Is It Easy to Care for A German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix?
Is It Easy to Care for A German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix?
A German Shepherd Rough Collie mix is also known as “Shollie”. Considered as a designer dog, Shollies have become popular with dog breeders in the last three decades.
It is a combination of two giant dogs so expect it to be tall and protective.
Despite its size, taking care of a Shollie is easy. Both of its parents are known to be intelligent. This breed is highly trainable.
You have to groom it once a week to keep its coat healthy. If someone has an allergy at home, a Shollie might not be good for you because it is not hypoallergenic according to Love Your Dog.
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About German Shepherds
German Shepherds are medium to large size dogs. They are known as ‘working dogs’ that originated from Germany. In the UK, it was called Alsatian according to Wikipedia.
It is categorized as a working dog because it is being trained to herd sheep, search and rescue, provide disability assistance, and for military and police roles.
About Rough Collies
Rough Collies are the long-haired type of Collie. Another type of Collie is the Smooth Collie. Wikipedia described it as a Collie with a shorter coat. Both breeds of Collies are trained to herd sheep in Scotland.
Rough Collies became popular after the famous movies of Lad and Lassie. Rough Collies are medium to large size dogs and are highly trainable.
The German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix
If you are looking for a fantastic herding dog, you can get a German Shepherd Rough Collie mix. Both parents of this breed are herding dogs. Collies are known to be the best herding dog in Scotland.
Rough Collies were imported from Scotland to the US in the early 1900s. Different breeders have tried to mix this breed with other dog breeds, producing a taller Rough Collie in the mid-1900s.
Still, it is not clear as to when Shollies started to appear or who did the first breeding of a German Shepherd and a Rough collie.
The German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix Weight and Size
You can expect an adult German Shepherd Rough Collie to weigh up to 95 pounds for a male and up to 80 pounds for a female.
It can grow up to 29 inches for a male and up to 25 inches for a female. It comes with a lifespan of up to 15 years.
The German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix Appearance and Grooming
The dominating colors of a Shollie are black, sable, blue, black white, black saddle, tan or brindle. Pure-bred Shollies can be bi-colors or tricolors.
The German Shepherd Rough Collie mix comes with a medium to long coat. The coat of Shollies is thicker than its parents.
They are known to shed moderately so you need to brush its coat once a day. Grooming once a week is highly recommended.
Bathing a Shollie depends on need. It is an active dog like its parents yet a once a month bath is enough to prevent skin dryness. Brush its teeth once a day too and check its nails regularly.
Always check its skin for redness or signs of rashes. Shollies have sensitive skin, and they easily develop skin infections especially when they stay outdoors all the time.
If you are planning to adopt a German Shepherd Rough Collie, get a vacuum too. This breed sheds regularly.
The German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix Personality
Husky Parents says that just like its parents, this designer dog is intelligent. It is also smart, easy to train, and smart. They develop a deep bond with their owners.
Coming from parents of herding dogs, Shollies are strong and powerful. They are alert too.
Collies are known for barking so you can expect a Shollie to be a barker too. They also bark if there is a potential threat around them. If you want a guard dog, get a German Shepherd Rough Collie mix.
For first-time dog parent, this medium to large size hybrid is not recommended. This type of dog and its personality is suited for seasoned breeders and dog-owners.
If you don’t love staying outdoors or taking walks, you shouldn’t get this very active dog too. Shollies are aggressive and very active that you cannot confine them indoor.
Do not leave a Shollie with kids or smaller pets. Their energetic nature can be dangerous sometimes.
The German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix Food
If you don’t want to give your dog raw food because you hate to prepare, you can use the list they provided as your guide.
You can feed your Shollies with foods that are highly recommended for its parent – the German Shepherd.
Being a large dog, Shollies needs to eat a lot. Its diet must consist of low carbs, protein, fats, vegetables, and meat.
Remember to watch out for the calories on the food you are giving and not the amount of food. You can a German Shepherd Rough Collie mix three times a day especially if you often do outdoor activities.
The German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix Health
Shollies love to stay in a cold environment. Don’t leave them outdoors especially if it is too hot. Give it water regularly.
The parent of Shollies, the German Shepherd is known for one condition as per huskyshepherd.com – hip dysplasia.
Shollies are at risk of developing hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia in their lifetime. To ensure that your Shollie is safe, ask your breeder for health guarantees.
Make sure that the German Shepherd parent is from a family that is free of dysplasia.
Obesity is also common among large dogs. Don’t give too much food to your Shollie even if it is begging. Avoid giving your pet food from your table.
Dogs don’t break sugar as humans do, hence when they eat anything sweet, it accumulates in their body, making dogs more prone to obesity. Obesity also increases the risk of developing dysplasia.
To reduce the risk of obesity and dysplasia, give your Shollies swimming lessons. Swimming will keep their joints stronger.
It will also remove the pressure from their joints. Too much joint pressure is the main cause of dysplasia among dogs.
German Shepherds cannot swim naturally but being an active dog, tractive.com says they love being in the waters too.
Also, allowing your dog to play outdoors, letting it run and jump can improve their health condition. Engage them in any physical activity, and they will surely enjoy it.
A German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix at Home
Shollies love playing around. Don’t let it sit for hours because it gets bored easily. When bored, it can tear anything on its path.
Once you take it out, you can expect it to sit around afterward. A German Shepherd Rough Collie mix also loves to go couch potato after a tiring day.
Even if they love staying outdoors, don’t leave a Shollie outdoors overnight. It is a working dog with a long and thick coat, but it doesn’t do well in a very cold environment.
At night, it still prefers to sleep indoors where it is warmer.
Training A German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix
Because of its intelligent heritage, this breed is easy to train. You should train your Shollie as early as possible.
When it is properly trained, it reduces its aggressive behavior and gets friendlier to kids and smaller animals.
Shollies easily pick a trick, especially when given a positive reinforcement such as treats. Remember not to give too many sweets though. They are prone to becoming obese.
Facts About the German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix
Before taking home a German Shepherd Rough Collie mix, here are some facts about this breed that you should be aware of:
- It is a loyal breed
- It loves to herd small animals and people
- It is easy to train
- It doesn’t bite unless it feels threatened
- It is playful
- It is an active breed
- It requires space so don’t get one if you are living in a small space like a condo
- It requires regular grooming
- It sheds every day
- It is not hypo-allergenic
- It comes with minimal health issues (obesity and dysplasia are among the few health issues associated with this breed)
What to Check from A German Shepherd Rough Collie Mix Breeder
If you are planning to get a German Shepherd Rough Collie mix from a breeder, you should do or check a few things.
- Pay your breeder a visit
- Ask for a tour to check where their dogs are staying or spending time
- Ask questions from the breeder
- Ask for a certificate that the hybrids’ parents are in a good health condition
- Ask for advice and tips about the dog you are about to adopt
- Ask for a vet referral. A good breeder must have a good relationship with veterinarians
- A good breeder should ask you about your capacity and ability to care for a dog
- A good breeder will do a background check before selling a pup to you
- Provides information about the puppy’s diet and vaccine history
Taking Care of a Shollie
Shollies provide a great company. If you are into hiking or jogging, you can bring your Shollie with you. It is an excellent family dog as well. It can guard your home and your family from any threats.
Being a large dog, thieves will think twice once they hear your Shollie’s bark. Above all, this is one of the few hybrids that doesn’t have any medical issues.
If you know how to care for your Shollie, you can enjoy a decade and a half with it without worrying about its health.
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