70-80 lbs
21-29"
United States
What happens if you cross two of the most intelligent and energetic dog breeds to ever exist? You get the Shollie, or a German Shepherd Border Collie mix.
This is a fairly new crossbreed in the pet world and it’s likely most dog-lovers have never seen one before. However, if the popularity of the parent breeds is anything to go by, this might not stay true for too long.
In this introduction to the Shollie, you’ll learn that:
With the rise in popularity of hybrid dog breeds over the past few decades, it makes perfect sense that breeders would choose to bring together the German Shepherd and Border Collie. Both of these popular canine varieties have long histories as herding animals, but have since become better known as lovable companion animals.
Although it’s still early days in the story of the Shollie, early indicators suggest that this hybrid is a friendly family pet who is both protective and easy to teach. With ancestors who were no strangers to hard work in the great outdoors, it should come as no surprise to learn that Shollies are best suited for active parents and will be enthusiastic at the prospect of long walks, runs and training sessions.
When it comes to looking after a Shollie, you’ll quickly find that this is a dog with a sizeable appetite and food bills will be considerably higher than a smaller lapdog. In addition, it would appear that they have inherited both parents’ predisposition to heavy shedding — so be prepared to spend long periods with the hairbrush in your hand.
Anybody introducing a dog into their lives should seriously consider taking out a pet insurance policy, just in case the worst-case scenario were ever to happen — Wag! can help you find the perfect option.
As is the case with many new hybrid breeds, the exact origin story of the Shollie is unclear and it’s impossible to confidently describe their exact lineage as we can with other breeds.
What we can say with reasonable confidence is that the Shollie emerged as a distinct hybrid in the United States within the past few decades. We also know a lot more about the two parent breeds, of course.
The Border Collie is the older of the two and is distantly related to herding dogs brought over to Britain by the Romans and Vikings. This new breed was put to work across the country as livestock herders and were cherished for their intelligence and resilience.
Despite this long history, it wasn’t until 1915 that the Border Collie was officially coined as such to distinguish them from other Collie breeds (including the Scotch Collie).
This classification came just after the life of Old Hemp, a stud dog active at the end of the 19th century considered to be the father of the Border Collie breed. It’s estimated that he sired over 200 puppies and most modern Border Collies can be traced back to him.
As you can probably guess, the German Shepherd hails from Germany and the dog has a similar story to its namesake country. Before the unification of Germany in 1871, there were various similar-looking herding dogs in the neighboring territories.
However, in the final years of the 19th century, breeder Max von Stephanitz sought to create a distinct German working dog that would be used throughout the new country. He bought a dog at a show and named him Horand von Granfrath — this was to be the founding father of the German Shepherd breed.
Although this new breed was famed for its herding ability, German Shepherds also found work in the police force and played an important role in the German war effort.
One particular German Shepherd found on a French battlefield went on to further prove the breed’s versatility. This dog was named Rinty and taken back to America, where he would star in 27 Hollywood movies as Rin Tin Tin.
Along with fellow thespian dog Strongheart, Rin Tin Tin helped make the German Shepherd one of the best-loved dogs in the United States. Even to this day, the breed continues to regularly feature at the top-end of the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) list of the most popular breeds.
There are some hybrid breeds for which the appearance is somewhat of a lottery in regards to which parents’ genes exert more influence. The Shollie isn’t one of them — they tend to look a lot more like a German Shepherd rather than a Border Collie, particularly in the wolf-like face.
There are some traits in a Shollie more resemblant of a Border Collie. A Shollie’s coat is usually thicker and softer than that of a German Shepherd, and the tail is less bushy, too.
When it comes to the color of this dense coat, it’s possible to find black, sable, white, brown or fawn colorways. Eyes are mostly dark brown — like a German Shepherd’s — but less often, you might get blue, hazel or amber.
There are two things any prospective Shollie parents need to know before they bring one into their household.
Let’s start with the fact that this is a dog with a phenomenal amount of energy. They need at least an hour’s activity a day and around 12 miles of walking a week. A backyard for them to expel some energy in between these outings would be helpful — a small apartment is not an ideal living environment for a German Shepherd Border Collie mix, frankly.
In addition to these long walkies, parents will also need to commit time to grooming their Shollie. This is a dog that sheds all year around, with two particularly heavy spells of fur loss each year.
To prevent your home from becoming overwhelmed with pet hair, parents should brush their Shollie every day. They shouldn’t be bathed too frequently though as this can disturb the balance of natural oils.
As well as this, there are a few other tasks to incorporate into the dog’s grooming regimen — this includes brushing teeth, clipping nails and checking ears for signs of infection.
While the Shollie’s parents will usually pass down their obedience and handsome looks, they can occasionally bequeath less desirable gifts, such as hereditary diseases that are common to both German Shepherds and Border Collies.
In certain cases, it can be pure bad luck for a dog to be born with a genetic disorder, but there are measures a parent should take to lower the probability. The main precaution is to only deal with breeders that carry out screening on their animals and prevent those with health conditions from reproducing — don’t be afraid to ask breeders for proof of this testing.
