Rough Collie (Collie) vs Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)

A Rough Collie
Photo: Yasu w
A Shetland Sheepdog
Photo: ApiStart

Side by side

Rough Collie
Shetland Sheepdog
Adult weight
Males 20.5–29.5 kg (45–65 lb); females 18–25 kg (40–55 lb)1
Males 7–11 kg (15–24 lb); females 6–10 kg (13–22 lb) (breed club figure)2
Height
No sourced figure
Males 34.5–39.5 cm; females 33–38 cm (breed club figure)2
Lifespan
Median 13.3 years3
Median 13.4 years3
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes4
10 months, both sexes4
Group
Sheepdogs & cattledogs5
Sheepdogs & cattledogs6
Coat
Double coat5
Long coat6
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
A brush once a week
Daily brushing
Exercise
Plenty
Health
Blood-vessel cancer of the spleen (much more likely); Bone cancer (much more likely)7
Underactive thyroid (much more likely); Melanoma of the eye or eyelid (more likely)7,8
Class
Family
Companion

Which suits you

Size
The Rough Collie is far larger: about 23 kg (51 lb) as an adult, against 8.5 kg (19 lb) for the Shetland Sheepdog.
Grooming
The Shetland Sheepdog needs more grooming, daily brushing, where the Rough Collie needs a brush once a week.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Rough Collie: affectionate on its own terms; Shetland Sheepdog: a lap or leaning dog) and on intelligence (Rough Collie: learns readily, likes games; Shetland Sheepdog: needs daily brain work).
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

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.

Shetland Sheepdog
Sheepdogs & cattledogs · Small

Shelties learn quickly, respond well to handling and are closely attached to their own people, though they are often reserved with strangers.

The Rough Collie page →The Shetland Sheepdog page →

Breed traits

Day to day
Rough Collie
Shetland Sheepdog
Activity
Differs
A good daily walk and play
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Differs
Learns readily, likes games
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Differs
Needs steady training
Suits a first-time owner
With people
Rough Collie
Shetland Sheepdog
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
A lap or leaning dog
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
Rough Collie
Shetland Sheepdog
Sensitivity
Needs a calm, predictable home
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Very vocal
Very vocal
Prey drive
Differs
Usually fine with small pets
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour9. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home10,11.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes
The Rough Collie grows to the heavier adult, about 24 kg against the Shetland Sheepdog's 8.5 kg.
Rough Collie
Shetland Sheepdog
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More comparisons

Compare the Rough Collie with
Border Collie vs Rough Collie (Collie)Miniature American Shepherd vs Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)Australian Shepherd vs Rough Collie (Collie)Australian Shepherd vs Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)Border Collie vs Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie)Bohemian Shepherd vs Rough Collie (Collie)All breed comparisons →

Sources

Parts of this page were written by AI ·