Croatian Sheepdog vs Australian Collie - Breed Comparison

Croatian Sheepdog vs Australian Collie - Breed ComparisonAustralian Collie is originated from Australia but Croatian Sheepdog is originated from Croatia. Australian Collie may grow 13 cm / 5 inches shorter than Croatian Sheepdog. Both Australian Collie and Croatian Sheepdog are having almost same weight. Australian Collie may live 3 years more than Croatian Sheepdog. Both Australian Collie and Croatian Sheepdog has same litter size. Both Australian Collie and Croatian Sheepdog requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Herding dogs
Herding dogs
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Australia
Croatia
Height Male:
36 - 40 cm
14 - 16 inches
40 - 53 cm
15 - 21 inches
Height Female:
36 - 40 cm
14 - 16 inches
40 - 53 cm
15 - 21 inches
Weight Male:
15 - 25 kg
33 - 56 pounds
13 - 20 kg
28 - 45 pounds
Weight Female:
15 - 25 kg
33 - 56 pounds
13 - 20 kg
28 - 45 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 18 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 6
4 - 6
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Australian Koolie, German Koolie, German Coolie
Hrvatski Ovkars
Colors Available:
red or blue patterned merle; some of them are born as one colored, usually red/chocolate or black. When they have two colors, they are red and white, black and white, black and tan, red and tan. Tricolor Collie is merle, with tan points and a white chest.
Black
Coat:
smooth and short or short and rough; double coated or single coated. Some of them have longer coat their legs or without.
Medium length, wavy or curly
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Social
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Outgoing, Playful, Responsive, Social
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

australian collieThe Koolie, as a breed we know today, originates from Australia. But, before they were breed and imported, they were the mix made of Britain smooth coated blue merle Collie and the Black and Tan Collie from the Highlands of Scotland. The Koolie came to Australia to work as a kennel dog since they are known as the working, farm dog that can adapt to any weather condition. They were bred to be agile and non-aggressive quiet herding dogs, and they have kept most of those good characteristics until today.

croatian sheepdogKnown also as Hrvatski Ovkars, the black Croatian Sheepdog has been in Croatia since the 7th century already. He was brought to the region by Croats who wanted a strong working dog.

Over the centuries, the dog hasn’t changed much in looks, and in 1935 a breeding program for the dog was developed. A certain Dr. Romic started the program with 3 dogs, and the work he did with the dogs saw that the Croatian Sheepdog got official recognition a few decades later.

In March 1968, the Yugoslav Kennel Club adopted the breed standard, and since then, several kennels recognize the Croatian Sheepdog. The dog is still not known particularly well outside their own county, but in Croatia it is essentially known as a companion dog.

Description

australian collie puppy - descriptionKoolie is a medium bred. Their head is small, with a pointy jaw. Ears are pricked, semi-dropped or dropped. Their coat can be smooth or rough, short or medium length, always with the undercoat. The colours can be Red or Blue Merle, solid Red or Black, sometimes with minimal white or cream speckles. They are usually two-coloured or tricoloured, but some of them are actually one-coloured.

Some Koolie have one or two blue, green or yellow eyes. Eye colour is, of course, affected by the gene that creates the coat pattern and eye colour as well.

They are athletic dogs, with fine bone structure but great stamina. Actually, they were breed to be like that – to work hard, be noticeable among the sheep, eat little and be loyal to one person.

croatian sheepdog puppy - descriptionThe Croatian Sheepdog is a medium sized, muscular dog which stands roughly 40 – 53cm at the withers and weighs 13 to 20kg. The head is wedge shaped and lean and he has brown to black colored eyes.

The triangular-shaped ears are medium sized and semi-erect or erect. The tail of the dog is often docked, but if not it is set high and is inclined to curl over the back.

The dog is nearly always black although you’ll find a few white hairs on the throat or chest or on the legs and toes. The double coat is of medium length, being wavy or even slightly curly.

Temperament:

The Croatian Sheepdog is an athletic, alert dog and he has high energy levels, loving to be put to work or to be busy with one or other activity. He fits in well as a family pet and gets on well with children and pets in the home, but he is going to need plenty of exercise and games.

This particular dog won’t do well with a family of couch potatoes as he craves lots of activities. He will certainly benefit from training and socialization, and because he is intelligent he learns easily and then he is obedient and ready to please.

He is a dominant, confident dog who thrives on attention from his human family. He isn’t a dog you can just stick in the backyard as he is social and craves activity and attention. He is wary of strangers and makes an excellent watchdog.

Characteristics

Around children

australian collie dog - characteristicsKoolie is naturally energetic, playful and affectionate so they are naturally very good to raise with children.

Special talents

They are known as great obedience dog. They are very famous as the tracking dogs.

