Collies

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The Collie breed had it's foundation in Ireland and Scotland well over a century ago.  Primarily known as a "herding breed", they were often touted as being capable of whatever type of work - sporting, guard, carriage, farm or flock - might be required.  Since it's inception, the breed has enjoyed a number of "heydays" beginning with it's popularizatin by Queen Victoris in the 1880's.  Albert Payson Terhune was an avid Collie fancier who authored many books and short stroies about his "Sunnybank Collies" in the 1920's and 30's.  One of those books, "Lad; A Dog" was later made into a motion picture. Erik Knight, a Collie owner who also had a talent for writing, authored a book titled "Lassie Come Home" in 1938.  That book was also made into a motion picture, and it's popularity spawned a TV series, as well as a cultural icon in the character of "Lassie" which continues to this day.  The popularity of "Lassie" is worldwide, and a sable and white rough coated Collie is often recognized on any sidewalk or park as a "Lassie dog".  Interestingly, tho, the breed also appears in other colours -- blue merle, which is a somewhat "marbled" black and grey-blue blending of colours; tri colour, which is primarily black with tan points; and white, which is primarily white with either sable (brown), tri, or blue merle markings.  The sable, tri and blue merle colours are always accompanied by varying degrees of white which typically occur on the neck, chest, legs, feet, and sometimes on the face, as well.  The breed also appears in two distinct varieties; rough coated (or long haired) and smooth coated (or short haired). All of the colour and both of the coat variations are typically interbred, as they all represent the one breed we call Collie