Collies tend to be quiet members of the family indoors but active outside. They enjoy a good romp and play session but also enjoy curling up on the couch with their people. If your main desire in a dog is someone to play fetch with, other breeds like retrievers, might be a better choice for you. Collies love to be with people and can become easily bored by themselves in the backyard. A bored dog can be a problem dog.
Boredom leads to distructive behavior like digging and chewing and often to barking.
While the coat of a rough is wonderful to look at, it takes time and effort to maintain in all it's glory. If you have decided a collie is the dog for you, stop and ask yourself about the degree of your commitment to coat care. If you find you like the temperament of a collie, but are unsure about the coat care requirements, give careful thought to the smooth variety of collie. Smooths are all the fun with out the work. If you live in an area of the country where you are going to shave a rough collie during the summer, once again consider the smooth.