Nieuwe pagina 2

Border Collie

This highly intelligent dog has an inborn instinct to work, and responds readily and eagerly to training. He was originally used for working sheep in the hills and mountains, mainly in the border counties of England, Scotland and Wales. He is very graceful, but with sufficient substance to withstand all elements. A silent worker, he responds to any signal audible or visual. Loyal and faithful by nature, his disposition is very kindly. Capable of thinking for himself, he is often used in the mountian rescue work, makes an excellent tracker, and is also used as a sniffer dog. He needs lots of exercise, thrives on company,and will participate in any activity. He is dedicated to serving man, but is the type of the dog who needs to work to be happy and is not content to sit at home by the hearth all day.

General Appearance

Well proportioned, smooth outline showing quality, gracefulness and prefect balance, combined with sufficient substance to give impresion of endurance. Any tendency to coarseness or weediness undesirable

Characteriscics

Tenacious, hard - working sheep dog , of very great tractability.

Temperament

Keen, very alert, responsive and olso intelligent. Neither nervous and no aggressive.

Head and Skull

Skull fairly broad, occiput not pronounced. Cheeks not full or rounded. Muzzle, tapering to nose, moderately short and strong. Skull and foreface approximately equal in length. Stop very distinct. Nose black, except in brown or chocolate colour when in may be brown. In blues nose should be slade colour. Nostrils well developed.

Eyes

Set wide apart, oval - shaped, of moderate size, brown in colour except in the merles where one or both or part of one or both may be blue. Expression mild, keen, alert and intelligent.

Ears

Medium size and texture, set well apart. Carried erect or semi - sensitive in use.

Mouth

Teeth and the jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws.

Neck

Of very good lengthstrong and muscular, slightly arched and broadening to the shoulders.

ForeQuarters

Front legs parallel when viewed from front, pasterns slightly sloping when viewed from the side. Bone strong but not heavy. Shoulders well laid back, elbowsclose to the body.

Body

Athletic in appearance, ribs well sprung, chest deep and rather broad, loins deep and muscular, but not tucked up. Body slightly longer than height at shoulder.

HindQuarters

Broad, muscular, in profile sloping gracefully to set on of tail. Thighs long, deep and muscular with well turned stifles and strong well let down hocks. From hock to ground, hindlegs well boned and parrallel when viewed from rear.

Feet

Oval, pads deep, strong and sound, toes arched and close together. Nails short and strong.

Tail

Moderately long, the bone reaching at least to hock, set on low, well furnished and with an upward swirl towards the end, completing graceful contour anfd balance of the dog. Tail may be raised in exc itement, never carried over back.

Gait / Movement

Free, smooth and tireless, with minimum lift of feet, conveying impression of ability to move with great stealth and speed.

Coat

Two varieties : ) Moderately long ; b ) Smoot. In both, topcoat dense and medium - textured, undercoat soft and dense giving good weather resistance. In moderately long - coated variety, abundant coat forms mane, breeching and brush. On face, ears, forelegs ( except for feather ), hindlegs from hock to ground, hair should be short and smooth.

Colour

Variety of colours permissible. White should never predominate.

Size

Idealheight: dogs: 53 cms ( 21 ins ); bitches: slightly less.

Faults

Any depearturefrom the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Note

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully desended into the scrotum.