The first collies looked much like the modern border collie, and was also known under the name 'scottish shepherd dog'. No one knows for sure where the name 'collie' comes from, but it might be after the 'colley' (from 'coal'), a breed of sheep with black face and legs. The dogs that herded the sheep were known as 'colley dogs', which might have been shortened to 'colley' and then gradually became 'collie'.

The collie began to gain popularity in the 1860's when Queen Victoria owned several of them. Around this time, the collie entered the show ring for the first time. The dogs were bred for longer fur, and the dogs' colours were given a lot of interest. Other breeds were crossed in to change the breed's looks; the borzoi helped to refine the head shape and the gordon setter the colour pattern.
The collie reached its peak in popularity in the 1940's, thanks to the Lassie-movies.

The collie should radiate beauty, strength, elegance and agility. The head is the trademark of the breed. It should resemble an elongated, rounded wedge. The muzzle and head are of the same length, with a visible but only slight stop. The ears should have an alert and lively expression. The ears are small, with the top third carried tipped over. The neck is quite long, arched, powerful and muscular. The body is rectangular with a stong back and with the rear placed slightly higher than the back. The tail should be long enough to reach to the hocks. The coat can be long or or short, always longer on the neck.