Foot

Oval; soles well padded. Toes arched and close together. Hind feet slightly less arched.

Hindquarters

Hindlegs muscular at thighs, clean and sinewy below, with well-bent stifles. Hocks well let down and powerful.

Tail

Long with bone reaching at least to hock joint. Carried low when quiet but with slight upward swirl at tip. May be carried gaily when excited, but never over back.

MOUTH

Teeth of good size. 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

Muscular, powerful, of fair length, well arched.

Forequarters

Shoulders sloping and well angulated. Forelegs straight and muscular, neither in nor out at elbows, with moderate amount of round bone.

BREED STANDARD

Mia Ejerstad, author of 'the collie standard' has kindly granted permission to use extracts from her book below for educational purposes. All credit of illustrations featured here go to Mia.

What is a breed standard?

In the UK, a breed standard is an official description of the ideal appearance, movement and temperament of a pedigree dog breed. These standards are set and maintained by The Royal Kennel Club (the UK’s largest organisation for dog health, welfare and training), in consultation with breed clubs and experts. Each of the over 200 recognised breeds has its own standard, which acts as a blueprint for responsible breeding.

Why are Breed Standards Important?

Preserving type and heritage - They ensure each breed retains its unique qualities, history and purpose, whether that’s herding, guarding, companionship, or sporting work.
Guiding responsible breeding - Breeders can use the standard as a reference point to select dogs that meet the desired traits, both in looks and temperament.
Supporting welfare - A well-written standard emphasises health and soundness of body and mind. For example, exaggerations that could harm a dog’s wellbeing are discouraged.
Providing consistency - They make sure that when someone buys a Labrador Retriever, Border Collie, or Dachshund, they know broadly what to expect in size, temperament and care needs.

RKC BREED STANDARD

MOVEMENT & GAIT

Distinctly characteristic in this breed. A sound dog is never out at the elbow, yet moves with front feet comparatively close together. Plaiting, crossing or rolling are highly undesirable. Hindlegs from hock joint to ground when viewed from rear to be parallel but not too close; when viewed from side, action is smooth. Hindlegs powerful with plenty of drive. A reasonably long stride is desirable and should be light and appear effortless. Absolute soundness essential.

The risks of breeding outside the standard:

When dogs are bred without regard to the standard, a number of issues can arise:

Health concerns - Breeding for extreme features (such as overly flat faces, excessively long backs, or tiny size) can lead to serious welfare problems.
Unpredictable temperament - If temperament is ignored, dogs may not suit the homes or work they are intended for, increasing the risk of stress or behavioural problems.
Loss of breed identity - Without a standard to guide breeding, the distinctive qualities that define each breed can be diluted over generations.
Inconsistent quality of life - Families may find themselves with a dog very different from what they expected in size, exercise needs or behaviour, which can affect both owner and dog.

In summary, a breed standard is not about creating "show dogs" for appearance alone – it is about safeguarding the health, temperament and future of pedigree dogs. By following breed standards, breeders can help ensure that dogs are healthy, well-balanced and true to their heritage, while also giving new owners a clear understanding of the breed they are welcoming into their lives.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Appears as dog of great beauty, standing with impassive dignity, with no part out of proportion to whole, giving the appearance of working capability.

TEMPERAMENT

Friendly disposition with no trace of nervousness or aggressiveness.
A great companion dog, friendly, happy and active, good with children and other dogs.

CHARACTERISTICS

Physical structure on lines of strength and activity, free from cloddiness and with no trace of coarseness. Expression most important. In considering relative values it is obtained by perfect balance and combination of skull and foreface, size, shape, colour and placement of eyes, correct position and carriage of ears.

BODY

Slightly long compared with height, back firm with a slight rise over loins; ribs well sprung, chest deep, fairly broad behind shoulders.

SKULL & HEAD

Head properties of great importance, must be considered in proportion to size of dog. Viewed from front or side, head resembles a well-blunted clean wedge, being smooth in outline. Skull flat. Sides taper gradually and smoothly from ears to end of black nose, without prominent cheek bones or pinched muzzle.

Viewed in profile, top of skull and top of muzzle lie in two parallel straight lines of equal length divided by a slight, but perceptible stop or break. A mid-point between inside corner of eyes (which is centre of a correctly placed stop) is centre of balance in length of head. End of smooth, well-rounded muzzle blunt, never square. Under jaw strong, clean cut. Depth of skull from brow to underpart of jaw never excessive (deep through). Nose always black.

COAT

Fits outline of body, very dense. Outer coat straight and harsh to touch, undercoat soft, furry and very close almost hiding the skin; mane and frill very abundant, mask and face smooth, ears smooth at tips, but carrying more hair towards base, front legs well feathered, hindlegs above hocks profusely feathered, but smooth below hock joint. Hair on tail very profuse.

COLOUR

Three recognised colours: Sable and white, Tricolour and Blue Merle.

Sable: any shade of light gold to rich mahogany or shaded sable. Light straw or cream coloured highly undesirable.

Tricolour: predominantly black with rich tan markings about legs and head. A rusty tinge in top coat highly undesirable.

Blue Merle: predominantly clear, silvery blue, splashed and marbled with black. Rich tan markings preferable, but absence should not be penalised. Large black markings, slate colour, or rusty tinge either of top or undercoat are highly undesirable.

All should carry typical white Collie markings to a greater or lesser degree. 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 highly undesirable.

Any other colour or combination of colours unacceptable.

EYES

Very important feature giving sweet expression. Medium size (never very small) set somewhat obliquely, of almond-shape and dark brown colour, except in the case of blue merles when eyes are frequently (one or both, or part of one or both) blue or blue-flecked. Expression full of intelligence, with quick, alert look when listening.

EARS

Small, not too close together on top of skull, nor too far apart. In repose carried thrown back, but on alert brought forward and carried semi-erect, that is, with approximately two-thirds of ear standing erect, top third tipping forward naturally, below horizontal.

SIZE

Height: dogs: 56-61 cms (22-24 ins) at shoulder; bitches: 51-56 cms (20-22 ins).

ADDITIONAL NOTES

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