For centuries the Rough Coated Collie was hardly known outside Scotland, but it is now one of the world's most popular breeds. Descended from generations of hard- working herding dogs, it is a conscientious creature of immense intelligence. They are used as water rescue dogs and have served man as sheepdogs for centuries, guarding and herding flocks. The breed's name probably comes from its charge; the Scottish black-faced sheep called the Colley. Early Rough Collies were smaller, with broader heads and shorter muzzles. The Collie is so intelligent that he has been trained for many purposes, as a rescue dog, guide for the blind, movie star, and as a guard dog. Queen Victoria kept Collies at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and her interest launched the breed's subsequent popularity. J.P. Morgan and other members of the upper class have owned Collies. At this point Collies were mixed with the Borzoi, and *ALL* show dogs had to have the Borzoi influence for them to win in the show ring. The working dogs separated, branched out and became the different breeds (with the Schotse Collie remaining) and the show type became what we see now, the large dogs with flatter faces. The Collies great beauty has made them a favorite show dog and family companion. The Smooth Collie is more popular as a companion dog in Great Britain than in the United States, though he is gaining popularity in the U.S. today. The Smooth Collie is the same as the Rough Collie, but without the long coat. The AKC considers the Rough and Smooth Collies as varieties of the same breed. They are judged by the same standard with the exception of the coat. The first Collie was presented at a dog show in 1860.
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General Appearance
 The Collie is a lithe, strong,
responsive, active dog, carrying no
useless timber, standing naturally straight and firm. The deep
moderately wide chest shows strength, the sloping shoulders and
well-bent hocks indicate speed and grace, and the face shows high
intelligence. The Collie presents an impressive, proud picture of true
balance, each part being in harmonious proportion to every other part
and to the whole. Except for the technical description that is essential
to this Standard and without which no Standard for the guidance of
breeders and judges is adequate, it could be stated simply that no part
of the Collie ever seems to be out of proportion to any other part.
Timidity, frailness, sullenness, viciousness, lack of animation,
cumbersome appearance, and lack of over-all balance impair the general
character.
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| Head
The head properties are of great
importance. When considered in
proportion to the size of the dog the head is inclined to lightness and
never appears massive. A heavy-headed dog lacks the necessary bright,
alert, full-of-sense look that contributes so greatly to expression.
Both in front and profile view the head bears a general resemblance to a
well-blunted lean wedge, being smooth and clean in outline and nicely
balanced in proportion. On the sides it tapers gradually and smoothly
from the ears to the end of the black nose, without being flared out in
backskull (cheeky) or pinched in muzzle (snipy). In profile view the top
of the backskull and the top of the muzzle lie in two approximately
parallel, straight planes of equal length, divided by a very slight but
perceptible stop or break. A mid-point between the inside corners of the
eyes (which is the center of a correctly placed stop) is the center of
balance in length of head. The end of the smooth, well-rounded muzzle is blunt but not square. The underjaw is strong, clean-cut and the depth of skull from the brow to the under part of the jaw is not excessive. The teeth are of good size, meeting in a scissors bite. Overshot or undershot jaws are undesirable, the latter being more severely penalized. There is a very slight prominence of the eyebrows. The backskull is flat, without receding either laterally or backward and the occipital bone is not highly peaked. The proper width of backskull necessarily depends upon the combined length of skull and muzzle and the width of the backskull is less than its length. Thus the correct width varies with the individual and is dependent upon the extent to which it is supported by length of muzzle. Because of the importance of the head characteristics, prominent head faults are very severely penalized.
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| Eyes
Because of the combination of the
flat skull, the arched eyebrows, the slight stop and the rounded muzzle,
the foreface must be chiseled to form a receptacle for the eyes and they
are necessarily placed obliquely to give them the required forward
outlook. Except for the blue merles, they are required to be matched in
color. They are almond-shaped, of medium size and never properly appear
to be large or prominent. The color is dark and the eye does not show a
yellow ring or a sufficiently prominent haw to affect the dog's
expression. The eyes have a clear, bright appearance, expressing
intelligent inquisitiveness, particularly when the ears are drawn up and
the dog is on the alert. In blue merles, dark brown eyes are preferable,
but either or both eyes may be merle or china in color without specific
penalty. A large, round, full eye seriously detracts from the desired
sweet expression. Eye faults are heavily penalized.
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| Ears
The ears are in proportion to the
size of the head and, if they are carried properly and unquestionably
break naturally, are seldom too small. Large ears usually cannot be
lifted correctly off the head, and even if lifted, they will be out of
proportion to the size of the head. When in repose the ears are folded
lengthwise and thrown back into the frill. On the alert they are drawn
well up on the backskull and are carried about three-quarters erect,
with about one-fourth of the ear tipping or breaking forward. A dog with
prick ears or low ears cannot show true expression and is penalized
accordingly.
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| Neck
The neck is firm, clean, muscular,
sinewy and heavily frilled. It is fairly long, carried upright with a
slight arch at the nape and imparts a proud, upstanding appearance
showing off the frill.
