Originating in the 19th century,[1] the breed is now well known through the stories of author Albert Payson Terhune about his dog Lad, and later with Eric Knight's character of Lassie and her novels, movies, and television shows.

Rough Collies closely resemble the smaller Shetland Sheepdogs or "Shelties", but the two breeds do not have an exclusive linear relationship.

Both Rough and Smooth collies are descended from a localised variety of herding dog originating in Scotland and Wales.

[2] The Scottish variety was a large, strong, aggressive dog, bred to herd highland sheep.

When Queen Victoria acquired a Rough Collie, after seeing one at Balmoral Castle, they were transformed into something of a fashion item.

The dogs were bred with great care in order to assist their masters in the herding and guarding of their flock.

Without a doubt, it is to the English fancy of the late 1800s that the breed owes its development as a popular show dog.

It is from England that we find the famous pillars of the breed, from which the American fanciers sought not only their next big winner, but also their foundation stock.

These dogs built the foundations upon which the present day Rough Collie is based and paved the way for the emergence of the great American kennels of the 1920s and 1930sRecognized colours include:

[5] The downy undercoat is covered by a long, dense, coarse outer coat with a notable ruff around the neck, feathers about the legs, a petticoat on the abdomen, and a frill on the hindquarters.

[2][7] This is light in relation to the rest of the body, and resembles a blunted wedge tapering smoothly from ears to black nose, with a distinct stop and parallel head planes.

Rough Collies are very loyal and may be one-family dogs (although most make exceptions for children), but are very rarely aggressive or protective beyond barking and providing a visual deterrent.

CEA is so prevalent that elimination of affected dogs except through very slow and careful breeding decisions to avoid shrinking the gene pool more than absolutely necessary.

Rough Collie puppies should be screened at an early age (6–8 weeks) by a certified veterinary ophthalmologist to check for CEA.

Because no DNA tests exist for these disorders (and all can have causes other than genetic origins), breeders can only do their best to avoid producing them by removing affected dogs from the gene pool.

Ulcerative dermatosis of Shetland sheepdog and rough collie (UDSSC) is a disease that is believed to be a vesicular variant of discoid lupus erythematosus.

The dogs were bred with great care in order to assist their masters in the herding and guarding of their flock.

Collies are capable of being keen herders while remaining sensible, flexible family companions, whether as working dogs on a ranch or farm or helping out a suburban owner who keeps a few sheep, goats, or ducks as a hobby.

Participation in herding helps preserve the special heritage of the Collie and opens up new opportunities for owner and dog.

It is designed to show whether or not a Collie, who may have never had any exposure to livestock, still has the natural instinct to perform the function for which the breed was initially created.

[15] Rough Collies can compete in dog agility trials, obedience, conformation, flyball, tracking, and herding events.