Rough Collies

Question
I am quite excited about getting a puppy come summer. So far, I think I really want to look into Rough Collies, although I  haven't met one. Is there a way to advertise to meet a Rough Collie? I live suburbs, Collies aren't very common.

Thanks for looking :)

Answer
Hi Carrie,

The Rough Collie is the more common of the two Scottish Collie breeds. It's the one that looks like Lassie.

Not knowing where you're located, I cant direct you to any specific breeders, but if you contact a breeder, you probably would be able to visit their kennel, and meet the breeding stock. To find a breeder that's near to where you live, try doing a google search for your state or town and the words "Collie Breeders".

The American Kennel Club has a local AKC club breeder referral on line that you can use to find a breeders near you:
http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm?action=search&pp_bvg=810

All pure bred dogs are prone to develop some diseases or conditions because of their close gene pools. While there is no guarantee that an individual dog will ever develop the conditions it's breed is prone to, it would be wise to investigate the Collie breed and know the possibilities. It also would be smart when buying a Collie puppy to know the breeding stock the puppy is descended from, and if the breed specific problems are in it's bloodline. Many respectable breeding kennels test do genetic testing of their dogs to ensure the health of the litters they produce. The health of the dogs used in breeding is something you should discuss if you can get out to visit a breeding kennel.

Diseases common the the Collie breed are:

Collie Eye Anomaly
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Canine Hip Dysplasia
Canine cyclic neutropenia
Hypothyroidism or Thyroid deficiency

Collie puppies should be screened at an early age by a certified veterinary ophthalmologist to check eye problems. It's impossible to know a puppy's health history when buying from a pet store. That is the single best reason to buy from a responsible breeder.

You should also be aware that a Collie needs a lot of exercise. Not providing enough exercise and mental stimulation in the way of daily opportunities to vent their energy and do interesting things will cause a Collie puppy to become become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by barking, destructive chewing, and other behavioral issues. This is not a breed that will be content to sit around with nothing to do.

I hope I've been a help.
Best of luck,

Patti