Breed History
The early history of the Collie is unrecorded, and almost nothing is known of its origins or how it received its name....
The dog is thought to have existed in Scotland and northern England for many centuries, helping rural shepherds bring their sheep and cattle to market. The dogs forebears were probably the same as those of the Border Collie, and both dogs are thought to have evolved from more ancient Scottish shepherding dogs. The name Collie derives either from the old Scotch Gaelic word col, meaning black, or another old Gaelic word meaning useful. The Collies background as the common mans shepherd kept it out of the historical record until the late 18th and early 19th century. Around that time, the Collie caught the eye of dog fanciers and much effort was made to refine the breed. Further renown came to the Collie in 1860, when Queen Victoria adopted one. Subsequent breeding culminated in a rough coated Collie named Old Cockie, born in 1867, who is credited with setting the standard for the modern Collie, both in form and color. By that time the Collie had been imported to America, and on both sides of the Atlantic the dog was cherished by shepherd and aristocrat alike.American Kennel Club recognition came in 1885; the Collie breed standard was written up in 1886, and remains unchanged today. Albert Payson Terhune is credited with first popularizing the Collie in fiction, writing several books that featured Collies prominently. Even greater popularity came with the advent of the popular television show, Lassie, which propelled the Collie to the highest echelons of American popularity.