Why you Should Get the Collie Instead of the Flat-Coated Retriever.

Last Updated: May 01, 2022

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Collie Versus Flat-Coated Retriever: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the Collie and for the Flat-Coated Retriever. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you with more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Collie or the Flat-Coated Retriever.

Note that the Collie breed comes in two varieties based on coat texture. There is the smooth collie and the rough collie. Read our article on rough collie versus smooth collie.

Furthermore, the border collie dog breed is very different from the collie dog breed. Learn about the differences between these two dog breeds in our border collie versus collie article.

See this article that compares the Border Collie to the Flat-Coated Retriever.

Finally, just like the collie, the border collie also comes in two varieties. There is the rough border collie and the smooth border collie. To learn about the differences and similarities between them, check out our article on rough-coat border collie versus smooth-coat border collie.

Collie versus Flat-Coated Retriever

Collie versus Flat-Coated Retriever: Overview

Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are similar in size. The Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are both medium-sized dogs.

Furthermore, the Collie belongs to the Herding Dogs group. Herding Dogs were bred for moving livestock, including sheep, cattle, and even reindeer. Herding dogs work closely with their human shepherds, and their natural intelligence and responsiveness make them highly trainable. They have high levels of energy, which needs to be channeled properly to prevent destructive behavior. Herding breeds are protective of their people and property and make excellent watchdogs. Their intelligence, agility, and activity level make them well suited to dog sports.

On the other hand, the Flat-Coated Retriever belongs to the Sporting Dogs group. Sporting Dogs were bred to help hunters catch and retrieve feathered game. Some sporting dog breeds such as Retrievers, which were built for swimming, were bred to hunt waterfowl in water. Whereas sporting dog breeds like setters, spaniels, and pointing breeds were bred to hunt quail, pheasant, and other game birds nest on grasslands. Many Sporting Group breeds have thick, water-repellent coats that protect them from harsh hunting conditions.

Collie versus Flat-Coated Retriever: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Collie to the Flat-Coated Retriever based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever

FactorCollieFlat-Coated Retriever
Does NOT Drool5/54/5
Tendency NOT to Wander5/52/5
Life Span10 to 14 years10 to 12 years
Tolerates Being Alone2/51/5
Easy To Groom2/54/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor4/52/5
Height22 to 26 inches all at the shoulder1 foot, 10 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder
Adapts Well To Apartment Living3/51/5
Tolerates Hot Weather3/54/5
General Health3/54/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight3/52/5
Does NOT chew on things3/53/5
NOT Rambunctious3/51/5
Minimal Exercise Needs3/51/5
Good For Novice Owners4/52/5
Tolerates Cold Weather4/54/5
Dog Friendly4/55/5
Friendly Toward Strangers4/55/5
Easy To Train4/54/5
Intelligence4/55/5
Low Prey Drive2/53/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl2/52/5
Potential For Playfulness4/55/5
Easygoing1/51/5
Affectionate With Family5/55/5
Kid-Friendly5/55/5
Does NOT Shed1/53/5
Weight50 to 70 pounds55 to 70 pounds
Average Lifespan12.0 years11.0 years
Average Price$1480$1240
Price Range$1000 – $1800$800 – $1725
Temperament Score80.8 percent92.0 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Clear By Parentage
  • Dermatomyositis
  • Multiple Drug Sensitivity
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA Test
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Popularity out of 200 Dog Breeds3794
    Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds)1618
    *Data from AKC.org (The American Kennel Club),dogtime.com, OFA.org (The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), petcalculator.com, wikipedia.org, ATTS.org (The American Temperament Test Society)

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Collie in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Flat-Coated Retriever. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for the Collie is 83 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Flat-Coated Retriever is 78 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Collie is a better pet than the Flat-Coated Retriever. So, you should get a Collie!

    Collie versus Flat-Coated Retriever

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever

    Below is a list of where the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are most different:

  • Collies do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them. However, Flat-Coated Retrievers have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.
  • The Similarities Between the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever

    The Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are most similar:

  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever do not have the tendency to drool.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever do not like to be left alone.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever can tolerate cold weather.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever get along well with other dogs.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are very friendly towards strangers.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are very easy to train.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are highly intelligent.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are very playful.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are easily disturbed by noise in their environments. They are sensitive to human tone. They will understand the tone of your voice when you try to correct their behaviors with a firm tone.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
  • Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
  • Size Comparison of the Collie versus Flat-Coated Retriever

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever.

