Smooth Collie Dog Breed Information

The Smooth Collie is the short-coated half of the Lassie breed, registered under NZKC, the UK Kennel Club and the FCI as the same breed as the Rough Collie with two coat varieties allowed. Same temperament, same size, same MDR1 drug-sensitivity risk, a fraction of the grooming load. The trade-off most NZ buyers face is availability: registered Smooth breeders are rare here, and the Rough Collie’s film-driven popularity eclipsed the Smooth in the show ring decades ago. If you can find a Smooth puppy in NZ you usually wait for it.

Adults stand 51 to 61 cm at the shoulder and weigh 23 to 34 kg, with males consistently heavier than females. The double coat has a short, dense, flat outer layer over a soft undercoat. Sable-and-white is the most familiar Lassie colouring, also seen in tricolour, blue merle and (less commonly) white. The head is the breed’s signature feature: a long, lean muzzle and a flat, smooth skull, with small ears tipping forward at the points. The Smooth’s outline is identical to the Rough Collie’s; only the coat differs.

Personality and behaviour

Smooth Collies are sweet-natured, sensitive and bonded to family. They are famously patient with children, biddable to a calm handler and reserved with strangers without being aggressive. Well-socialised adults greet visitors politely; poorly socialised adults bark at the door and run the back fence at passing dogs. The breed standard rewards a “kindly” temperament, and most NZ Collie owners describe the daily experience as “thoughtful” rather than “high drive”. The Smooth is occasionally described as slightly more outgoing than the Rough, although individual variation outweighs the coat-variety effect.

Two traits surprise new owners. The first is sensitivity. Harsh corrections, raised voices and rough handling produce a withdrawn, anxious adult. The breed responds dramatically better to clear, calm, reward-based training; this is not a dog you can shout at. The second is barking. Smooth Collies are vocal, especially in adolescence and when bored, and “alert barking” at the front fence is the most common reason NZ trainers see the breed. Early structured socialisation is the practical fix, paired with daily mental work.

The breed is calmer indoors than a Border Collie or a Sheltie. Adults settle quickly after exercise and spend most of the day lying near the family. They are not natural guard dogs, despite the size; the breed standard rewards friendliness with the family rather than territorial defence.

Care and exercise

Plan on 60 minutes of structured exercise per day, split into two outings. The breed enjoys long walks, hill hikes, fetch and herding-style training; agility, obedience and trick work all suit the breed and channel the working brain. Two stimulating sessions beat one long aimless wander.

The short outer coat is the headline practical difference from the Rough Collie. Once-a-week brushing is enough most of the year, two to three times a week through the three to four week coat blow each spring and autumn. There is no mat risk behind the ears, on the britches or around the elbows; loose hair pulls free easily with a slicker brush or rubber curry. A high-velocity dryer once a month removes most of the seasonal undercoat in ten minutes. Bathing every eight to ten weeks is enough. The Smooth still sheds steadily year-round; this is not a low-shedding breed, but the volume per session and the time-per-week investment are both substantially lower than for the Rough.

The MDR1 drug-sensitivity gene is the most important NZ-specific health note for the breed and applies identically to Smooth and Rough Collies. The mutation is common enough that breed clubs treat DNA testing as routine; a positive dog reacts dangerously to ivermectin, loperamide, butorphanol, acepromazine and a list of other drugs your vet may otherwise prescribe without thinking. NZ owners can test through Massey University and most major vet labs for around NZ$70 to NZ$120 per dog. Print the result and tape it inside the front cover of the dog’s vet record.

Diet is moderate for the size. Adults stay lean on 300 to 450 g of quality dry food per day, split into two meals. Across NZ, the Smooth Collie is comfortable in Wellington, Christchurch, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. Auckland and Northland summers are workable with aircon, deep shade and timed walks (before 8 am, after 7 pm in January and February). The breed handles cold easily; a frosty Otago morning is closer to the original Scottish climate than any North Island setting.

Three paths exist for finding a Smooth Collie in New Zealand, all of them slower than for the Rough. Registered Dogs NZ breeders work in small numbers, mostly through the Rough Collie Association of NZ which covers both coat varieties; expect to register interest and wait 12 to 24 months for a Smooth puppy. NZ$2,000 to NZ$3,500 per puppy is the typical range, with parent health screening (hip scores, CEA DNA, MDR1 DNA, PRA DNA, eye certificates). The Association is the practical starting point. Breed-specific rescue is rare in NZ. SPCA NZ very occasionally takes in a Collie of either coat type; the dog is usually labelled simply “Collie” or “Lassie cross” on intake. If you would prefer a long-coated Lassie type, the Rough Collie page covers the same breed with the show-ring coat. Avoid Trade Me listings without registration papers and any breeder who cannot share full health-test results, particularly MDR1.