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Animal register · DogIn the app

Rough Collie

Collie, Collie (Rough), Long-haired Collie

The Rough Collie is a large pastoral dog from Great Britain. The FCI standard describes a dog of great beauty, standing with impassive dignity, with a friendly disposition and no trace of nervousness or aggressiveness, a very dense coat with a straight, harsh outer coat, and three colours: sable, tricolour and blue merle. The Royal Kennel Club standard calls it a great companion dog, friendly, happy and active, good with children and other dogs, and puts the height at 56–61 cm for dogs and 51–56 cm for bitches. The Royal Kennel Club places the breed in Breed Watch Category 2 and does not register puppies from merle-to-merle matings.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends up to 1 hour of exercise a day and grooming every day, says the breed sheds and gives its lifespan as over 12 years. PetMD says Collies are affectionate, especially with children, and good with other animals, but do not do well by themselves for long periods of time and may nip at ankles and heels when excited. It also notes that puppy socialization is crucial and that the MDR1 mutation, which affects how a dog processes certain drugs, occurs in Collies.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Rough Collie — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
large — The Royal Kennel Club S365
Adult weight
males 27.2–34 kg, females 22.7–29.5 kg — American Kennel Club S367
Daily exercise
up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S365
Brushing
every day — The Royal Kennel Club S365
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S365
Lifespan
more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S365

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • may “herd” children at playS368
  • needs brushing several times a weekS365S368
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS368
  • shedsS365

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S365

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S365
  • Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S365
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S365

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S365

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 15–18 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S365
  • Height at the withers: males 56–61 cm, females 51–56 cm — FCI S364
  • Adult weight: males 27.2–34 kg, females 22.7–29.5 kg — American Kennel Club S367

Training

  • No. 16 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 156, group 1 (sheepdogs and cattle dogs); origin: Great Britain. — FCI S363

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Rough Collie need?

According to our sources, the Rough Collie needs this much exercise: up to 1 hour a day — The Royal Kennel Club S365.

How long does a Rough Collie live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Rough Collie is: more than 12 years — The Royal Kennel Club S365.

How big does a Rough Collie get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Rough Collie, according to our sources: Size: large — The Royal Kennel Club S365; Adult weight: males 27.2–34 kg, females 22.7–29.5 kg — American Kennel Club S367.

How much grooming does a Rough Collie need?

Coat and grooming of the Rough Collie, according to our sources: Brushing: every day — The Royal Kennel Club S365; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S365; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S365.

Who is the Rough Collie a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Rough Collie as a good fit for: families with children — The Royal Kennel Club, PetMD S366S368; homes with other pets — The Royal Kennel Club, PetMD S366S368. Keep in mind: may “herd” children at play — PetMD S368; needs brushing several times a week — The Royal Kennel Club, PetMD S365S368; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PetMD S368; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S365.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 6,000 from month 6
Young dogmonth 926,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)26,000 steps
Seniormonth 108 (9 years)24,500 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 1 hour, so 6,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.5× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 108 (9 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing 7 times a week.
  • Care: trimming the nails every 2 weeks — a task for the child.
  • Care: a bath every 4 weeks — a reminder for the parent.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S365S368

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Inherited eye diseases occur in the breed: collie eye anomaly, an abnormality at the back of the eye, and progressive retinal atrophy, which can slowly lead to blindness; eye testing and DNA tests are available. — The Royal Kennel Club S365
  • Some dogs of the breed have an inherited sensitivity to certain medicines (multi-drug sensitivity, MDR1) — if your dog is affected, tell your vet. — PetMD S368
  • Degenerative myelopathy, a disease of the spinal cord that slowly weakens the back legs, occurs in the breed; a DNA test is available. — The Royal Kennel Club S365
  • Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — The Royal Kennel Club S365

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S365
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S365

Further tests for best practice

  • DNA test for collie eye anomaly (CEA/CH) — The Royal Kennel Club S365
  • DNA test for degenerative myelopathy (DM) — The Royal Kennel Club S365
  • DNA test for multi-drug sensitivity (MDR1) — The Royal Kennel Club S365
  • DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-rcd2) — The Royal Kennel Club S365

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S363FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — COLLIE ROUGH (156)https://fci.be/en/nomenclature/COLLIE-ROUGH-156.html
  11. S364FCI — FCI-Standard N° 156 Collie Rough (PDF, English; official valid standard 08.09.2026)https://fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/156g01-en.pdf
  12. S365The Royal Kennel Club — Collie (Rough) — breed information page (older address)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=5119
  13. S366The Royal Kennel Club — Collie (Rough) — breed standardhttps://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/breed-standards/pastoral/collie-rough
  14. S367American Kennel Club — Official Standard of the Collie (Rough and Smooth; approved May 10, 1977) (PDF)https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Collie.pdf
  15. S368PetMD — Collie Dog Breed Health and Care (published Sep. 26, 2022)https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/collie
  16. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  17. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  18. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  19. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  20. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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