Scoland Terrier vs Rough Collie - Breed Comparison

Many people have seen the movie ‘Lassie’, and of course this movie made the Collie popular and famous.

Apart from the Rough Collie, you also get the Smooth Collie. The Rough Collie’s origins start in the 1800’s in Scotland and Wales but unfortunately, the Rough Collie's exact origins are shrouded in lack of information.

These dogs were used as herding dogs in real-life and in movies, and it was in 1879 that the first English Rough Collie was imported to the USA, but it is the UK from whence the dog comes.

Not much is known about the Scoland Terrier. It is not a purebred but rather a crossbreed developed by crossing the Scottish Terrier with the Westland Terrier. To understand these mixed breeds, look to the original breeds for any combination of the characteristics of the breeds. The offspring of this crossing is not a 50-50 split of the original breeds looks or temperament.

Because the Scoland Terrier is a mix between the Scottie and the Westie he has all the characteristics of a typical terrier perhaps even twice as much. With both parents being terriers, you can expect your Scoland to act like a short legged terrier. These dogs are known for their courage and tenacity. Today these terriers are family companions. Most terriers today come from a pool of ancestral dog in the 19th century in Europe. This information was gleaned from a genetic analysis done in 2006.

The Scoland Terrier, being a hybrid, is not acknowledged by the American Kennel Club (AKC) or the United Kennel Club (UKC). It is acknowledged by the International Designer Canine Registry (IDCR), American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC), Dog Registry of America, Inc. (DRA), Designer Dogs Kennel Club (DDKC) and Designer Breed Registry (DBR).

The Rough Collie or Long-haired Collie is considered to be a medium to large sized dog with a long, double-layer coat.You’ll find the coat mainly as tri-colored – white, fawn and dark brown and black.

The Rough Collie stands at between 51 to 61cm in height and weighs between 18 and 30kg. The long, thin muzzled dog has semi erect, semi-floppy ears, sweet, gentle eyes and a long, plumed tail.

Temperament:

Rough collies are loving, gentle dogs who thrive on spending time with their human families. Their kindly nature makes them good therapy dogs.They don’t do well when left in the back yard on their own day after day. They’re social dogs who love playing with the children in the home and they get on well with other family pets.

The Rough Collie is highly intelligent and he is easy to train. With training and socialization he becomes so well behaved you can take him anywhere.

Being a hybrid, the Scoland Terrier will not always look alike and could look like a Scottie, a Westie or a combination of the two. Most breeders of this designer dog say it usually has a body like the Scottie and a round head like the Westie. They are more often black with white markings, but they can often be wheaten as well. With round dark eyes, a scissors bite and black nose, her face is unique. The breed has erect and small, triangular ears and a medium fluffy tale. The coat is hard and wiry, with a dense soft undercoat.

The Rough Collie is such an intelligent dog, but he is loving and devoted too. He can slot into life in the city or countryside because all he really wants is to be close to his human family.

Wherever you live with your Rough Collie though, he will need to be well exercised. He is sweet but slightly timid and will want to be with a family that isn't too noisy in terms of lots of shouting.

People who have had Collies say these dogs make he most awesome pets, and in the right environment these wonderful intelligent dogs will make splendidly loyal, loving pets and companions,

1.Children friendliness - they can be very good with children and children can help them get their exercise.

2.Special talents – digging and going to ground after rodents.

3.Adaptability - yes but she is adept at digging and must have a safe enclosure.

4.Learning ability – is high but she can be very stubborn.

The Rough Collie can reach 12 to 14 years of age with good care. There are always some health issues to be aware of such as hereditary eye diseases. Also, as with most larger breeds, hip dysplasia is always a concern.

Other illnesses to look out for include cancer, skin allergies, bloat and Grey Collie Syndrome. As a responsible dog owner, get your pet to the doctor when you notice a change in his behavior – tiredness, vomiting, lethargy, unusual lumps, swelling and a feeling of depression.

Gray Collie Syndrome:

This is a form of canine cyclic neutropenia which affects the Collie breed. There is a low concentration of neutrophils in the blood. It can be hereditary or it can develop because of a side effect of chemotherapy for instance. It is essentially caused by a defect in the bone marrow stem cells. Affected dog will always battle with gastrointestinal problems and infections of the eye.The life expectancy of a Collie with this ailment will be less than 3 years.

This hybrid dog can inherit any of the issues faced by its two parent breeds. For the Scoland Terrier this can include:

• Seborrhea – Skin disease that can cause dogs to scratch until bleeding and/or infected.

• Von Willebrand’s Disease – hereditary blood clotting disorder.
• Keratoconjuncticitis Sicca – the is dry eye.

• Carniomandibular Osteopathy -called lion’s jaw this is a developmental disease that causes extensive changes in the bones of the mandible and skull.

• Deafness

• Pulmonic Stenosis – when the blood flowing from the heart’s right ventricul to the pulmonary artery is blocked.

• Cataracts – can lead to blindness.
• Legg-Calve Perthes Disease – can cause limping and lead to lameness.

• PPM or Persistent Pupillary Membranes - causes visual impairment when the membranes do not dissolve after birth.

• Chronic Hepatitis – disease of the liver that can eventually cause major damage.

Your Rough Collie does shed so he will require a good brush twice a week. The long silky hair can matt so this grooming session will be important.

Exercise:

Your film-star collie is an active, athletic dog. He has always been used to herding sheep, and instinctively he wants to be active. His bright eyes are always alert to some action, and his exercise needs go beyond just allowing him to run around in your back yard.

He is the kind of dog that wants something more energetic such as going on hikes or long walks and running after sticks or balls on the beach.

Diet:

A Collie is an energetic dog and will require the best dog food there is. If you give him commercially manufactured food make sure it is the right food for his size, his breed and his energy levels.

To add some variety, feed him some home-made food occasionally which can be added to his dry kibble twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet. Try and feed him some raw meat occasionally. Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water for him.

1.Feeding the puppy - Give a high quality puppy dog food designed for terriers or active medium sized dogs. Give ¾ of a cup over 3 meals a day.

2.Feeding the adult – Give a high quality adult dog food designed for terriers or active medium sized dogs. Give one cup over two meals a day.

3.Points for Good Health - Stamina

4. Games and Exercises – The Scoland Terrier is a very active dog and needs daily exercise, He need time to play, run, and be stimulated by games. She would be very good at flyball, Frisbee, fetch, agility, barn hunt, and obedience. He needs at least 2 hours of play and exercise everyday.