Shetland Sheepdog vs Rough Collie – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Shetland Sheepdog vs Rough Collie" Compare Shetland Sheepdog and Rough Collie. Which is better: Shetland Sheepdog or Rough Collie?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Shetland Sheepdog	Rough Collie
Origins	Scotland	Scotland
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)
Popularity Rank	24	40
Reviews	6	5
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Other Names	Miniature Collie, Shetland Collie (obsolete), Dwarf Scotch Shepherd (obsolete), Toonie Dog (obsolete), Sheltie	Collie, Scottish Collie, Long-Haired Collie, English Collie, Lassie Dog
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1911 as a Herding breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885 as a Herding breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.	Recognized by FCI in the Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) group, in the Sheepdogs section.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club
Price	$800-$1000	$400-$600

General Appearance - Shetland Sheepdog vs Rough Collie

Size	Medium	Large
Weight	14-27 pounds (6-12 kg)	Male: 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg), Female: 53-65 pounds (24-29 kg)
Avg. Weight	20.5 pounds (9 kg)	Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 57.5 pounds (26 kg)
Height	13-16 inches (33-41 cm)	Male: 24–26 inch (60–66 cm), Female: 22–24 inch (55–61 cm)
Avg. Height	14.5 inches (37 cm)	Male: 25 inches (62.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (58.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Shetland Sheepdog vs Rough Collie

Coat	Dense	Rough Soft Thick Straight Harsh Furry
Colors	White Blue Merle Sable Tan Black	Black & White & Tan Blue & Merle Blue & Merle & White Sable Sable & White White White & Merle Merle
Grooming	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.
Shedding Level	Shetland Sheepdogs shed moderately.	Rough Collies are heavy shedders.

Characteristics - Shetland Sheepdog vs Rough Collie

Temperament	Affectionate Gentle Lively Responsive Friendly Intelligent Playful	Friendly Gentle Intelligent Loyal Protective Responsive Social Hard working Docile Obedient Elegant Herding
Intelligent Rank	Outstanding: Shetland Sheepdog is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Very smart: Rough Collie is an excellent dog breed.
Trainability	Shetland Sheepdogs are quite easy to train.	Rough Collies are very easy to train.
Playfulness	Shetland Sheepdogs, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Rough Collie is a playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	Shetland Sheepdogs don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	Rough Collies don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.
Affection Level	Shetland Sheepdogs are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Rough Collies are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Shetland Sheepdogs are a social breed.	Rough Collies need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	High: The Shetland Sheepdog is a very vocal breed.	Low to Average: The Rough Collie rarely barks.
Watchdog Ability	Shetland Sheepdogs are good watchdogs.	Rough Collies are one of the best watchdogs.
Territorial	Shetland Sheepdogs are extremely protective guard dogs.	Rough Collies are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Low The Shetland Sheepdog has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Rough Collie has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Shetland Sheepdogs have a low tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Rough Collies have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Shetland Sheepdogs tend to escape less than other breeds.	Rough Collies are not the biggest explorers.
Prey Drive	Shetland Sheepdogs have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.	Rough Collies have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Rough Collies are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.
Adaptability	Shetland Sheepdogs adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Rough Collies adapt well to lifestyle changes and different living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Shetland Sheepdogs do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	Rough Collies tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Shetland Sheepdog vs Rough Collie

Stranger Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Rough Collies are stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are kid-friendly dogs.	Rough Collies are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are very cat-friendly dogs.	Rough Collies are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are dog-friendly dogs.	Rough Collies are dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Shetland Sheepdog is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Rough Collie is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are usually recommended for elderly people.	Rough Collies are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Shetland Sheepdogs are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	Rough Collies are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	No Shetland Sheepdogs are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Rough Collies are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Yes A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Shetland Sheepdog breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Rough Collie breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Shetland Sheepdog vs Rough Collie

Health Issues	The Shetland Sheepdog is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Rough Collie is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Cancer Cataracts Collie Eye Anomaly Drug Sensitivity Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Haemophilia Heart Problems Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Patellar Luxation Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Trichiasis Von Willebrand's Disease	Collie Eye Anomaly Gray Collie Syndrome Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Drug Sensitivity Hip Dysplasia
Life Expectancy	12-14 years	14-16 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No
Energy Level	Shetland Sheepdogs have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Rough Collies have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.
Exercise Need	Shetland Sheepdogs have an average exercise need.	Rough Collies need quite a lot of exercise.
Sleeping Need	Shetland Sheepdogs are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Rough Collies sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.
Avg. daily food consumption	2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Average.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Shetland Sheepdog can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Rough Collie can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	Medium The Shetland Sheepdog has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Rough Collie has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Shetland Sheepdog is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Rough Collie is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Shetland Sheepdog vs Rough Collie

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	4-6 puppies	4-8 puppies
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Reviews

Rhonda
Feb 29, 2020, 6:20:42 PM:
The information on this site is clearly organized, comprehensive and very detailed. Thanks for answering all of my questions in one easy to read place.
Jackie
Aug 2, 2020, 9:52:26 PM:
so many things are conflicting..shetland sheepdog has high energy level, shetland sheepdog needs average exercise..rough collie has average energy level, rough collie needs lots of exercise and yes collies ARE barkers !