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| Body
The body is firm, hard and
muscular, a trifle long in proportion to the height. The ribs are
well-rounded behind the well-sloped shoulders and the chest is deep,
extending to the elbows. The back is strong and level, supported by
powerful hips and thighs and the croup is sloped to give a well-rounded
finish. The loin is powerful and slightly arched. Noticeably fat dogs,
or dogs in poor flesh, or with skin disease, or with no undercoat are
out of condition and are moderately penalized accordingly.
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| Legs
The forelegs are straight and
muscular, with a fair amount of bone considering the size of the dog. A
cumbersome appearance is undesirable. Both narrow and wide placement are
penalized. The forearm is moderately fleshy and the pasterns are
flexible but without weakness. The hind legs are less fleshy, muscular
at the thighs, very sinewy and the hocks and stifles are well bent. A
cowhocked dog or a dog with straight stifles is penalized. The
comparatively small feet are approximately oval in shape. The soles are
well padded and tough, and the toes are well arched and close together.
When the Collie is not in motion the legs and feet are judged by
allowing the dog to come to a natural stop in a standing position so
that both the forelegs and the hind legs are placed well apart, with the
feet extending straight forward. Excessive "posing"is
undesirable.
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| Gait
Gait is sound. When the dog is moved
at a slow trot toward an observer its straight front legs track
comparatively close together at the ground. The front legs are not out
at the elbows, do not "crossover," nor does the dog move with
a choppy, pacing or rolling gait. When viewed from the rear the hind
legs are straight, tracking comparatively close together at the ground.
At a moderate trot the hind legs are powerful and propelling. Viewed
from the side the reasonably long, "reaching" stride is smooth
and even, keeping the back line firm and level. As the speed of the gait
is increased the Collie single tracks, bringing the front legs inward in
a straight line from the shoulder toward the center line of the body and
the hind legs inward in a straight line from the hip toward the center
line of the body. The gait suggests effortless speed combined with the
dog's herding heritage, requiring it to be capable of changing its
direction of travel almost instantaneously.
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| Tail
The tail is moderately long, the bone
reaching to the hock joint or below. It is carried low when the dog is
quiet, the end having an upward twist or swirl. When gaited or when the
dog is excited it is carried gaily but not over the back.
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| Coat
The well-fitting, proper-textured
coat is the crowning glory of the rough variety of Collie. It is
abundant except on the head and legs. The outer coat is straight and
harsh to the touch. A soft, open outer coat or a curly outer coat,
regardless of quantity is penalized. The undercoat, however, is soft,
furry and so close together that it is difficult to see the skin when
the hair is parted. The coat is very abundant on the mane and frill. The
face or mask is smooth. The forelegs are smooth and well feathered to
the back of the pasterns. The hind legs are smooth below the hock
joints. Any feathering below the hocks is removed for the show ring. The
hair on the tail is very profuse and on the hips it is long and bushy.
The texture, quantity and the extent to which the coat "fits the
dog" are important points.
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| Color
The four recognized colors are "Sable
and White," "Tri-color," "Blue Merle" and
"White." There is no preference among them. The "Sable
and White" is predominantly sable (a fawn sable color of varying
shades from light gold to dark mahogany) with white markings usually on
the chest, neck, legs, feet and the tip of the tail. A blaze may appear
on the foreface or backskull or both. The "Tri-color" is
predominantly black, carrying white markings as in a "Sable and
White" and has tan shadings on and about the head and legs. The
"Blue Merle" is a mottled or "marbled" color
predominantly blue-grey and black with white markings as in the "Sable
and White" and usually has tan shadings as in the "Tri-color."
The "White" is predominantly white, preferably with sable,
tri-color or blue merle markings.
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| Size
Dogs are from 24 to 26 inches at the
shoulder and weigh from 60 to 75 pounds. Bitches are from 22 to 24
inches at the shoulder, weighing from 50 to 65 pounds. An undersize or
an oversize Collie is penalized according to the extent to which the dog
appears to be undersize or oversize.
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| Expression
Expression is one of the most
important points in considering the relative value of Collies.
Expression, like the term character is difficult to define in words. It
is not a fixed point as in color, weight or height and it is something
the uninitiated can properly understand only by optical illustration. In
general, however, it may be said to be the combined product of the shape
and balance of the skull and muzzle, the placement, size, shape and
color of the eye and the position, size and carriage of the ears. An
expression that shows sullenness or which is suggestive of any other
breed is entirely foreign. The Collie cannot be judged properly until
its expression has been carefully evaluated.
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| SMOOTH
The Smooth Variety of Collie is
judged by the same Standard as the Rough Variety, except that the
references to the quantity and distribution of the coat are not
applicable to the Smooth Variety, which has a short, hard, dense, flat
coat of good texture, with an abundance of undercoat.
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Faults Note
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Langharige Schotse Herder
History
