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Collie refers to various landraces and breeds of herding dog originating in Britain, especially the upland areas of the north and west. The exact origin of the name is uncertain, although it may derive from Early Scots coll ("coal" or "black"). The collie name refers especially to dogs of Scottish origin, but the collie type is far more widespread in Britain and in many other parts of the world, often being called sheep dog or shepherd dog elsewhere. In the United States, "collie" is most often used to refer solely to Rough Collies rather than the collective grouping of all collie breeds.

Working collies are extremely energetic and agile dogs with great stamina, well able to run all day without tiring, even over very rough or steep ground. They are intelligent, and are instinctively highly motivated to work. These characteristics generally make working strains unsuitable as pets, as few owners are able to give them the mental and physical challenges they need and, if not well fulfilled, they may become unhappy and badly behaved. However, in addition to herding work they are well suited to active sports such as sheepdog trials, fryball, disc dog and dog agility. Working strains have strong herding instincts, and some individuals can be single-minded to the point of obsessiveness. They are often intensely loyal.