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Collie Smooth 🐕

Collie Smooth

Herding Dog / FCI Group 1 · Purebred · The sleek, short-coated variety of the Collie — sharing the Rough Collie's exceptional intelligence, loyalty, and gentle temperament, with a much lower-maintenance coat

50–75 lbsWeight
22–26 inHeight
12–14 yrsLifespan
Medium–HighEnergy

🐾 Overview

The Collie Smooth is essentially a Rough Collie in a shorter coat — the two are considered varieties of the same breed by FCI and the UK Kennel Club, differing only in coat length. The Collie Smooth's coat lies flat and close to the body, with a denser, harder texture than the Rough's flowing mane, making it far easier to maintain while preserving all the same physical and temperamental qualities that have made Collies beloved worldwide.

Despite being the same breed in everything but coat, the Collie Smooth is significantly rarer than its long-coated counterpart. In the shadow of the Rough Collie's fame through Lassie, the Smooth has remained a more niche choice — appreciated by those who want Collie personality without the grooming demands. Historically, Collie Smooths were preferred by Scottish farmers for practical fieldwork since the shorter coat picked up less burrs and mud. Queen Victoria also kept Collie Smooths alongside her Rough Collies. FCI classifies both varieties in Group 1 (Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs).

📸 Photo Gallery

Real Collie Smooths — browse photos of this sleek and elegant Scottish herding breed.

😊 Temperament & Personality

The Collie Smooth shares the Rough Collie's core temperament traits: gentle, intelligent, loyal, and sensitive. The shorter coat does not alter their personality in any way.

  • Devoted and loyal — bonds deeply with family members
  • Gentle and sensitive — requires kind, positive handling
  • Highly intelligent — quick learner with excellent problem-solving ability
  • Excellent with children — patient and protective
  • Alert watchdog — will bark at approaching strangers but is not aggressive
  • Generally sociable with other dogs when well-socialized
  • Can be reserved or shy with strangers if not well-socialized from puppyhood

🏃 Exercise & Activity Needs

  • Daily exercise: 60–90 minutes — walks, runs, herding activities, agility
  • Thrives with access to outdoor space; well-suited to suburban and rural homes
  • Needs mental stimulation — puzzle toys, obedience training, and interactive play
  • Participates enthusiastically in herding trials, agility, and obedience competitions
  • Better suited to apartments than the Rough Collie (slightly less coat-related maintenance stress) but still needs significant daily exercise

✂️ Grooming & Coat Care

  • Short, dense, flat double coat — significantly easier to maintain than the Rough Collie
  • Brush weekly to remove loose fur; more frequently during heavy shedding seasons
  • Shedding is moderate year-round with two heavy seasonal shed periods
  • Bathe every 6–8 weeks or as needed
  • Trim nails every 3–4 weeks; clean ears monthly
  • One of the key advantages over the Rough Collie — significantly less grooming time required

🎓 Training

  • Highly trainable — same intelligence as the Rough Collie, responds excellently to positive reinforcement
  • Sensitive to corrections — firm but gentle training is always more effective
  • Early socialization is essential to prevent shyness
  • Can be vocal — early bark management is recommended
  • Excels in obedience, agility, herding, therapy, and search-and-rescue work

🏥 Health & Common Issues

The Collie Smooth shares all health characteristics with the Rough Collie, including the critical MDR1/ABCB1 drug sensitivity mutation. All Collie Smooth owners must know their dog's MDR1 status before any veterinary treatment.

MDR1/ABCB1 drug sensitivity Collie eye anomaly (CEA) Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Hip dysplasia Dermatomyositis
Average Lifespan
12–14 years
Size Category
Medium–Large · 50–75 lbs
Vet Visits
Annual wellness; MDR1 and eye testing
Pet Insurance
Recommended

🏠 Is a Collie Smooth Right for You?

The Collie Smooth is an excellent choice for anyone who loves the Collie temperament but wants less grooming. They are gentle, loyal, intelligent, and outstanding with families and children. Their rarity means finding a reputable breeder may take time and patience. Like all Collies, they require MDR1 testing, consistent exercise, and plenty of human companionship.

👶With Kids★★★★★
🐕With Dogs★★★★☆
🐈With Cats★★★☆☆
🏠Apartment★★★☆☆
🔰First-Time Owner★★★★☆
✂️Grooming Ease★★★★★

🐾 Related Breeds

🐕Rough Collie 🐕Border Collie 🐕Shetland Sheepdog

🍽️ How Much to Feed a Collie Smooth

Puppy (8–12 weeks)
3–4 meals/day
Puppy (3–6 months)
3 meals/day
Adult (1+ year)
2 meals/day
Senior (9+ years)
2 smaller meals/day

📏 Daily Portion Guide

50 lbs (less active)
2¼ cups/day
62 lbs (average)
2¾ cups/day
75 lbs (very active)
3¼ cups/day

✅ Best Foods for Collie Smooths

  • Medium-to-large breed formula with quality protein as the first ingredient
  • Omega-3 fatty acids support coat shine and skin health
  • Glucosamine and chondroitin from age 5+ for hip and joint support
  • Avoid overfeeding — maintain a lean, athletic body condition to support joint health
  • Fresh water always available; hydration supports kidney health in seniors

🚫 Dangerous Foods

ChocolateGrapes & RaisinsOnions & GarlicXylitolMacadamia NutsAlcoholAvocado

💡 Tip: Boarding your Collie Smooth?

