Home / Breeds / Compare / Rough Collie vs Basque Shepherd Dog
United Kingdom produced the Rough Collie, a large herding breed bred to move sheep and cattle with eye, bark and body, working all day beside the shepherd or farmer. The Basque Shepherd Dog is a large herding breed from Basque Country (Spain, France), developed to shift sheep and cattle with eye, bark and body, at the shepherd or farmer's side all day. This page compares the two on the numbers that actually differ: size, exercise, grooming, what each costs to keep, and the health tests a breeder should show you.
The biggest gap is grooming needs: the Rough Collie is rated 4 of 5 against 3 of 5 for the Basque Shepherd Dog.
The next biggest gap is size: the middle of the Rough Collie weight range is about 62.5 lb against 58 lb for the Basque Shepherd Dog.
The third gap worth noting is monthly cost: the modeled total is about $96 a month for the Rough Collie against $93 for the Basque Shepherd Dog.
| Rough Collie | Basque Shepherd Dog | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Herding | Herding |
| Origin | United Kingdom | Basque Country (Spain, France) |
| Height | 22 to 26 in | 18 to 25 in |
| Weight | 50 to 75 lb | 37 to 79 lb |
| Lifespan | 12 to 14 years | 12 to 14 years |
| Coat | A long double coat in two layers: a harsh, straight outer coat that forms a full mane around the neck and feathering on the legs and tail, over a soft, dense undercoat. It sheds in season and needs thorough brushing a few times a week to keep the mane and feathering free of mats. | Two varieties: a long, rough coat, straight to wavy, or a shorter, finer coat, both weather resistant with a moderate undercoat. Shedding is seasonal, and weekly brushing keeps either in order. |
| Temperament | Alert, hardworking, sensitive and deeply bonded | Intelligent, driven, loyal and always switched on |
| Energy | 5 of 5 | 5 of 5 |
| Trainability | 5 of 5 | 5 of 5 |
| Grooming needs | 4 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Shedding | 3 of 5 | 3 of 5 |
| Barking | 4 of 5 | 4 of 5 |
| With children | Good with children | Good with children |
| With other dogs | Usually good with dogs | Usually good with dogs |
| With strangers | Reserved with strangers | Reserved with strangers |
| Apartment fit | Not ideal | Not ideal |
| Daily exercise | 60 to 120 min | 60 to 120 min |
| Food per month (model) | $39 (3.6 cups a day) | $37 (3.4 cups a day) |
| Insurance per month (model) | $41 to $74 | $40 to $72 |
| Monthly total (model) | $80 to $113 | $77 to $109 |
| Yearly total (model) | $954 to $1,350 | $920 to $1,304 |
| Lifetime total (model) | $11,450 to $18,903 | $11,036 to $18,251 |
| Breeder health tests | 5 recommended tests | Panel not published yet |
| Health watch | Hip screening and eye checks are the core of responsible breeding in herding breeds, and several herding lines also DNA test for drug sensitivity (MDR1) and hereditary eye conditions. Ask the breeder what their lines are tested for. | Hip screening and eye checks are the core of responsible breeding in herding breeds, and several herding lines also DNA test for drug sensitivity (MDR1) and hereditary eye conditions. Ask the breeder what their lines are tested for. |
Basque Shepherd Dog: scores 16 on the first-time-owner rule, which weights trainability double, then calmer energy, grooming and barking, against 15 for the Rough Collie.
Basque Shepherd Dog: matches the Rough Collie on the apartment rating ("Not ideal") and edges ahead on the tie-breaks: barking, then daily exercise, then size.
The two are listed the same way for children and tie on the tie-breaks, so supervision matters more than the breed label here.
Level on shedding. Shedding is only a proxy for loose hair in the home; no breed is allergen-free, so time spent with the breed matters more than this row.
Basque Shepherd Dog: runs about $3 a month under the Rough Collie on modeled food plus insurance ($93 against $96 at the midpoints).
How the Rough Collie and Basque Shepherd Dog verdicts are scored: the first-time-owner verdict uses 2 x trainability + (6 - energy) + (6 - grooming) + (6 - barking). Apartment living ranks the apartment rating first, then barking, exercise and weight. The children verdict ranks the children rating, then trainability and stranger friendliness. Allergy ranks lowest shedding first, then grooming. Budget ranks the lowest monthly modeled total. Where the Rough Collie and the Basque Shepherd Dog finish level, the verdict is declared a tie.
On the modeled figures the Rough Collie costs more month to month: about $96 a month at the midpoint of food plus insurance, against $93 for the Basque Shepherd Dog. Run across the lifespan ranges, the model gives $11,450 to $18,903 for the Rough Collie and $11,036 to $18,251 for the Basque Shepherd Dog. All of these are planning estimates, not quotes.
The two are level: both plan on 60 to 120 minutes a day, and energy is rated 5 of 5 for the Rough Collie against 5 of 5 for the Basque Shepherd Dog.
On our ratings, yes: both are rated 3 of 5 for shedding. The coats still feel different in the house. Rough Collie: A long double coat in two layers: a harsh, straight outer coat that forms a full mane around the neck and feathering on the legs and tail, over a soft, dense undercoat. It sheds in season and needs thorough brushing a few times a week to keep the mane and feathering free of mats. Basque Shepherd Dog: Two varieties: a long, rough coat, straight to wavy, or a shorter, finer coat, both weather resistant with a moderate undercoat. Shedding is seasonal, and weekly brushing keeps either in order.
Not equally. The Basque Shepherd Dog is the better fit for an apartment: it matches the Rough Collie on the apartment rating ("Not ideal") and edges ahead on the tie-breaks, barking, then daily exercise, then size.
Choosing between more than two? Open the comparison tool and put up to four breeds side by side, or read all written breed comparisons.
The Rough Collie and Basque Shepherd Dog facts on this page follow the standards and club guidance summarized on each breed's profile. Cost figures are modeled estimates for planning, labeled with their basis; they are not quotes and not veterinary advice. Health test panels are the recommendations published by the breed clubs and CHIC, as set out on each breed's health testing page.