They are extremely smart. This means that they will learn things you didn't intend for them to learn ... like how to tell from the tone of your voice if you are going to clip their nails or get ready to leave the house without them. You will need to be prepared to retrain any undesirable behaviors that you accidentally train in.
They like to chase things. This includes things like balls and frisbees ... but also your children, horses, the vacuum cleaner, cars that pass the yard, squirrels .... You will need to provide a suitable outlet for their prey drive.
They are protective. Part of protection is alerting the family to potential danger, which means barking -- especially at night and when they are left home alone. You will need to work with your dog to help them understand what things are real dangers and what they should ignore.
They shed. While most old-time collies have a manageable coat that doesn't need a great deal of grooming, they still shed. A lot. And they do need to be brushed to keep their skin healthy and their coat free of mats. Year-round, you will find collie dust bunnies under every piece of furniture, even immediately after you vacuum. During shedding time, you will find dust kangaroos, collie tumbleweeds, and potentially entire other collies on the furniture, in your bed, on your clothes, and in every nook and cranny of your home.
They can be very sensitive. Old-time collies love their people. They want to be with them all the time and please them 100%. This means that when things go wrong, they may sometimes take it personally. Are you having a bad day and snap at them for being your shadow? They may avoid you for weeks. Did you accidentally trip over them at dinner time? They may skip dinner and hide under the bed. Did you yell at them for whining in the kennel? Good luck getting them in there tomorrow night without a struggle! You will need to focus on positive, consistent training to avoid turning a minor unpleasant incident into a "thing".
They have a well-developed prey drive. An unsupervised, untrained old-time collie can and will chase, harm, or potentially kill other smaller animals, like rodents, poultry, cats, rabbits, etc. In fact, they may even chase and nip at small children if you don't teach them what to do instead. Fortunately, with proper supervision, training, and a proper outlet for their prey drive, they can easily be taught what is okay to chase and what isn't.
They are athletic. Old-time collies can run fast, jump high, and dig really deep holes. Fortunately, they are generally also obedient, eager-to-please, and attached to their families. A reasonably secure fence is still a necessity, though, as is an outlet for their energy. The good news is that they are excellent for tiring out children as they can usually play chase or fetch longer than your average child can, and they are happy to come inside and join them for nap time afterward.
They are alert. This means that they will consider it their job to sit or lay out in the yard and just watch. For hours. Some prefer to sleep outside part of the night so they can keep an eye on things while the family sleeps. They also like to see out the window and will happily climb atop any convenient furniture so they can see better. It's common for old-time collies to lounge on the back of the sofa so they can relax with the family and keep an eye out the window for danger at the same time!
They need space and time to work off-leash. Since old-time collies are both smart and energetic, they need to be able to range over a large space where they can run at top speed and get their zoomies out. No human can keep up with them when they really get going. A large yard, dog park, off-leash beach, or other suitable space is necessary to keep your old-time collie happy and healthy.
You will forever be explaining what breed your dog is. Most people haven't heard of an old-time collie, Scotch collie, or farm collie. They'll ask you if it's ... a ... collie? Or ... a border collie? Or ... a sheltie? Or ... an Aussie .... or ...? You'll want to get very good at an elevator speech that explains the history of the old-time collie and the breeding behind your dog. Or, you could take the easy road and just nod and smile at whatever they guess ... but where's the fun in that? :)
Muddy puppy -- because just going outside in the rain wasn't fun enough.
Also? Who makes this face in a selfie?!
Now every time we have a firepit party, guess who thinks she should have her own chocolate-free s'more.