The American Kennel Club makes it easy to find dogs that fit your wants and needs. Unsurprisingly Collies are listed under both 'Best Family Dogs' and 'Best Dog Breeds for Kids' considering their intelligence and lovability.

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Height: 24-26 inches (male), 22-24 inches (female)

Weight: 60-75 pounds (male), 50-65 pounds (female)

Life Expectancy: 12-14 years

Colors: White, Tri-Color, Sable & White, Blue Merle, Sable Merle, Sable, Harlequin Sable               Merle

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Collies are famously fond of children and make wonderful family pets. These swift, athletic dogs thrive on companionship and regular exercise. With gentle training, they learn happily and rapidly. The Collie’s loyalty, intelligence, and sterling character are the stuff of legend. (American Kennel Club, “Collie Dog Breed Information”)

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Colors:

Sable stands for any shade of light gold to rich mahogany or dark shaded red

Tricolor is predominantly black with tan markings on legs and head

Blue Merle is clear, silvery blue, splashed and marbled with black and tan.

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General Character:

The Collie is powerful, responsive, active, and stands naturally straight and firm. With a moderately broad chest, it shows strength, the sloping shoulders, and well-bent hocks indicate speed, and the face conveys intellect. The Collie presents an impressive picture of balance, each part being in harmony with every other part and to the whole. Except for the technical description, it could be stated simply that no part of the Collie ever seems to be out of proportion (American Kennel Club, “Official Standard of the Collie”).

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Body:

The body is firm, hard, and muscular, a trifle long in proportion to the height. The ribs are well-rounded behind the well-sloped shoulders, and the chest is deep, extending to the elbows. The back is sturdy and level, supported by powerful hips and thighs, and the croup is sloped to give a balanced finish. The loins are powerful and slightly arched (American Kennel Club, “Official Standard of the Collie”).

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Coat:

The well-fitting, proper-textured coat is the crowning glory of the Rough Collie. It is abundant except on the head and legs, and the outer coat is straight and coarse. The undercoat, however, is soft, furry, and close together that it is hard to see the skin when the hair is parted. The coat is very abundant on the mane and frill. The face and forelegs are smooth, and forelegs are feathered to the back. The hind legs are smooth below the hock joints. The hair on the tail is very profuse, and on the hips, it is long and bushy (American Kennel Club, “Official Standard of the Collie”).