    The Collie weighs 50 to 70 pounds when fully grown. The Collie is 22 to 26 inches all at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, the Flat-Coated Retriever weighs 55 to 70 pounds when fully grown. The Flat-Coated Retriever is 1 foot, 10 inches to 2 feet tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Size of Collie versus Size of Flat-Coated Retriever

    Lifespan of Collie versus Flat-Coated Retriever

    The lifespan of the Collie is between 10 to 14 years. The average lifespan of the Collie is 12.0 years.

    The lifespan of the Flat-Coated Retriever is between 10 to 12 years. The average lifespan of the Flat-Coated Retriever is 11.0 years.

    The Collie live longer than the Flat-Coated Retriever.

    Collie versus Flat-Coated Retriever

    Temperament of the Collie Versus the Flat-Coated Retriever

    The Flat-Coated Retriever has a better temperament than the Collie.

    This is because the temperament score for the Flat-Coated Retriever is 92.0 percent while the temperament score for the Collie is 80.8 percent, according to the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS).

    The American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide fair and objective evaluations of the temperaments of dog breeds.

    Dog breeds with low temperament scores tend to show unprovoked aggression, they easily panic without quickly recovering from the panic, and they tend to avoid people. However, dog breeds with high temperament scores are not aggressive and are not shy. Also, these dogs are generally friendly and are protective of their owners.

    The average temperament score across all dog breeds (over 250 breeds) is 83.7 percent.

    With its temperament score of 80.8 percent, the Collie has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 92.0 percent, the Flat-Coated Retriever has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever by measuring the temperaments of 896 Collies and 87 Flat-Coated Retrievers.

    Price of Collie versus Price of Flat-Coated Retriever

    The average price of the Collie puppy is $1480. The price of the Collie typically ranges from $1000 – $1800. However, the price of a Collie can be as low as $300 and as high as $15000. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 356 Collie puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Flat-Coated Retriever puppy is $1240. The price of the Flat-Coated Retriever typically ranges from $800 – $1725. However, the price of the Flat-Coated Retriever can be as low as $100 and as high as $2500. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 10 Flat-Coated Retriever puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The Collie is more expensive than the Flat-Coated Retriever.

    Collie Flat-Coated Retriever
    Average Price $1480 $1240
    Price Range $1000 to $1800 $800 to $1725

    The charts below show the price distribution for the Collie and Flat-Coated Retriever. For different price points, the charts show how many Collie puppies or how many Flat-Coated Retriever puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of Collies. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Collies. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Flat-Coated Retrievers

    A breakdown of the prices of Flat-Coated Retrievers

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the Collie puppy or the Flat-Coated Retriever puppy. This includes if health screening tests have been performed on the puppy, if the puppy is from a famous pedigree, the US State where the puppy is bred, etc.

    Nevertheless, when looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of dogs, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

    You may also consider adopting a dog instead of buying a dog.

    Check out our list of best Collie breeders here

    Adopting the Collie versus Adopting the Flat-Coated Retriever

    You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many Collies and many Flat-Coated Retrievers are currently available for adoption.

    These adorable and cute dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Furthermore, adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300. In addition to your local dog shelter, a good place online to see dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.

    Below is an adorable Male Collie named Marty that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely adoptable Collies like Marty on pefinder.com.

    Also, like Collies, Flat-Coated Retrievers are also available for adoption. For example, Fender is a Male Flat-Coated Retriever that is currently available for adoption on petfinder.com. You can find more Flat-Coated Retrievers like Fender that are up for adoption on petfinder.com.

    The Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever can both be adopted. Images from petfinder.com

    Also, Ace is an adorable Male Flat-Coated Retriever on petfinder.com that you can adopt.

    You can find more Collies and Flat-Coated Retrievers that are available for adoption on petfinder.

    The Intelligence of the Collie versus the Intelligence of the Flat-Coated Retriever

    Collie Flat-Coated Retriever
    Intelligence Rank 16 out of 130 dog breeds 18 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 5 To 15 Repetitions Tend To Learn New Commands After 5 To 15 Repetitions

    Professor Stanley Coren, the famous psychology/neuropsychological professor and, dog lover/trainer measured and ranked the intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.

    According to Prof. Stanley Coren, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:

  • Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence a dog has because of what the dog was bred for. This type of intelligence comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that were bred for guarding will have high `guarding` instinctive intelligence, while dog breeds that were bred for hunting will what high `hunting` instinctive intelligence. However, you cannot compare the intelligence of dog breeds based on instinctive intelligence because such a comparison will not make sense.
  • Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. It includes learning and benefiting from experience with his environment, solving new problems, and so forth. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. Thus, two dogs can have remarkably different levels of adaptive intelligence even if they are of the same breed.
  • Working/Obedience Intelligence: This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. Importantly, different dog breeds have different learning abilities. Also, science has shown that some dog breeds can learn faster than some other breeds. This means certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. Dogs with high Working/Obedience Intelligence are smart and easy to train.