The most common health issues that can affect a Shollie include:
As a dog that loves to run around, it’s a shame when a Shollie is inhibited in their movement for whatever reason. Sadly, it would seem that a Border Collie German Shepherd mix is slightly more prone to developing hip dysplasia.
This is fairly common in medium-to-large-sized dogs and happens when the hip joint fails to develop correctly. This malformation leads to the hip bone moving with friction against the corresponding socket, resulting in limping and pain.
If a vet diagnoses your dog with hip dysplasia, there are various treatment options available. Milder cases can often be alleviated with weight loss or supplements, but more serious instances might need physiotherapy or surgery.
A less common joint condition seen in Shollies is patellar luxation. This is normally seen in small or toy-sized breeds, but it can develop in larger dogs, too.
Patellar Luxation is the name given when a dog’s kneecap frequently dislocates. Again, this leads to limping and pain, but the good news is that it can often be treated successfully with medication and surgery.
Another medical problem that a Shollie dog appears to be predisposed to developing is Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI). This is a disorder whereby the body doesn’t produce digestive enzymes, so food isn’t broken down into a small enough size to be absorbed by the intestines. Undigested food appears in the feces and the dog will become malnourished.
The classic symptoms for EPI — weight loss, lethargy, eating feces — are quite generic, making it a hard disease for a vet to diagnose. Once they’ve landed on this diagnosis, your dog will have to take supplements containing pancreatic enzymes and change to a low-fat and low-fiber diet.
Parents should be aware of the signs of bloat, which include retching, drooling, a swollen or painful abdomen, difficulty breathing and restlessness. Contact a vet straight away if you believe your dog is suffering from GDV as swift treatment is essential.
Likewise, parents also need to know how to reduce the likelihood of bloat happening in the first place. Spreading meals throughout the day stops overeating in a short period, while there are also bowls designed to slow down dogs as they eat. Some experts recommend not exercising a dog for an hour before or after mealtime, too.
Many Collie parents will already be familiar with Collie Eye Defect, a vision disorder spotted mostly in Collie breeds. This leaves Shollies vulnerable to inheriting the condition.
This normally starts when a dog is young and stops developing at the 10-12 week mark. Cases range in severity and sometimes the symptoms are minimal. However, other pets are affected more and parents will have to adapt the living environment to this new challenge. Unfortunately, there’s no known cure.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is another disease sometimes diagnosed in Shollies. Like Collie Eye Defect, this can also lead to a gradual loss of vision, although this continues throughout a dog’s life — it often starts with diminished night vision, before day vision depreciates, sometimes to the point of total blindness.
Parents might spot cloudy or gray-looking eyes, and their pet seemingly more uncoordinated and clumsy than usual. There’s no effective treatment for PRA, so the only thing a parent can do is support their dog by making their home environment safer.
Many diseases can be treated more effectively if caught earlier — a wellness plan includes testing and 24/7 live vet chat.
As energetic dogs, Shollies need a lot of food, but this needs to be of the right sort to avoid weight gain. Look for recipes with high protein levels, real meat as the first listed ingredient and plenty of fruit and vegetables for nutrients. Avoid products with lots of carbs and filler ingredients.
German Shepherds are often considered large breeds and if your Shollie is similarly sized, you could give them a dog food formulated specifically for large breeds. However, they can also have formulas designed for all dog sizes, too.
Still need help with choosing what to give your Shollie at mealtimes? Our partner Dog Food Advisor is the go-to authority when it comes to this matter — here’s their list of the best dog foods for German Shepherds, for example.
There’s a reason why both the German Shepherd and Border Collie have made the transition from working dog to companion company — they’re both extraordinarily pleasant company and the same can be said for their combined offspring.
When Shollie puppies undergo an effective socialization period, they can easily slot into a family household, even those containing other pets and young children — although it would be a sensible measure to supervise interactions between fully-grown Shollies and kids, just in case.
Shollies are certainly affectionate and they can act protective towards their family. Thankfully, this doesn’t tend to manifest itself as aggression towards strangers, but this trait can usually be trained out if this is the case.
One thing you’ll quickly notice is that the Shollie is a fiercely intelligent dog breed and easy to train under the guidance of a committed and patient parent. One downside to this intellect is that the hybrid can become destructive if bored and unstimulated.
Written by Joe Holyoake
Published: 12/08/2017, edited: 12/04/2023
More articles by Joe Holyoake
Hello, I am currently training and walking a 7month old shollie, and she has come from a pretty unsocialized situation of which her owner had to quickly escape from for both of their safety. They are now living in a very small studio and her owner is working tirelessly to make ends meet. I have started taking her out for walks and play and she is SUPER SMART. What would you say is a good starting point for her? She gets nervous when men approach, and has high leash reactivity. I am thinking of training her in a less distracting environment before walks.
What should I do to lessen the chance of my dog Having hip dysplasia issues From the nutrition perspective I have a German Shepherd border collie puppy mix and both those dogs have a history of that should I start a regiment of certain vitamins and if so what age should I start
Does shollie herd more like collie or more like german shepherd
