Rough Collie

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Rough Collie

Lassie is one of the most famous dogs in Hollywood. This lovable dog is the creation of Eric Knight back in 1940s, first mentioned in the novel Lassie comes home. MGM then turned the novel into a movie, staring a Rough Collie named Pal. Pal appeared as lassie in 6 other films featuring the Lassie story line. The Lassie series basically revolved around the adventures the dog and her owners faced. Rudd Weatherwax, Pal’s trainer and owner, obtained the Lassie trademark and name from MGM. He appeared alongside Pal, as "Lassie", during events like fairs and rodeos across America during the1950s.

The Lassie television series debuted in 1954 and over 19 years, Pal and his descendants appeared and played the loveable dog character. Besides the television series and movies, Lassie has also appeared in toys, radio shows, juvenile novels, animated series, and even comic books. To this day, Pal’s descendants continue playing Lassie’s character in movies and television.

Rough Collies are wonderful dogs. They are known for their ability to heard sheep, work in farms and protect the territory. These natural sheepdogs have long rough coats that come in many different colors. Despite being long, their fur is easy to take care of, with a bath 3 to 4 times a month enough to keep it clean. They also have a long snout and sharp looking eyes.

As you probably guessed, these dogs are incredibly easy to train, with some owners reporting success after just 2 repetitions of a trick! They are also intelligent, patient and protective, making them great family dogs. Rough Collies are generally healthy and resilient dogs. However, they do have a few genetic illnesses that could develop when they are older. A common illness that strikes these dogs is CEA or Collie Eye Anomaly, an improper eye development which usually ends in blindness.

Rough Collie Pictures