GENERAL
APPEARANCE - The Collie should
instantly appeal as gifted with intelligence, alertness
and activity. He should stand with dignity, and
his movements, governed by perfect anatomical formation,
with no part out of proportion, should be smooth and graceful.
He should give the appearance of a dog capable of working.
CHARACTERISTICS
- To enable the Collie to fulfil a natural bent for
Sheepdog work, its physical structure should be on the
lines of strength and activity, free from cloddiness
and without any trace of coarseness. Expression,
one of the most important points in considering relative
values, is obtained by the perfect balance and combination
of skull and foreface, size, shape, colour and placement
of eye, correct position and carriage of ears.
TEMPERAMENT
- Should be gay and friendly, never nervous nor aggressive.
HEAD
AND SKULL - The head properties are of great importance
and must be considered in proportion to the size of
the dog. When viewed from the front or the side
the head should bear a general resemblance to a well-blunted,
clean wedge, being smooth in outline. The skull
should be flat. The sides should taper gradually
and smoothly from the ears to the end of the black nose,
without prominent cheek bones or pinched muzzle.
Viewed in profile, the top of the skull and the top
of the muzzle should lie in two parallel straight planes
of equal length, divided by a slight but perceptible
"stop" or break. A mid-point between the inside corners
of the eyes (which is the centre of a correctly placed
"stop") should be the centre of balance in length of
head. The end of the smooth, well rounded muzzle
should be blunt, but not square. The underjaw
should be strong, clean cut and the depth of the skull
from the brow to the underpart of the jaw, should never
be excessive (deep through). Whatever the colour
of the dog, the nose must be black.
EYES
- Are a very important feature and should give
a sweet expression to the dog. They should be
of medium size, set somewhat obliquely, of almond shape
and of dark brown colour, except in the case of blue
merles when one or both eyes may be wall or jewelled.
Expression full of intelligence, with a quick, alert
look when listening.
EARS
- These should be relatively large, wider at the base,
and placed not too close together nor too much on the
side of the head. When in repose they should be
carried thrown back, but when on the alert brought forward
and carried semi-erect, that is, with approximately
two-thirds of the ear standing erect, the top third
tipping forward naturally, below the horizontal.
MOUTH
- The teeth should be of good size, with the lower incisors
fitting closely behind the upper incisors; a very slight
space not to be regarded as a serious fault.
NECK
- Should be muscular, powerful, of fair length and well
arched.
FOREQUARTERS
- The shoulders should be sloped and well-angulated.
The forelegs should be straight and muscular, neither
in nor out at elbows, with a moderate amount of bone.
The forearm somewhat fleshy with pasterns showing flexibility
without weakness.
BODY
- Should be a trifle long compared to the height, back
level and firm with a slight rise over the loins; ribs
well sprung; chest deep and fairly broad behind the
shoulders.
HINDQUARTERS
- The hind legs should be muscular at the thighs, clean
and sinewy below, with well bent stifles. Hocks
well let-down and powerful.
FEET
- Should be oval with soles well padded. Toes
arched and close together. The hind feet slightly
less arched.
TAIL
- Should be long with the bone reaching at least to
the hock joint. To be carried low when the dog
is quiet, but with a slight upward swirl at the tip.
It may be carried gaily when the dog is excited, but
not over the back.
GAIT/MOVEMENT
- Movement is a distinct characteristic of the breed.
A sound dog is never out at elbow, yet it moves with
its front feet comparatively close together. Plaiting,
crossing or rolling are highly undesirable. The
hind legs, from the hock joint to the ground, when viewed
from the rear, should be parallel, powerful and
full of drive. Viewed from the side the action
should be smooth. A reasonably long stride is
desirable and this should be light and appear quite
effortless.
COAT
- A very important feature of the Smooth Collie is his
short, flat top coat of harsh texture, with a very dense
undercoat.
COLOUR - The three recognised colours are Sable
and White, Tricolour and Blue Merle.
Sable: Any shade from light gold to rich mahogany or
shaded sable. Light straw or cream colour is highly
undesirable.
Tricolour: Predominantly black with rich tan markings
about the legs and head. A rusty tinge in the
top coat is highly undesirable.
Blue Merle: Predominantly clear, silvery blue, splashed
and marbled with black. Rich tan markings to be
preferred, but their absence should not be counted as
a fault. Large black markings, slate colour, or
a rusty tinge either on the top or undercoat are highly
undesirable.
White Markings: All the above may carry the typical
white Collie markings to a greater or lesser degree.
The following markings are favourable: White collar,
full or part; white shirt, legs and feet; white tail
tip. A blaze may be carried on muzzle or skull
or both. All white or predominantly white is most
undesirable.
SIZE
- Dogs: 56-61 cm (22-24 ins) at shoulder.
Bitches: 51-56 cm (20-22 ins).
Dogs:
20.5-29.5 kg (45-65 lbs),
Bitches 18-25 kg (40-55 lbs).
FAULTS
- Any departure from the foregoing points should be
considered a fault and the seriousness of the fault
should be in exact proportion to its degree.
NOTE
- Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles
fully descended into the scrotum.
Working Dog Group A.N.K.C.
© January 1998
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