Thanks Cassiesmom,

First... Collies and shelties are very different. I know to alot of people they look very similar other than size... but there are a lot of differences. Shelties are not miniature Collies, they are a completely different breed.

Obviously there is the size difference. Collies are supposed to be males 24-26" tall and females 22-24" tall. Shelties are supposed to be 13-16" tall I believe??? but Sheltie are disqualified for being under or over sized in the show ring.. where are Collies are not..

The biggest difference to me (and I do not own shelties, but there are several that live on the property - not mine.. hard to explain) but the biggest difference to me is their temperament. I am trying to word this the right way because I don't want to offend anyone.. because I am NOT trying to say anything negative about shelties, they are a great breed and beautiful dogs.. just not for me. I guess overall Collies are more mellow.. though again I have a couple that would be bouncing off the walls if they were left inside with little exercise throughout the day... so they are still very active. Shelties are more excitable (based on the ones I have known and I have known A LOT).. and IMO are a bit more barky, though my Collies do their fair share of barking. I don't know, its hard to explain, but once you are around both breeds for a while it is so easy to notice how different they really are.

Also.. Collies come in 2 coat varieities (rough and smooth) and 4 colors - Sable, Tri-Color, Blue Merle and Color Headed Whites. Shelties obviously don't come smooth coated, and along with the 4 colors Collies come in, shelties also come in Bi-Blue and Bi-Black (Blue merle and white or black and white with no tan points).. Color headed white Collies can be shown, Color headed white shelties cannot.

Both are very smart dogs that are easily trained and great family dogs...

As far as your other question... typically when a person says they have a Collie they are talking about Rough or Smooth Collies. Aiden and Andy are Rough Colliess. The AKC registers Rough and smooth Collies just as Collies. On their papers it does not say the coat varieity (rough or smooth). Rough and Smooths are just different varieties of the same breed... Roughs and Smooths can be bred together. I will post pics of some of my other dogs both roughs and smooths.

I have only ever known a handful of border collies and bearded collies, but they are both a completely different breed from collies (rough and smooth)..they all have their own distinct temperament... all are herding breeds that originated in scotland and/or northern england.

Here are some pics of some of my dogs:


This is Paris - CH Spiritwind Barely An Angel. My smooth sable Collie. Her mother is a rough coat her sire is a smooth coat.


This is Kelsey - Spiritwind Ain't No Angel. She is a rough tri-color, and she is also Paris' litter sister. She is also the mother of Aiden and Andy.


This is Lucy - ptd. Spiritwind Rumor Has It - a smooth tri-color. Sire is a smooth dam is a rough. Pictured at just 4 months old.


And last but not least this is Angie, a rough blue merle - who is the mother of Paris and Kelsey. Her sire was a smooth tri-color her dam was a rough blue.