  • Prof. Coren showed that the Working/Obedience Intelligence of different dog breeds can be measured reliably. Thus, he was able to rank different dog breeds based on their Working/Obedience Intelligence.

    This is important because according to Prof. Coren, 51 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from its genes while 49 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from the dog`s environmental circumstances.

    To rank the intelligence of dog breeds, Prof. Coren employed the help of 208 dog obedience judges in North America to fill out a detailed survey on dog obedience. This number represented more than half of all of these judges in North America at the time. He also employed 63 veterinarians and 14 guard dog experts to collect data on the personality of different dog breeds.

    Prof. Coren found that the Collie has an obedience intelligence rank of 16 out of 130 dog breeds. The Collie belongs to the `Excellent Working Dogs` category. This means that Collies tend to learn new commands after 5 to 15 repetitions.

    The Flat-Coated Retriever has an obedience intelligence rank of 18 out of 130 dog breeds. The Flat-Coated Retriever belongs to the `Excellent Working Dogs` category. This means that Flat-Coated Retrievers tend to learn new commands after 5 to 15 repetitions.

    The Collie is more intelligent than the Flat-Coated Retriever.

    However, Prof. Coren noted that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone, that other factors such as sociability, adorability, and compatibility with the owner are other very important factors that new dog owners need to consider when deciding on a new dog.

    The Popularity of Collie versus Popularity of Flat-Coated Retriever

    Every year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) publishes information on how popular a dog breed is in that particular year. The AKC gets the popularity information of a breed from how many dogs of that breed the owners register with the AKC every year. The AKC collects this data for about 200 dog breeds. The AKC collects this data for purebred dogs only(no mixed or hybrid dogs).

    The graphs and the table below show the popularity of the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever over the years.

    Based on the AKC popularity data over the years, the Collie is more popular with dog owners than the Flat-Coated Retriever. This is because, over the years, the average popularity of the Collie is 37 out of about 200 dog breeds while the average popularity of the Flat-Coated Retriever is 94 out of about 200 dog breeds.

    Popularity of Collie

    Popularity of Collie

    Popularity of Flat-Coated Retriever

    Popularity of Flat-Coated Retriever

    Year Collie Popularity Rank Flat-Coated Retriever Popularity Rank
    2013 35 94
    2014 36 92
    2015 36 86
    2016 37 89
    2017 40 96
    2018 38 91
    2019 38 104
    2020 40 102
    2021 38 93

    Health Problems of Collie versus Health Problems of Flat-Coated Retriever

    Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.

    Both the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

    The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.

    Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the Collie is prone to more genetic health problems than the Flat-Coated Retriever.

    This is because the OFA recommends more screening health tests for the Collie than for the Flat-Coated Retriever.

    4 health tests are recommended for Collie while 3 tests are recommended for the Flat-Coated Retriever.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Collies and in Flat-Coated Retrievers.

    Collie Health Problems

    Collies are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Collie puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Collie puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Collie breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Collies for:

  • Clear By Parentage
  • Dermatomyositis
  • Multiple Drug Sensitivity
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA Test

  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Collies here.

    Flat-Coated Retriever Health Problems

    Flat-Coated Retrievers are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Flat-Coated Retriever puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Flat-Coated Retriever puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Flat-Coated Retriever breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Flat-Coated Retrievers for:

  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Patellar Luxation

  • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Flat-Coated Retrievers here.

    More Discussions on Health Problems in Collies and Flat-Coated Retrievers

    Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Collie Breed is Collie Eye Anomaly problems.

    This is because the Collie ranks 1 out of 7 dog breeds for Collie Eye Anomaly problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 114 Collies, 16 of them had Collie Eye Anomaly problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Collies, and how common these diseases are in Collies relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Collie Eye Anomaly problems: Rank 1 out of 7 Dog Breeds
  • Eyes problems: Rank 1 out of 182 Dog Breeds
  • Multiple Drug Resistance (Mdr1) problems: Rank 1 out of 7 Dog Breeds
  • Dentition Database problems: Rank 13 out of 49 Dog Breeds
  • Degenerative Myelopathy problems: Rank 16 out of 70 Dog Breeds
  • Thyroid problems: Rank 65 out of 115 Dog Breeds
  • Elbow problems: Rank 107 out of 144 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 182 out of 198 Dog Breeds
  • Based on our analysis of data from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, of all known genetic health problems in dogs, the health problem that is most commonly seen in the Flat-Coated Retriever Breed is Thyroid problems.