Some of them are successful as the rescue dogs, therapy dogs or educators for school children.

Adaptability

This is not a type of dog that will be alone in the house, wait for you and then be quiet while you rest. They need a great deal of activity and they are not such great choice for indoor life anyways. The best thing for them would be the large yard, with somebody home most of the time. They are great if raised in a family, with children and active owners. They will be great for a loner at the farm as well since that is in their blood. They need enough place to run, chase, play, rest on the sun and be active as they please. They get affectionate towards their families, but they will be accepting their new home when they are older just fine.

Learning ability

They are very good at learning. Intelligent, yes, but yet very silly and playful to do what is told all the time. They will surprise you with how quickly they will pick up the new trick but not feeling like doing it every time you would like them to. Everything is a play for them, so it would be best if you know how to play, be affectionate and friendly to become a good owner of this breed.

croatian sheepdog dog - characteristicsThe Croatian Sheepdog isn’t a demanding dog, although he will be relying on you to give him plenty of exercise. He wants to please and will fit into life in the city or life in the country, so long as he gets regular exercise.

It doesn’t take much to keep the Croatian Sheepdog happy and content, and when he thrusts his wet nose into your hand and you see his wagging tail, you’ll know its all been worth it to give this pet the best as he gives you his undivided love and loyalty.

Health Problems

australian collie puppies - health problemsIf you are careful enough, you will choose your Koolie form patiently chosen breeders, after checking the health history of the pup and the pup’s family. Advisable is to do these things in person and never to buy a Koolie from a pet shop.

Sometimes, pups can be born blind or deaf pups. They have the great chance of joint problems because of their extreme activity. Their need to run, jump and play all the time may result in damage to cartilage and ligaments, especially since they are not aware of their age most of the time.

There is a chance that pup has skin allergies or immune system issues if they are growing on a farm near the chemicals used for plants, so be careful what kind of herbicide you use if you have a Collie.

In some rare cases, they suffer from seizers. If untreated, they can cause death. If you decide to take him to a regular vet check, you will have a happy and playful life together.

croatian sheepdog puppies - health problemsThe Croatian Sheepdog is a healthy dog breed. He is the kind of pet that won’t cost you a lot of money because he is low maintenance. In fact he is a dog which has developed resistance to many diseases.

With good food, exercise and love and care he won’t cost you much in terms of vet’s fees. He can live to be 12 to 15 years of age.

Even though he is a healthy kind of dog, there are some dog illnesses that you will want to be aware of such as bloat and eye problems. Also if you aren’t going to let him become a parent, then spaying or neutering your Croatian Shepherd will have numerous health benefits for him.

Caring The Pet

Feeding the puppy and adult

australian collie dogs - caringWhether you choose canned food or dry food, treats as biscuits or left-overs, the quantity is the safest way of keeping the balanced diet for your Collie. They like raw meat and raw bones. Make sure not to feed them with cooked bones because they can do more harm than good.

Grooming

Since Koolie coat can be very short with the undercoat or a bit longer with undercoat, bristle brushing every 3 or 4 days will be enough for them. Some of them like the water and some of them don’t and that is perfectly fine since there is no need for a regular bath.

Points for Good Health

Lots of activities and lots of love. They express their love all the time and you can learn a lot from them actually. They like raw bones and from-the-table delicious treats but make sure not to overfeed them.

The best type of activity

Games that need them to be fast and think quickly. Running with them, driving a bike with them (but not on the leash!) would be a great fun for them. Why not leash? They are so playful and happy and they tend to jump and run to the side to chase a butterfly or catch the falling leaf.

croatian sheepdog dogs - caringThe Croatian Sheepdog has always been a working dog and is regarded as a hardy, low maintenance dog. He will require minimal grooming so a good brush twice a week will suffice.

Diet:

There are excellent and convenient dog foods on the market which have been specifically manufactured to ensure your dog gets all the vitamins and minerals he needs for health and energy. Stick to the feeding instructions on the label so that he maintains his lean, muscular body.

Raw meat can be expensive, but it will be to his benefit if you can include some raw meat into his kibble every now and then. If you are unsure in any way as to how to feed your dog, your vet can give you good advice on a food that caters for his age and his activity levels. Always make sure that he has a fresh bowl of water available.

Comparison with other breeds

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  29. Australian Collie vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Australian Collie vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Australian Collie vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Australian Collie vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Australian Collie vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Australian Collie vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Australian Collie vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Australian Collie vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Australian Collie vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Australian Collie vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Australian Collie vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Australian Collie vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Australian Collie vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Australian Collie vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Australian Collie vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Australian Collie vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Australian Collie vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Australian Collie vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Australian Collie vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Australian Collie vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Australian Collie vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Australian Collie vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison