Collie vs Shetland Sheepdog

Collies are the quintessential extroverts. They are gregarious animals who seek companionship, love their families and are great with kids and babies. But jealous types, beware. While their love for you will be unwavering, they’ll happily spread that love to just about anyone they meet, be that strangers or other pets. Naturally, they don’t have high biting tendencies and aren’t known to be a particularly aggressive breed. Collies are also big fans of play, and many love nothing better than to speed around the yard chasing a ball or Frisbee. Yes, they are the ultimate teammate you’ve always dreamed about.

Fans of fun though they may be, Collies are not classified in the American Kennel Club’s Sporting Group but are instead members of the Herding Group (they were used for centuries to herd sheep on working farms). So, if you own livestock, or simply want to channel your inner sheep farmer, then a Collie might be just the dog breed for you. You might even find yourself competing in a herding event or two.

Because these dogs were born to have a job to do, they’ll get noisy when they’re lonely or bored. A tired Collie is a quiet Collie. If your pup is barking a lot (and there are no strangers lurking), it’s a sign your Collie may need more exercise and time with you. Take them on extra walks and play games with them to help release that extra energy.

Herding behaviors like heel nipping or bossiness can also be intimidating to children. Of course, every dog is an individual and not all Collies display these traits. But for many parents, these concerns are outweighed by the breed’s other kid-friendly traits. After all, Collies are great family dogs. It’s literally how they became so famous. Of course, it’s not only important to socialize and train all dogs, but pet parents should also teach children how to properly interact with dogs.

Collies have a low prey drive and are not typically used as hunting dogs, but they do perform a variety of other jobs. They’re popular as service dogs, partly because of their versatility, partly because they retain training so well and also because of their ability to adapt to a variety of living situations and the energy levels of their families. Collies are also used as therapy dogs. They really are a well-rounded dog.

The Sheltie dog is an affectionate, loving friend who just wants to play and make you happy. With a low prey drive, they’re great around cats or other pets, and they can be great with kids, especially their family’s young children. (Although you might catch them occasionally trying to affectionately “herd” the littles!) Some Shelties are less tolerant of strangers’ children, but this really varies from dog to dog.

Shelties can be cautious or shy around strangers, and a Sheltie who isn’t well-socialized as a puppy might nip or even bite at strangers if they feel overwhelmed, so early training is important. Remember that each dog is an individual. Some Shelties will be very tolerant and almost never nip at anyone. They do also have a tendency to sound the bark alarm to alert their family to anything that may be amiss, whether that’s an approaching stranger to the door or a rogue truck rolling down the street.

Shelties love to play and are quite intelligent, and the more time they have to burn off their high energy levels, the better. They love to have a home with yards or large spaces of land where they can run and play, but they can be just as happy in a smaller home too, as long as you take them on a walk or two every day.