ‘Gray Ghost’, with its mesmerising amber eyes, the less common long haired variety shares a similar history as the more familiar short haired version.

The dog originates in Germany and was developed to be a hunting dog. It is believed that the silver dog dates back to the early 1800’s, and in 1897 the first breed club in Germany was formed to protect the future of this dog.

The longhair coat is recognized in all countries except the American Kennel Club.

The landrace breed, which started in the highlands of Scotland is known as the Scotch Collie. There were at the time two types of collies – the Rough or long haired collie and the smooth or short haired collie. The Scotch Collie is considered to be from a line of very ancient herding dogs. It might have existed in the days of the Roman Empire, these herding dogs might have included the Native Celtic Dogs, Roman Cattle Dogs, Gordon Setter, Viking Herding Spitzes and Irish Setters.

In its native land the Scotch Collie is often called the colley dogs, coaly and cooley. Collie comes from the Scottish words for black coal – or the Coaley Sheep they herded. In addition to herding, the Scotch Collie also acted as a hunter and guard dog for its family. A large group of these collies were exported to America to work on family farms. Soon they were so popular they became family pets. They were first shown in both England and America in in the mid to late 1800’s.

The Scotch Collie Club was formed in 1885 and the breed accepted into the AKC the same year. The Collie Club of America started the following year. The AKC eventually dropped the moniker Scotch in favor or Rough and Smooth Collie. This move also separated the show dogs from the still working/herding Scotch Collies.

Aa time went on and the collie became more prominent in conformation competitions, some breeders mixed in the Greyhound and perhaps the Borzoi to get the collie we see today. The Scotch Collie itself eventually lost its independent recognition in the UKC and the NKC. It was mixed in with the English Shepard, but it was an important element in the development of the Australian Shepard, Shetland Sheepdogs and Border Collies.

The breed had a revival of sorts in the early 2000’s as the Old Time Scotch Collie. Any type of farm collie in America and Canada can be registered in the OTSCA. They are more often referred to as Old Time Farm Shepherds to avoid confusion them with the very popular collies. In 2017 there were 174 of these OTSCA dogs. Collies today have less working instincts, and the heeling instinct seems to be gone.

Today the show version of the Scotch Collie is recognized by both the AKC and UKC in the herding group.

It has been said of the Scotch Collie that they have “the majesty of a lion, the pride of a great thoroughbred stallion, the confidence of a Winston Churchill.”

The Longhair Weimaraner with its eye-catching grey coat is a large dog that stands between 58 and 70cm and weighs between 25 to 40kg.

These dogs, unlike the short haired version, have the tail traditionally long and the tail is feathered. The eyes are a blue-green, amber or grey color. The grey coat is soft and silky and even though it is quite long, a brush twice a week will keep it in tip-top condition.

Temperament:

The Longhaired Weimaraner’s temperament is the same as the short haired variety. He is also a superb field dog with excellent hunting skills.

They’re very active dogs, looking for plenty of mental and physical stimulation. For first-time dog owners, this might prove to be too demanding, so the long haired Weimaraner might not be the best first-choice dog to get.

They can be aggressive when meeting new people and he will certainly require training and socialization if you want him to be calm and obedient.

This Scotch Collie is an athletic, intelligent, well-balanced and alert dog. This collie has no exaggerated features like the long nose/muzzle of the current collies. This Scotch Collie is sound in mind and body, a hard working dog. He is hearty and versatile. They are longer than they are tall. Their heads are moderate and the stoop is well defined. They have a wide, flat skull. Their lips are tight and they are fitted well.

Their ears are also moderate in size and pointed or partially erect. They should not have long or droopy ears. They have eyes that might be oblique, almond, and round. The eyes are usually brown and merles may have blue eyes. The breed has a deep chest, broad shoulders and a long tail. There are also some bobtails that occur naturally.

Your Long Haired Weimaraner is a friendly, alert dog that makes for an excellent companion and watchdog. The fact that he is also restless, confident, independent and strong-willed means that training and socialization will be necessary to make him pleasant and obedient.

You can’t always count on him to be amicable as he also has a bit of an aggressive side.

The way your Long Haired Weimaraner turns out will depend on heredity, the personality of the owner as well as training and socialization.

These dogs want to be with their human family and will follow the owner around and contentedly lie at their feet. Once he's trained, the Weimaraner is guaranteed to make you a fine family companion.

1.Children friendliness - they are great with children.

2.Special talents agility and speed.

3.Adaptability - Scotch Collies are versatile and adaptable. There is no need to crate them as they are not destructive. If you have a large run or kennel, they can live anywhere. However they are happiest on farms and open lands.

4.Learning ability - They are very intelligent and open to learning.

Hip Dysplasia is a medical threat to all dog breeds and fortunately the Weimaraner is a dog breed that has a low rate of dysplasia. When buying a Long Haired Weimaraner, try and get one from breeders who have had their breeding dogs hip-tested.

You’ll notice that the Weimaraner is a deep-chested dog and he is prone to bloating, which can turn out to be life threatening for your dog if not treated immediately.

The stomach twists and is swollen with no bowel movements. The dog is restless and in distress and needs immediate attention. To help, instead of giving one large meal which is gobbled up quickly, give him 2 smaller meals.

Skin allergies are also quite common in these dogs and you don’t want your silver dogs coat going off as it is his crowning glory.

If he is scratching, his skin is dry, red and itchy, get him to the vet as it can even be parasites at work, causing an allergic reaction.

The old line breed was hearty with few health issues. The ones they did have included:

• Musculoskeletal problems - can cause weakness or even some lameness.

• Skin problems - can have skin diseases like mange that may or may not be acute, may have allergies or sensitivities.

• Bloat – can cause death if not treated quickly.

Grooming:

When you bring a Long Haired Weimaraner home, you will need to invest in brush and comb for his long hair. They’re active dogs and love nothing more than running in a field, rolling in mud and being very active.

His coat will need to be brushed at least twice a week to keep it looking silvery and shimmering. Check the ears, eyes and teeth whenever you brush him and get used to cleaning his teeth regularly too.

If in doubt about how to keep your pet well groomed in terms of looks and health, speak to a dog expert, your vet or professional groomer.

Diet:

Your ‘Gray Ghost’ dog has been a very successful hunting dog, and they are high-energy gun dogs. As a large dog he will have particular nutritional needs to fuel his energetic lifestyle.The dog’s high activity levels need to be taken into account when looking at his diet.

Buy the best commercially manufactured food. Add to his kibble some cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and cooked or raw vegetables from time to time as well as bits of raw meat. Your dog will thank you for keeping his meals simple but nutritious.

1Feeding the puppy - The Scotch Collie is not a medium dog nor is it a large dog. It is somewhere in-between. Because of this there is some discretion in not only how much you feed your puppy, but also what you feed. Normally we would feed according to breed size but here you need a high quality formula that is made for working breeds. The puppy will need enough calories to meet their high energy needs. Feed at least 3-4 times a day.

2.Feeding the adult - you need a high quality formula that is made for working breeds. The adult will need enough calories to meet their high energy needs. Feed at least 2 times a day.

3.Points for Good Health - stamina and athleticism.

4. Games and Exercises

There is a high need for exercise starting with walks or jog but that is not going to be enough. The Scotch Collie is not a Border Collie or a Corgi in terms of energy, but they are not couch potaoes. They need more than access to a yard. They need a job or they need defined exercise and play. The daily walk or jog will do it but intense play is better.