    This is because the Flat-Coated Retriever ranks 28 out of 115 dog breeds for Thyroid problems. In fact, in a health test conducted on 241 Flat-Coated Retrievers, 14 of them had Thyroid problems.

    The genetic diseases that were found to commonly occur in Flat-Coated Retrievers, and how common these diseases are in Flat-Coated Retrievers relative to other dog breeds, are given below:

  • Thyroid problems: Rank 28 out of 115 Dog Breeds
  • Patella problems: Rank 85 out of 145 Dog Breeds
  • Elbow problems: Rank 129 out of 144 Dog Breeds
  • Eyes problems: Rank 129 out of 182 Dog Breeds
  • Hips problems: Rank 172 out of 198 Dog Breeds

  • The table below lists the common health problems in Collie and in Flat-Coated Retriever and the rank (prevalence), compared to other dogs, of these health problems in the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever:

    Disease Collie Rank Flat-Coated Retriever Rank
    Collie Eye Anomaly problems 1 out of 7 dog breeds Not Common
    Eyes problems 1 out of 182 dog breeds 129 out of 182 dog breeds
    Multiple Drug Resistance (Mdr1) problems 1 out of 7 dog breeds Not Common
    Dentition Database problems 13 out of 49 dog breeds Not Common
    Degenerative Myelopathy problems 16 out of 70 dog breeds Not Common
    Thyroid problems 65 out of 115 dog breeds 28 out of 115 dog breeds
    Elbow problems 107 out of 144 dog breeds 129 out of 144 dog breeds
    Hips problems 182 out of 198 dog breeds 172 out of 198 dog breeds
    Patella problems Not Common 85 out of 145 dog breeds

    *To learn more about each of these diseases, go to OFA.org and search for the disease.

    Again, most of these health problems can be prevented through health screening. Responsible breeders screen male and female dog parents for genetic problems. These breeders will only breed dogs that are free of genetic defects. That way, there is little or no chance that their puppies will grow up to have genetic health problems. Always ask a breeder for the list of health tests the breeder screens their dogs for before buying a puppy from such a breeder.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Collie versus Flat-Coated Retriever

    Collies do not like to be left alone.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers do not like to be left alone.

    Do Collies shed more than Flat-Coated Retrievers?

    Collies shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers shed moderately.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Collie or the Flat-Coated Retriever?

    Collies require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers are very easy to groom.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Collie or the Flat-Coated Retriever?

    Collies get along very well with other dogs.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers get along very well with other dogs.

    Are Collies good family dogs? What about Flat-Coated Retrievers?

    Collies are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Is the Collie Easier to Train than the Flat-Coated Retriever?

    Collies are very easy to train.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers are very easy to train.

    Which one drools more, the Collie or the Flat-Coated Retriever

    Collies do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers do have a very low tendency to drool.

    How Kid-friendly are Collies and Flat-Coated Retrievers?

    Collies get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Does the Collie Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Flat-Coated Retriever?

    Collies have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers have a moderate prey drive. They can sometimes chase after smaller animals and pets.

    Do Collies Bark and Howl? What about Flat-Coated Retrievers?

    Collies are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Can Collies Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Flat-Coated Retrievers Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Collies can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Collie vs. Flat-Coated Retriever

    Collies do not have the potential to wander after things that capture their attention. They tend to stay around where you leave them.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can Collies Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Flat-Coated Retrievers Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Collies can tolerate hot weather as long as the weather is not too hot.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers can tolerate hot weather.

    Is the Collie Better for Apartment Owners than the Flat-Coated Retriever?

    Collies adapt moderately well to apartment living.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Collie or the Flat-Coated Retriever?

    Collies are very good for new dog owners.

    Flat-Coated Retrievers are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Collie Versus Other Dog Breeds

    You may also be interested in how the Collie compares to other breeds aside from the Flat-Coated Retriever. So, see below the links to the comparison of the Collie to other breeds:

    Collie versus Irish Terrier     Collie versus Basenji     Collie versus Giant Schnauzer     Collie versus Chow Chow     Collie versus Cockapoo     Collie versus Hovawart     Collie versus German Shorthaired Pointer     Collie versus Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier     Collie versus Wirehaired Pointing Griffon     Collie versus Spanish Mastiff     Collie versus Pyredoodle     Collie versus Afghan Hound     Collie versus Saint Berdoodle     Collie versus German Longhaired Pointer     Collie versus Karelian Bear Dog     Collie versus Shihpoo     Collie versus Pembroke Welsh Corgi     Collie versus Jack Russell Terrier     

    Conclusion: Collie versus Flat-Coated Retriever. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the Collie and the Flat-Coated Retriever better suits you and your family.