# What about a Rough Collie for the next dog?



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

D is doing well, Pano is over and the puppy itch is back. I hate it!!!! But I try to remain in control of this craziness. 
Does anyone of you have experience with the combination of A Rough Collie and a GSD?
D has a strong personality and I won't go into this before he is 2 years old. I do love the male dogs and was thinking about a low key male collie pup at that time. 
Any advice, experience besides telling me I should definitely get a female ?


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Collie's are my first love. I see no reason why you couldn't have both.


----------



## Amurphy26 (Jul 22, 2012)

I grew up with rough collies and wouldn't recommend them. They were very aloof, obedient but not a whole lot of fun. Definitely not a breed I would choose for a GSD. Border Collies have been great with our GSD. Fast, fun and really well behaved. Love those collies.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Mine were fun and anything but aloof. They thought they were lap dogs.


----------



## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

I actually haven't seen a lot of same-sex aggression in Rough Collies, although I am far from an expert on that breed and most of my very limited experience is with conformation or conformation/performance dogs, none of whom were exactly dynamos of intensity in any regard (although some of the confo/perf dual-purpose dogs were perfectly nice in the ring).


----------



## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

Anyway, I think my only actual advice if you were going to try that pairing would be to get a backup vacuum cleaner, and then get a backup for your backup. And then maybe a backup for that one.


----------



## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Merciel said:


> Anyway, I think my only actual advice if you were going to try that pairing would be to get a backup vacuum cleaner, and then get a backup for your backup. And then maybe a backup for that one.


BEST advice EVER!


----------



## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

I had a BC and a GSD at the same time. I was outsmarted at almost every juncture conceivable, but it was a fun battle. Rough Collies aren't quite as scheming and deviant as their cousins the Borders. They are tough as nails though, and great dogs. 

Question: Is your house zoned for industrial production? Because an inspector could make the case that a GSD and a roughie in the same house is indeed a dog fur production facility.


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

brembo said:


> Question: Is your house zoned for industrial production? Because an inspector could make the case that a GSD and a roughie in the same house is indeed a dog fur production facility.


Found a good way to deal with all that free floating hair: open up all the doors and the draft blows them outside, honestly true!


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Merciel said:


> I actually haven't seen a lot of same-sex aggression in Rough Collies, although I am far from an expert on that breed and most of my very limited experience is with conformation or conformation/performance dogs, none of whom were exactly dynamos of intensity in any regard (although some of the confo/perf dual-purpose dogs were perfectly nice in the ring).


I think a mellow male Collie will easily defer to the GSD, who will be an adult when that puppy shows/grows up.


----------



## Axel13 (Jun 23, 2014)

I have 5 dogs. 2 male Shepherds and 1 female, a female Border Collie and a male Sheltie. My males get on so well together. My 2 youngest play so nicely together even though Axel weighs over 100 pounds and Simba only weighs 17 pounds. My females are another story. They've growled at each other many times and have had 2 fights.

I think males are much more relaxed around each other. They seem to understand who is more dominant and the one time that my oldest male and my middle male have ever had a tiny scrap it was broken up with a firm 'no'. 

I think getting another male or a female will be just fine. It's 2 females in one house that can sometimes cause minor problems!


----------



## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

wolfy dog said:


> Does anyone of you have experience with the combination of A Rough Collie and a GSD?
> ?


Definitely get a female would be my suggestion......okay..couldn't help myself.

My Bro in law comes over all the time with 2 rough coat collies..a male and a female....I have an almost 2 year GSD bitch. My gal pretty much grew up with the 2 collies to date. Collies are as mellow as they come and might be a breed which I could claim as the polar opposite of a GSD..collies seem to be "easy" dogs to raise from pups...a lot less work than a GSD. 

Anyway, the coexistence of the 3 is really decent...I think the mellowness of collies really help take the edge of a driven GSD. The male collie and my pooch completely are civil to each other...whereas the female collie and my bitch did go through a pretty classic phase of establishing a pecking order of sorts...I eventually stepped in and took control...it was a good experience as it allowed me to enhance the pecking order overall. I'm a bit of a wuss when I see my dog and another getting to a certain point physically...many might say it's all fine but like I say...I just don't want it to escalate....perhaps this behavior might be because both females are intact or the old " same sex dogs tend to spar more"...who knows? This phase is history now, they are very civil to each other.

I also share a long run of fencing with my neighbors and they have 3 dogs..one is a something or other..the second is a other or something and the third is a beautiful male rough collie about the same age as my girl. The other two dogs are pretty psycho at the fence but the collie is laid back..and so is my dog with him...I at times say they are "star crossed lovers"..their fence behavior is so relaxed.

If I were to get another dog for my girl...I'd get another GSD BUT...I could be persuaded to get a regal male rough coated collie.

All my opinion based on limited exposure to the 2 breeds coexisting.

SuperG


----------



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Axel13 said:


> I think males are much more relaxed around each other. They seem to understand who is more dominant and the one time that my oldest male and my middle male have ever had a tiny scrap it was broken up with a firm 'no'.


That is my experience as well, as long as their ranks are not equal. I am sure it is not difficult to find a soft Collie male.


----------

