Dogs are the greatest gift from nature to man and have always remained man’s closest animal companion.
However, the scotch shepherd is more unique in its brilliance, which makes them a great choice when it comes to assisting farmers in herding their sheep.
Brilliant enough to keep the sheep in line, for games, and also as a household pet, the scotch shepherd excels over many other dogs
To look at, the scotch shepherd dog has shorter hair than other collies.
This makes it less likely that their fur will get tangled in sticky shrubs and get filled with grass seeds or nasty burrs when they are running around the farm.
Scotch shepherds have a couple of strings to their bows but generally these are dogs who are at their best working on a farm with a farmer or a shepherd for that matter.
History of the Scotch Shepherd
The scotch shepherd dog, also called Scotch Collie, was originally bred for farm use.
This breed has its origins thousands of years ago- derived as they were from a mix of Roman Cattle dogs, Native Celtic dogs, and Viking Herding Spitzes.
The word ‘collie’ is used for dogs bred mainly for controlling sheep, which the scotch shepherd dog excels at.
And their great ability in doing this makes them a treasured possession on a farm.
But this breed can also multi task.
As well as herding sheep they can protect grain by hunting mice and rats in the barns and sheds.
The Scotch shepherd dog was illustrated in numerous paintings by several artists in the early 1800s and in the 1900s as a popular breed for entertainment.
Even though this wasn’t its niche, the scotch shepherd dog is brilliant enough to perform this role quite easily.
The scotch shepherd dog’s position as a farm dog remained unchanged until the modern era. It evolved from being farm herd drivers to a household pet.
The Scotch Shepherd’s Physical Traits
A mature scotch shepherd could grow up to 19 to 24 inches at shoulder level and weigh 40 to 70 pounds.
They possess long coats that need to be brushed often to prevent matting. Their eyes are almond-shaped, with their ears pricked a little bit, tipped, and the upper third folded over.
The scotch shepherd is highly energetic. It enjoys having room to run around, which is another reason they are great for farm use as they are not lazy.
What makes the Scotch Shepherd attractive
What makes this breed of dog attractive is its athletic build, hard work, brilliance, and independence in its working ability, making them natural herding dogs.
They can also be very vocal, which scares away predators.
Their natural hunting instincts and an ability to hunt and eradicate vermin that are pretty common to the farmyard also make them indispensable on the farm.
As cheerful and sensitive dogs, they are gentle and friendly with children as long as they are introduced to them at a tender age, most times when they are at the puppy stage.
They are great companions to be with, affectionate to their owners, and sensitive to their owner’s needs even when left alone by their owners.
A typical scotch shepherd has an attitude that is playful and curious at a younger phase. Most collie breeds are loyal and adorable. Like most dogs, when exposed to people, they tend to socialize more with people and become fond of people with time.
And if a purebred Scotch Collie sounds a little too boring for your tastes, then you will be pleased to know that they come in a variety of “flavours”.
And it is these flavours that we will look at in the next section, as I (briefly) highlight some of the best Scotch Shepherd mix breeds.
The Common Mixes of the Scotch Shepherd dogs
If you would like a Shepherd breed with a bit of a mix, then you are in luck because I have found over twenty different combinations.
But in this section I will just illustrate ten breeds..
- Borgi: a breed that takes the long and squat body shape of a Corgi, with a Collie coloring and big ears that makes its cheeky smile seem divine. A Borgi could grow up to 10 to 21 inches and weigh about 30 to 40 pounds.
- Border Jack: this breed is an energetic breed that might need a tough hand, unlike the dominant scotch shepherd dogs that don’t need much attention. This is because this breed has its trait from the Jack Russell parent, which has a load of energy.
- Border Springer: The aura of this breed melts even an assassin’s heart with its sweet face and large round eyes, a trait that comes from the springer breed. A border springer matched with a Collie will most likely inherit its coat but with a sparse thickness from a springer. But this mix will crave people’s attention, which points out that it should not be drawn back away from exposure.
- Borador: This mix is a cross of a Border Collie and Labrador retriever. Weighing between 40 to 70 pounds and measuring 20 to 23 inches. Its medium-length coat that is thick and dense makes it prone to shedding.
- Border Point: the border point is a mixed breed that needs intense exercise to make it less grumpy during the day. It measures up to 19 to 24 inches and weighs 60 pounds. It has an affectionate nature for its owner, and it’s up for at least a cuddle each day.
- Bordoodle: This regular mix is a crossbreed of a border collie and a standard poodle. A bordoodle is a curly-haired mix that takes the black and white colors of the Collie. Most times, it measures between 16 to 22 inches in height and weighing up to 65 pounds. A show of kindness and affection entices them to give you doggy doodle kisses and love; they are incredibly affectionate.
- Border staff: if you search for a collie with a sickly-sweet loving side, then the Border staff is the right pick. A Borderstaff measures up to 16 to 20 inches and is muscular in the physique. It has a short or medium coat, and its coat could take any dog color of its colorful Staffy parent.
- Border Schnollie is a mixed breed of Border collie and standard Schnauzer. This mix makes a perfect ranch assistant. This is due to the support of this breed’s enhanced eagerness to learn and work. The high-spirited nature that comes from the Schnauzer makes it an ideal watchdog also.
- Great border: this mix is the tallest on the list. Ever friendly and warm with families makes it likely protective of the estate and could be aloof with strangers. Although it is easy-going, its personality will require firm training due to its strength, intelligence, and energy. It needs around 60 minutes of exercise every day. This mix has a short and tight coat that is sleek and shiny, and other times slightly long if its Collie parent has a long coat. It weighs between 55 to 110 pounds and would grow at least up to 23 to 27 inches in height.
- A Collieweiler is a mix of Collie and Rottweiler, which is a canine option. This means this mix should have a ruthless trait to its makeup. It grows up to 20 to 25 inches in height and has a complete gene of stamina, energy, and power due to its mix. It benefits as its parent mix of herding gives it an edge over other mixes.
Conclusion
There is a fun fact that I find interesting about the Collie, and that is how a dog lives without needing a whip or reprimand to get in line. I found this quite odd, but I was corrected by a professor who said that to reprimand a collie, all you needed to do is to get a morsel of food.
There are so many species of dogs right now. Still, the Scottish shepherds have remained until yesterday the coolest and lovely dogs that will outlast man’s need for companionship.
