“Collies have become too inbred”! Not so. Collies are no more inbred than any other breed. Inbreeding does not magically produce certain traits or flaws. Actually certain characteristics or flaws only become intensified by breeding close family members. Inbreeding is neither all good nor all bad. It depends on the animals being used for breeding to begin with. In any case, inbreeding does not make shy or sickly animals any more than any other method of breeding. Likewise, an out-crossed dog does not necessarily have more vigor than an inbred or line-bred dog.
“Collies have had the brains bred out of them thanks to the long narrow head.” This is baloney! It has never been proven that brain size indicates intelligence to any degree. If this were the case, humans would most certainly be considered dumber than most animals walking the earth!
“Since Collies are a big dog, they need lots of exercise and lots of room to run”. Absolutely not. Although a Collie loves to go for long walks, and will love a big yard like any breed, it is not a necessity. They are not like some big breeds that need continual, nonstop exercise. They can easily thrive on a small city lot and some have even done quite well in apartment-type living. The key with a Collie is the need for human companionship. As long as they have that, everything else is workable.
“A Collie has to be professionally groomed!” Not so! Any average pet owner with the right equipment can groom their dog on a regular basis. There is no need to pay a groomers high prices for a breed that requires little trimming and no clipping! Furthermore, most Collies love to be groomed and relish the attention.
"All Collies have skin problems!" Absolutely not true. If the owner keeps the coat brushed, removing mats and tangles (especially when shedding coat) and keeps the dog free of fleas, Collies are no more prone to skin problems than any other breed. Fleas can make a dog's life miserable and in today's world of excellent flea repellents (such as Advantage), there is no excuse for fleas or ticks on any dog.
"Collies can be destructive"! Not in my experience. Overall the breed is pretty well adjusted in this regard, although I would never recommend that a new puppy be given free reign of the entire house. Especially during teething age, it can sometimes seem like puppies are wanting to chew everything in sight (4-6 months), but thankfully most outgrow it! Fortunately, destructive Collies are few and far between!
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