It’s never easy being upstaged by a glamorous relative. The smooth collie’s dip in popularity is often attributed to the enduring appeal of its more flamboyant counterpart — the rough collie, made famous by Lassie .

As Country Life’s Kennel Notes observed back in 1910: ‘Possibly the fact that he has no rough coat to hide any imperfections of form makes breeders disinclined to take the trouble necessary to get a good one... Or it may be that the market is more restricted among the general public, who are led away by the taking jacket of his more widely sought-after brother.’

Yet in terms of temperament, the two breeds are almost identical. Both are friendly, intelligent, active, and trace their lineage back to the working dogs of Scottish shepherds — the name collie is thought to de

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