Rough Collies have a long pointed nose, a big fluffy mane like a lion's and a coat made for blowing in the wind. Most people know the breed from one very famous dog: Lassie.
Rough Collies started out herding sheep in the hills of Scotland. Queen Victoria fell in love with them while staying at her Scottish castle, Balmoral, and soon everyone wanted one. Then in 1943 the film Lassie Come Home made the breed famous all over the world. Here's a fun surprise: Lassie is a girl in the story, but she was played by a boy dog named Pal, and his great-grandpups kept playing Lassie for years afterwards.
Sadly, Rough Collies are much rarer than they used to be, as more families choose other breeds these days.
The most common Rough Collie is sable and white, which means a golden brown coat with a white collar, chest, legs and tail tip. They also come in tricolor (black, white and tan) and blue merle, a silvery grey marbled with black. Color the mane with long strokes going outward from the face so it looks thick and fluffy, and leave the white collar mostly bare so it stands out.
