Australian Shepherd vs Rough Collie (Collie)

An Australian Shepherd
Photo: bantam10
A Rough Collie
Photo: Yasu w

Side by side

Australian Shepherd
Rough Collie
Adult weight
Males 23–29 kg (50–65 lb); females 18–25 kg (40–55 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 20.5–29.5 kg (45–65 lb); females 18–25 kg (40–55 lb)2
Height
Males 50.8–58.4 cm; females 45.7–53.3 cm (breed club figure)1
No sourced figure
Lifespan
Median 13.7 years3
Median 13.3 years3
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes4
Group
Sheepdogs & cattledogs5
Sheepdogs & cattledogs6
Coat
Coat of medium length5
Double coat6
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
A brush once a week
Exercise
Plenty
Health
No sourced figure
Blood-vessel cancer of the spleen (much more likely); Bone cancer (much more likely)7
Class
Sport
Family

Which suits you

Grooming
The Australian Shepherd needs more grooming, brushing a few times a week, where the Rough Collie needs a brush once a week.
Temperament
They differ most on intelligence (Australian Shepherd: needs daily brain work; Rough Collie: learns readily, likes games) and on handler demand (Australian Shepherd: needs an experienced owner; Rough Collie: needs steady training).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 24 kg (52 lb) for the Australian Shepherd and 23 kg (51 lb) for the Rough Collie.
Alike
Both are rated the same on independence: keen to work with you.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Australian Shepherd
Sheepdogs & cattledogs · Medium

In temperament the Australian Shepherd is quick to learn, energetic and keen to have a job, and it may be reserved with strangers while devoted to its own people.

Rough Collie
Sheepdogs & cattledogs · Medium

Rough Collies are gentle, affectionate and sensitive, attached to their household and often reserved with strangers. They are alert and readily bark at anything unusual.

The Australian Shepherd page →The Rough Collie page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Australian Shepherd
Rough Collie
Activity
Differs
Needs lots of exercise
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Differs
Needs daily brain work
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Needs an experienced owner
Needs steady training
With people
Australian Shepherd
Rough Collie
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Sticks close to its people
Sticks close to its people
Independence
Keen to work with you
Keen to work with you
Around the home
Australian Shepherd
Rough Collie
Sensitivity
Differs
Average
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Very vocal
Prey drive
Differs
Chases; needs managing
Usually fine with small pets
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour8. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home9,10.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
Both grow to much the same adult weight, about 24 kg.
Australian Shepherd
Rough Collie
01020302m4m6m9m12m18m
01020302m3m4m6m9m12m18m

More comparisons

Compare the Australian Shepherd with
Rough Collie (Collie) vs Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)Australian Shepherd vs Miniature American ShepherdAustralian Shepherd vs Border CollieAustralian Cattle Dog vs Australian ShepherdBorder Collie vs Rough Collie (Collie)Australian Shepherd vs Nova Scotia Duck Tolling RetrieverAll breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·