NEWMilo
7 months · Male · Smooth Collie Cross
Largehigh energy
Can live with: Children, Other dogs
Dogs Trust · London
Meet Milo →Rescue Rough and Smooth Collies for adoption and rehoming in London
There is 1 Collie looking for a new home in London right now, listed by Dogs Trust. These are Rough and Smooth Collies. Dogs listed just as "collie" are usually Border Collies, which have their own page.
Each profile links to the rescue, who will talk you through their adoption process and fee.
1 dog looking for a home
NEWTell me when a rescue Collie is listed near London
Email alerts are coming soon. Until then, new animals appear on this page as soon as rescues list them, so please check back.
Rough and Smooth Collies across England → · All dogs in London →
About Rough and Smooth Collies
| Breed group | Pastoral |
|---|---|
| Size | Large |
| Exercise | Up to 1 hour a day |
| Grooming | Rough: every day. Smooth: once a week |
| Coat | Rough: medium. Smooth: short (both shed) |
| Lifespan | Rough: over 12 years. Smooth: over 10 years |
What Rough and Smooth Collies are like to live with
Rough and Smooth Collies are two British breeds from the same root. The Royal Kennel Club says the Rough Collie shares its origins with the Smooth Collie in the working sheepdogs of Scotland, and it describes both as "friendly, happy and active" with "working roots". According to its Smooth Collie page, the two look almost identical apart from the coat, and until 1994 they could be interbred.
That is the breed on paper. A rescue Collie is an individual and may be a cross, and the rescue will know how this particular dog behaves at home, on the lead and with visitors, so ask them.
Size and exercise
The Royal Kennel Club lists both Collies as large dogs needing up to an hour of exercise a day. It says they suit a small house with a large garden, in town or country.
Grooming
This is where the two differ. The Rough Collie has a medium length coat that needs grooming every day. The Smooth Collie has a short coat that needs grooming about once a week. Both shed.
Health
The Royal Kennel Club asks Rough Collie breeders to have their dogs' eyes tested (including litter screening) and hips scored. Its best practice list adds DNA tests for Collie eye anomaly/choroidal hypoplasia (CEA/CH), degenerative myelopathy (DM), multi-drug resistance (MDR1) and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-rcd2). It lists the same DNA tests, eye testing and hip scoring for the Smooth Collie. It gives the lifespan as over 12 years for the Rough and over 10 years for the Smooth.
A rescue dog's parents were rarely health tested, so ask the rescue what vet checks the dog has had and whether any condition is known. Your own vet is the right person to advise on anything you notice later.
Children, cats and other dogs
Whether a particular rescue Collie can live with children, cats or other dogs depends on the dog, not the breed. Go by the rescue's own assessment, which is often noted on the profile, and ask them if it is not.
Rough or Smooth?
The Rough Collie has the fuller coat, which The Royal Kennel Club calls "glamorous". The Smooth has a short coat, and The Royal Kennel Club says it "has always lived in the shadows of its more glamorously coated cousin". The Royal Kennel Club first awarded the Smooth Collie challenge certificates as a separate breed in 1979.
The Royal Kennel Club lists the Smooth Collie as a vulnerable native breed. The Rough Collie is not on that list. Dogs listed simply as "collie" are usually Border Collies, which have their own page.
Sources (checked 29 September 2026)
Breed descriptions are general. Every rescue animal is an individual, so the rescue's own assessment of the animal comes first.
Rough and Smooth Collies in London: your questions
How many rescue Rough and Smooth Collies are available for adoption in London?
As of 30 September 2026, 1 Collie is listed for adoption in London on LocalPetFinder, from Dogs Trust. Each profile links to the rescue, and you apply to adopt with them directly.
Are there Collie puppies for adoption in London?
Yes: 1 puppy of the 1 listed in London is 12 months or under by their listed age.
What is the difference between a Rough Collie and a Smooth Collie?
Mainly the coat. The Royal Kennel Club says the two breeds today look almost identical apart from the coat, and until 1994 they could be interbred. The Rough needs grooming every day, the Smooth about once a week.
Is the Smooth Collie rare?
Yes. The Royal Kennel Club lists the Smooth Collie as a vulnerable native breed, while the Rough Collie is not on that list. If you are hoping for one, an alert is the easiest way to hear when one is listed.
How much does it cost to adopt a Collie in London?
Each rescue sets its own adoption fee. Battersea charges £230 for a dog over six months and £275 for a puppy under six months, Dogs Trust charges £300 for a puppy or adult dog in England, Wales and Scotland, and Blue Cross fees start from £235 for dogs aged 8 or over and £335 for dogs aged 1 to 7. The fee usually covers neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations, and each rescue confirms its own fee.
Are there Rough and Smooth Collies for sale in London?
No. We don't list animals for sale. Every Collie on this page is with a rescue or rehoming centre, and rescues rehome animals for an adoption fee rather than selling them: for example, Battersea charges £230 for an adult dog and Dogs Trust £300. The fee goes towards the vet work already done, such as neutering, microchipping and first vaccinations. In England, Lucy's Law has meant since 6 April 2020 that puppies under six months can't be sold by a third party such as a pet shop or dealer: you buy direct from the breeder or adopt from a rehoming centre.
Can I get a free Collie in London, or one under £500?
Usually not. UK rescues normally ask for an adoption fee, which pays towards neutering, microchipping and vaccinations. Many rescue fees are under £500: Battersea charges £230 for a dog over six months, Dogs Trust £300, and Blue Cross from £235 for dogs aged 8 or over. An animal offered "free to good home" is a private advert, not a rescue. All dogs in the UK must be microchipped by 8 weeks old, and in England, Wales and Scotland a dog can't pass to a new keeper until it is chipped, so ask to see the microchip details.
Is there a Collie rescue near me in London?
This page lists every Collie with the rescues we list in London and the places within it. When there are only a few here, we also show Rough and Smooth Collies from rescues within 25 miles, each with its town and distance. You can also see Rough and Smooth Collies across England. Email alerts for new listings are coming soon.
More dogs in London
By breed
See all 52 dogs in London → · Rough and Smooth Collies across England → · Collies across the UK →
Rough and Smooth Collies in other cities: Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester
For rescues and rehoming centres
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Every animal links back to your own adoption page, and you can ask to be removed at any time.