Rough Collie Training

The Rough Collie is a fabulous family dog. They are loving, calm, and very smart. The Rough Collie does not need lots of exercise, and on wet days they are more than happy with a quick walk. They can then spend the rest of the day snoozing or pottering around the home. As they’re such an intelligent dog, Rough Collie training is often a breeze!

Rough Collie puppies are a delight. They are inquisitive and intelligent, which makes Rough Collie training really easy. Housetraining is usually an easy task to tick off the list, especially if you choose a puppy from a reputable breeder who has raised the puppy in a home environment.  Rough Collies need lots of desensitisation and socialisation from a young age, especially becoming accustomed to noises as their hearing is so acute that they can easily become startled by unfamiliar noises. They soon get used to the normal household sounds like the washing machine, hairdryer, and vacuum cleaner, but they may always be anxious when there are fireworks around.

Rough collies have little quirks that seem to be common to the breed. Lying in doorways, stretching out with their back legs trailing out behind them, crossing their front paws. Lifting their lips to smile ( which some people fear at first thinking the dog is showing his teeth), and air biting. High pitched wining when excited. Pushing their head under your arm and leaning onto their human to make close contact. They can all be highly endearing traits!

rough collie training

Rough Collie Training And Breed: Things To Consider

If the Rough Collie lacks socialisation and has been reared in a kennel environment, they will need to catch up when they leave. As long as the puppy arrives in its new home at 8 weeks, it is possible to catch up with socialisation that has been missed. In these cases, the window between 8 and 12 weeks is very important and putting hard work and time in during this period will pay off.

Rough collies do not need hours of grooming. As long as it is kept on top of, a 10-minute session every other day is more than enough. They do not need to be bathed often. After a muddy walk, a quick rinse of dirty legs is usually enough.

Rough collies do moult. It is usually just once a year, but at that time they do lose a lot of hair. It may be a good idea to get your dog professionally groomed at this time as dog groomers have high power dog dryers so they can get all of the loose hair out for you.

Rough collies can come with a few health issues but there are tests available. Most breeders health test the parents and the puppies. Some of the tests cannot be done until the puppy is a year old, so the breeder can’t do all of the tests. As long as the parents have good results, the risk you would be taking is calculated but can never be guaranteed. Some common health complaints include eye defects, MDR1 gene, and hip and elbow dysplasia.

Rough collies do not generally pull on the lead and learn the basic obedience commands very easily. They are good with children and other animals.

Rough Collies: Top 8 Tips

Buy your puppy from a breeder who raises their puppies in the home. Ask to meet the mother.

Ask to see health test results for parents and the puppy.

Rough collies come in three colours, so check these out and choose the colour that appeals to you most.

Get your puppy used to grooming from the start. A quick brush every day with the puppy standing on a table with lots of treats will be a good way to train your puppy to enjoy this important task.

Rough collies are sensitive and respond well to pause. They hate shouting or roughhousing. For the best results, Rough Collie training should use positive training methods and not corrections.

Rough Collies have a beautiful ruff around their necks, which can be damaged if you let them wear a collar all the time. Make sure your dog is microchipped and then use a collar with an ID tag when on walks. Remove this when at home.

You should get your puppy used to car travel from an early age. Rough Collies love car travel and usually go to sleep within 5 minutes. They may not wake up until you reach your destination!

If your Rough Collie gets very wet on a walk, dry them thoroughly to avoid hot spots.

rough collie

Are you looking for help with your Rough Collie training? At Royvon, we love working with this family-friendly breed! We offer many different training options. So, there is sure to be one to suit you and your furry friend the best. Please get in touch today to find out more about what we offer.

Do you want to learn more about different dog breeds? We think you’d also enjoy this post about Jack Russell Terriers!