herding heritage at its best. Key words here are smooth, e ffi cient, e ff ortless and ground covering. ɨF JOEJWJEVBM FYBNJOBUJPO TIPVME begin with the head. Please note: promi- nent head faults are very severely penal- ized. When viewed from both front and side, your first impression should be a long, lean, well blunted wedge. You can’t really judge a Collie without putting your hands on the head. As you lay your hands lightly on the head keep in mind the importance the Collie Standard places on head qualities (qualities that can easily be lost in one generation). Th e reasons for FNQIBTJTPOIFBE FZFBOEFYQSFTTJPOBSF deeply rooted in the Collie’s early days of 4IFFQIFSEJOH BTJUXBTFYUSFNFMZJNQPS - tant that the Collie not look like the Sheep’s greatest enemy, the Wolf. t *T UIF NV[[MF TNPPUI BOE SPVOE BOE are the cheekbones flat to the touch without flaring? t *TUIFVOEFSKBXXFMMmOJTIFEBOEEPUIF teeth meet in a scissors bite? t Are the muzzle and skull equal in length? t Are the planes parallel? Be sure to check GPS FYDFTTJWF EFQUI GSPN CSPX UP UIF throat-line. t *TUIFTUPQWFSZTMJHIUCVUQFSDFQUJCMF t *TUIFDFOUFSPGUIFTUPQBUUIFJOOFSDPS - ner of the eye? t *TUIFCBDLTLVMMBTnBUUPUIFUPVDIBT it appears from a distance? Hair can play funny tricks and ears drawn at attention can disguise a skull that recedes to the back or side.
t *TUIFFZFQMBDFEPCMJRVFMZBOEDIJTFMFE into the foreface to give it a forward outlook? t *TUIFFZFEBSL BMNPOETIBQFEBOEPG medium size? "GUFS FYBNJOJOH UIF IFBE BOE UIF CPEZ ZPV OFYU DPOTJEFS NPWFNFOU DPNJOH BOE going. Send the dogs down and back, seeking those whose legs converge and single track as speed increases. Th e Collie should be evalu- ated standing naturally after coming to a stop. Ask the handler to take a step forward if you have a question about the dog’s static bal- ance or stance. Also please keep in mind that UIF$PMMJF4UBOEBSETQFDJmDBMMZTUBUFTiFYDFT - sive ‘posing’ is undesirable.” Finally send the dog around to the end of the line to again remind yourself of his side movement. By now you will have begun to assess temperament as well as physical quali- ties. Which dogs show the proud picture of true balance, displaying no signs of timidity, frailness, lack of animation or a cumbersome appearance? Th e dog that projects naturally elegant carriage is highly desirable in the Collie. Timidity, frailness, sullenness, viciousness, lack of animation, cumbersome appearance and lack of over- all balance impair the general character. At this point you will have made men- tal notes of the dogs that possess the best type and soundness. Now it is a matter of sorting through this final cut to find the best of the best, always keeping in mind the Collie Standard’s strong emphasis on DPSSFDU IFBE FZF BOE FYQSFTTJPO %POU
hesitate to have your final contenders face ZPVUPDPNQBSFFYQSFTTJPO XIJDIJTPGUFO a key deciding factor in top competition. Th e Smooth Variety of Collie is judged CZUIFTBNF4UBOEBSEBTUIF3PVHI7BSJ - FUZ FYDFQUUIBUUIFSFGFSFODFTUPUIFRVBO - tity and distribution of the coat are not applicable. Th e Smooth has a short, hard, EFOTF nBUDPBUPGHPPEUFYUVSF XJUIBO abundance of undercoat. *O TVNNBSZ XIBU EJTUJOHVJTIFT UIF Collie from any other breed are his head properties, especially the eye, ear and UIF UZQJDBM FYQSFTTJPO 8F BMTP WBMVF BO overall picture of balance and elegance, coupled with a confident dog that is put together correctly, that can move e ff ort- lessly, and possesses the essential beauty of breed type. Without these qualities you have just an ordinary dog and with them you have one of the most majestic breeds imaginable. Also please note that Collies have no disqualifications other than those mandated by AKC. BIO Gayle Kaye is a successful, longtime breeder and exhibitor of Collies. A well- known and award winning author of several Collie books, she has written hundreds of articles on the breed. She recently judged “Breed and Intersex” at the Collie Club of America National Specialty in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Cur- rently she is a National breed club Offi- cer and Co-Chair of the CCA Judge’s Education Committee.
Photo by Collie Expressions
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