Collie Smooths are sensitive and thrive with human interaction — choose a boarding facility that offers individual attention rather than kennel-only environments. Alert the facility to the MDR1 drug sensitivity and provide a list of safe and unsafe medications. Pack familiar items to ease any separation anxiety. The Collie Smooth's short coat makes them more comfortable in warmer boarding environments than their Rough Collie cousins.

💰 How Much Does a Collie Smooth Cost?

Reputable Breeder (US)
$1,000–$2,200
Show-quality / Champion lines
$2,200–$4,000
Rescue/Adoption
$200–$500
Availability ⚠️
Rare — waiting lists common; fewer breeders than Rough Collie

📅 Monthly Cost

Budget approximately $100–$180 per month for a Collie Smooth.

Food
$55–$85/month
Vet (annual)
$500–$800/year
Pet insurance
$30–$55/month
Grooming
Low — minimal professional grooming needed

🧬 Collie Smooth Mix Breeds

Collie Smooth mixes are rare given the breed's scarcity, but when they occur, they typically combine Collie intelligence with the traits of other working or companion breeds.

🐾 Collie Smooth × Labrador Retriever

An excellent family mix — the Labrador's outgoing, friendly temperament blended with the Collie Smooth's intelligence and sensitivity, producing a loyal, easy-to-train companion with a short, manageable coat.

Size
50–75 lbs
Energy
High
Shedding
Moderate
Price
Rare — varies

🐾 Collie Smooth × Border Collie

Two of Scotland's finest herding breeds combined — an intensely intelligent, energetic, and responsive mix best suited to experienced owners who can provide ample mental and physical stimulation.

Size
40–65 lbs
Energy
Very High
Shedding
Moderate
Price
Rare — varies

🎉 Amazing Facts About Collie Smooths

  • 🐕 The Collie Smooth and Rough Collie can be born in the same litter — coat length is determined by a single recessive gene. If both parents carry one copy of the short-coat gene, some puppies will be Collie Smooths and others will be Rough Collies. This genetic relationship means that Collie Smooths are genetically identical to Rough Collies in every way except the length-of-coat gene, and the two varieties are interbred regularly to maintain genetic diversity.
  • 📉 Despite sharing the same history, intelligence, and temperament as the world-famous Rough Collie/Lassie, the Collie Smooth is dramatically rarer — annual UK Kennel Club registrations for Collie Smooths are consistently among the lowest of any recognized breed, numbering in the low hundreds compared to thousands for Rough Collies. The breed's anonymity is largely attributed to Lassie — virtually all pop culture Collie imagery features the long-coated variety, leaving the Smooth largely unknown to the general public.
  • 🏅 The Collie Smooth was historically preferred by working Scottish farmers over the Rough Collie for practical reasons: the shorter coat picked up fewer burrs, dried faster after working in rain and wet heather, and was easier to check for ticks and skin conditions after a day's herding. The Rough Collie's glamorous appearance made it more attractive to show fanciers after Queen Victoria's endorsement, while the Smooth remained the unsung working dog of the Scottish hills.
  • 💊 Like all Collies, the Collie Smooth carries the MDR1/ABCB1 drug sensitivity mutation at high frequency — approximately 70% of Collies carry at least one copy of this mutation. The mutation causes extreme sensitivity to many common veterinary drugs including certain antiparasitic medications, anesthetics, and antidiarrheal drugs. The Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital developed the MDR1 genetic test, which is now widely available and should be performed on every Collie before any pharmacological treatment.
  • 🌍 Outside the UK, US, and Canada, the Collie Smooth is virtually unknown — even in countries with established dog breeding communities. This makes finding a reputable breeder a significant undertaking in most of the world, often requiring importation from the UK or a lengthy waiting list. For those willing to seek them out, the Collie Smooth represents one of the best-kept secrets in the dog world — all the Collie intelligence and loyalty with far less grooming commitment.

📋 Collie Smooth At a Glance

FCI Group
Group 1 — Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs
Origin
Scotland — same origin as Rough Collie
Vs. Rough Collie
Same breed, different coat gene — Smooth is rarer
Key Health Note
MDR1 drug sensitivity — test before treatment