Are Collies Aggressive? (Why? When? And How To Stop It)

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Collies are not usually aggressive, although like most dogs they may lash out if they feel threatened.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at collie aggressive behaviors, learn how and why they occur and how to manage them.

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Are Collies an Aggressive Breed?

While collies are known as one of the loudest dog breeds, their bark is worse than their bite. In general, collies are not an aggressive breed due to centuries of selective breeding to enhance their cooperativeness and intelligence.

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Any aggressiveness in collies is usually caused by fear, as collies can be skittish and take a long time to trust new people in their lives.

Collie Aggressive Behavior

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Aggressiveness in collies is rare, but may sometimes show itself when your collie is scared. Like any other animal, a collie will become aggressive if they are scared or if they have to defend themselves.

Aggressiveness in collies may manifest as:

  • Growling or snarling, especially at strangers near their home
  • Putting themselves between you and a stranger
  • Chasing other dogs or animals (they have a strong herding instinct)
  • Lowering their ears can be a sign of fear or excitement, which may provoke aggression

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Collie Tug Of War
The only thing Luna attacks is Skunky Malunky

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Do Collies Get On with Children?

Collies are most known for their energy and intelligence. They are playful and gentle and get on excellently with children.

Collies are very protective, and may be suspicious or nervous around strangers who approach the children.

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Your collie may also exhibit some herding behavior around your children. This endearing behavior is unique to herding breeds, your collie considers the children part of their family and want to ensure they are safe at all times.

Are Collies Aggressive Towards People?

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It’s extremely rare for a collie to be aggressive towards people. Collies are rarely aggressive towards people because collies have been selectively bred for hundreds of years to work side by side with farmers working the land, meaning they are a very cooperatively breed who are friendly towards human beings.

If your collie is aggressive towards people, it’s likely that they are aggressive only towards certain people that they don’t like.

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Are Collies Aggressive Towards Strangers?

Collies are fickle and can take a long time to accept someone in to their inner circle. Until then, they may be a little apprehensive and distrustful of strangers, though they are not usually aggressive.

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Unfortunately, this is just an innate part of the collie psyche, and the only way to get your collie used to strangers is to spend time with them so your collie gets used to them.

Remember, a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet.

Are Collies Aggressive Towards Other Dogs?

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Collies aren’t usually aggressive to other dogs, although some of their playful behavior might be incorrectly interpreted as aggression.

Collies are prone to barking, they are very fast and may have more energy than other dogs which can make other dogs feel apprehensive around them.

Collies are very friendly, and if you can get over the constant barking their playful nature means they make great friends for other dogs.

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Luna loves other dogs. Collies are friendly and love playing with other dogs. (This is her friend Wifred)

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Collies Aggression with Food

Collies are not motivated by food and treats as much as some other breeds, and it’s rare for them to be aggressive around food.

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Although the drive to hunt and eat is fundamental to all animals, it’s buried deep down in your collie as they are used to being fed by their humans and have not had to feed themselves for hundreds of years.

If your collie is behaving aggressively around food, it may be a sign that they are not getting enough to eat.

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How to stop your collie from being aggressive around food:

The way to end food aggressiveness is by sharing food with your collie, and by making sure they have plenty to eat whenever they need it. This will help them feel less anxious about food and will help them to relax around feeding time.

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How to Stop Your Collie from Growling

The best way to stop your collie from growling is to find out the root cause of the behavior and try to fix that. Growling or barking is a fundamental behavior of the collie breed.

You will not be able to prevent your dog from barking, but you can help reduce the noise by changing your environment to help the dog feel more relaxed.

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Are Other Types of Collies Aggressive?

Collies in general rarely show aggression, and this is the same for all breeds of collie.

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Are Rough Collies Aggressive?

Rough collies aren’t aggressive at all, they are very friendly, loving, and loyal dogs. After all, Lassie was a rough collie!

Are Bearded Collies Aggressive?

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Bearded collies are true working dogs. They are not aggressive at all and are very cooperative and intelligent.

Are Welsh Collies Aggressive?

Welsh collies evolved working the sheep farms of Wales. They are not aggressive at all, they are a very cooperative breed who are used to working with humans and other animals.

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Are Border Collies Aggressive?

Border collies are not aggressive. They are the best known sheepdog in the world, super intelligent and highly cooperative. They work well with humans and are rarely aggressive to people or other animals.

About the author:

About the author:

Hollie and Border Collie

 Stuart MacPherson

Colliepedia Editor

 Stuart MacPherson

Colliepedia Editor

I'm an experienced collie owner from Scotland and the original founder of Colliepedia. Wherever I go, my beloved collie Luna is never far behind!

Learn More about me and Luna's story on the about page!