You couldn't ask for a better pet for children than a Collie. Loving, loyal, patient and playful, Collies develop a special bond with children. We get many adults with families of their own who contact us looking for a collie, the beloved companion of their youth.

Our Recommendations:

We are cautious to sell Collies to families with children under 4 years old for two reasons. The first is that unless well supervised, the child can unintentionally hurt the dog. Collies rarely bite, but ear pulling, etc. can produce growling by the dog that may be misinterpreted by parents.  The second reason is that Collies have centuries of selective breeding behind them to develop their sense of herding. A three year old child running in the backyard may incite a collie to run after it nipping at the child's heels or pushing at the the backs of the knees with it's muzzle, causing the child to fall, as the dog "herds". By the time kids are 5 years old, they are taller than the dog and the dog recognizes the child as human, and in the alpha position. As long as the parents understand the dog's natural instincts, there shouldn't be a problem

For families with a hectic lifestyle, we recommend the Smooth Collie, as it takes very little time to groom. You may be more enamored of the glamorous Lassie-like Rough Collie, but think about how much time you have to keep it's coat clean and mat-free. There is nothing sadder looking than a Rough Collie with a matted, unkempt coat.

Although every dog has it's own unique personality, we usually recommend male collies for people with active children. The males tend to be goofier and more playful than the females and mature mentally at a slower rate. They are not dumber than females, they simply take longer to mature, which makes them a good playmates for kids. The females tend to be more regal, not quite as silly as the males, not as receptive to wrestling, etc.