Rough Collie vs Pachon Navarro - Breed Comparison

Many people have seen the movie ‘Lassie’, and of course this movie made the Collie popular and famous.

Apart from the Rough Collie, you also get the Smooth Collie. The Rough Collie’s origins start in the 1800’s in Scotland and Wales but unfortunately, the Rough Collie's exact origins are shrouded in lack of information.

These dogs were used as herding dogs in real-life and in movies, and it was in 1879 that the first English Rough Collie was imported to the USA, but it is the UK from whence the dog comes.

Known also as the Navarra Pointer, this is a Spanish hunting dog native to Navarre, Spain and descended from the extinct Old Spanish Pointer.

Major kennel clubs don’t recognize this dog as a standardized breed, but the Spanish Kennel Club has accepted the Pachón Navarro as a breed.

It is believed that this dog has also descended from other hounds as well as the Talbot hounds. It isn’t a new breed as it is thought that the dog originated in the 12th century already. There were times when the dog almost became extinct but efforts to preserve it have been made and to also establish it as a standardized breed.

The Rough Collie or Long-haired Collie is considered to be a medium to large sized dog with a long, double-layer coat.You’ll find the coat mainly as tri-colored – white, fawn and dark brown and black.

The Rough Collie stands at between 51 to 61cm in height and weighs between 18 and 30kg. The long, thin muzzled dog has semi erect, semi-floppy ears, sweet, gentle eyes and a long, plumed tail.

Temperament:

Rough collies are loving, gentle dogs who thrive on spending time with their human families. Their kindly nature makes them good therapy dogs.They don’t do well when left in the back yard on their own day after day. They’re social dogs who love playing with the children in the home and they get on well with other family pets.

The Rough Collie is highly intelligent and he is easy to train. With training and socialization he becomes so well behaved you can take him anywhere.

This dog is large sized, standing at between 48 and 57cm in height and weighing between 27 and 33kg. A most unusual feature and characteristic unseen in dogs in general is his split or double nose. The nose of the dog serves the same purpose however, as with any other dog.

The head is fairly large with a broad forehead. The broad head of the dog is generally solid colored. The coat of the coat of the dog is short and of a hard texture. Colors of the coat are white and brown or white and black or white and an orangey color with ticking.

The eyes are large and brown, the ears are long and broad with a rounded tip and the tail is long too. These dogs have a strong, sturdy body with strong legs.

Temperament:

The Pachon Navarro is a friendly, social, intelligent, loving and loyal dog. He is also gentle and docile with an amicable nature, making him a splendid choice for those with children in the home as well as pets.

He is athletic and energetic and is going to need a good dose of daily exercise. Apart from their strong hunting instincts, they make excellent family pets and companions and is most certainly not a dog to be put outdoors day after day without the contact of his human family.

He is intelligent and a quick learner and will benefit from training and socialization as this makes him obedient and it also bring about positive changes with any bad behavior from this excellent pet.

He requires a kind, firm, patient and consistent owner. This particular dog won’t be suited to living in a tiny property in the city, as they require a lot of space to run and exercise.

The Rough Collie is such an intelligent dog, but he is loving and devoted too. He can slot into life in the city or countryside because all he really wants is to be close to his human family.

Wherever you live with your Rough Collie though, he will need to be well exercised. He is sweet but slightly timid and will want to be with a family that isn't too noisy in terms of lots of shouting.

People who have had Collies say these dogs make he most awesome pets, and in the right environment these wonderful intelligent dogs will make splendidly loyal, loving pets and companions,

The Pachón Navarro is an active, friendly, playful, affectionate dog and he makes a great family pet. He will however want lots of outdoor exercise, making him a suitable companion for active owners. Inactive city dwellers should think of keeping a more docile kind of indoor pet.

Your Pachón Navarro just loves the company of his human family and will be dejected if made to spend all his time outside and away from his owner.

He also takes his role as guardian and protector seriously. Give him what he requires and make him part of the family and he will be a most remarkable friend and companion.

The Rough Collie can reach 12 to 14 years of age with good care. There are always some health issues to be aware of such as hereditary eye diseases. Also, as with most larger breeds, hip dysplasia is always a concern.

Other illnesses to look out for include cancer, skin allergies, bloat and Grey Collie Syndrome. As a responsible dog owner, get your pet to the doctor when you notice a change in his behavior – tiredness, vomiting, lethargy, unusual lumps, swelling and a feeling of depression.

Gray Collie Syndrome:

This is a form of canine cyclic neutropenia which affects the Collie breed. There is a low concentration of neutrophils in the blood. It can be hereditary or it can develop because of a side effect of chemotherapy for instance. It is essentially caused by a defect in the bone marrow stem cells. Affected dog will always battle with gastrointestinal problems and infections of the eye.The life expectancy of a Collie with this ailment will be less than 3 years.

Pachon Navarros are generally healthy dogs and you’re not likely to spend much time at the vets with these dogs. They can reach up to 15 years of age if looked after well, but with the long ears they are prone to ear infections.

Moisture, wax and dirt can all build up inside the dog's ears and this can cause a painful ear infection with the dog scratching and pawing at his ear.

Bloat is another illness to look out for and you'll notice your dog is lethargic and has a swollen, hard stomach with gas being trapped inside. The condition is life threatening and will require a trip to the vet.

Your Rough Collie does shed so he will require a good brush twice a week. The long silky hair can matt so this grooming session will be important.

Exercise:

Your film-star collie is an active, athletic dog. He has always been used to herding sheep, and instinctively he wants to be active. His bright eyes are always alert to some action, and his exercise needs go beyond just allowing him to run around in your back yard.

He is the kind of dog that wants something more energetic such as going on hikes or long walks and running after sticks or balls on the beach.

Diet:

A Collie is an energetic dog and will require the best dog food there is. If you give him commercially manufactured food make sure it is the right food for his size, his breed and his energy levels.

To add some variety, feed him some home-made food occasionally which can be added to his dry kibble twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet. Try and feed him some raw meat occasionally. Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water for him.

Your Pachon Navarros is a low maintenance dog and you will just be required to give him a good brush. He is a moderate shedder and this brushing down will keep the skin and coat healthy.

Because of his long, floppy ears, you will need to check inside them because moisture, dirt and wax can build up and encourage an ear infection. Don’t try to clean inside your pet’s ears if you’re not sure how, rather find out about cleaning the ears from the vet.

The nails will also need to be clipped as well as checking regularly on the eyes and teeth.

Diet:

Your Pachon Navarro is a hardworking dog and you want to ensure tasty, palatable food that is properly digested and eliminated without problems. If you feed your dog a commercially manufactured dog food, choose the best quality and check out the labels.

Make sure that the food doesn’t contain lots of preservatives, colorants and fillers. Some of the best kibble has the right balance of vitamins and minerals in them. With these kind of hunting dogs, it is best to feed your dog hours before vigorous exercise such as a hunt.

Try and vary the regular kibble by adding in simple, but tasty home-made food occasionally. Dogs appreciate simple food without spices and exotic ingredients as its keeps their stomachs free from pain, gas and bloat.

Some chopped up boiled chicken, some brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach is super healthy for your pet as well as adding in a little bit of raw meat from time to time.

Remember clean, fresh water must be constantly available.