The Standard

The written standard is the goal to which preservation breeders strive to embody in their lineage.

Official AKC Standard of the Collie

Rough

General Character: 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.

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.

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.

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.Page 2 of 3

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 isPage 3 of 3

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Approved May 10, 1977