Delegates at the Australian National Conference held in Darwin 10th - 13th October 1988, considered and resolved that an extension of the BREED STANDARD for training purposes for judges, breeders and other interested persons be entered into by the NATIONAL BREEDS COUNCIL, or where no breed council existed, by affiliated breed clubs. As a direct consequence of this resolution, at the May '89 General Meeting of the Collie Club of NSW a nine member sub-committee was elected to deal with this assignment. The committee was comprised of Peter Girdlestone, Leah Ryan, Joan Girdlestone, Bruce Heath, Leeann Davis, Gaye Jones, Joanne Stoney, Margaret Peterson & Kathy Fox.
The descision was made to adopt the use of the book by Mrs Allene Elkins, called "A LOOK AT THE ILLUSTRATED STANDARD". The book was reviewed in parts re written, re edited to conform to the two standards for collies rough and smooth as they applied to us here in Australia.

"THE HEAD"

Head properties of great importance, must be considered in proportion to the size of the 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 cheekbones or pinched muzzle.

Click these links below for an interactive learning experience.

THE WEDGE.
COMPONENTS OF EXPRESSION.
SOME COMPARISONS.
COLOUR PATTERNS, HOW THEY AFFECT EXPRESSION.

Head A from the front shows the well blunted clean wedge TAPERING gradually from the ears to the nose. Here the key word is tapering. the foreface chiselled to form a receptacle for the eyes, set somewhat obliquely (slanted) with a forward outlook.

HEAD FAULTS

FAULTY
Head B (above) - from the front shows almost no tapering at all, the over rounded and full muzzle practically as wide as the narrow backskull. Here our pendulum effect - only a few generations back we were breeding to narrow that backskull! This lack of tapering forces the yes not to blend in, but to be fitted in as best they will, lacking the slant and shape for expression.

Head C (above) - shows an example of the head we are faulting,an almost total lack of stop with the muzzle filled right up to the joining with the skull, allowing no room for the proper collie eye, and the underjaw giving a square appearance at the end.

The collie let us never forget originated in Scotland and many of the top collies were exported to wealthy fanciers in the USA in the late 1800's through the early 1900's. One of the very best collies from the UK was "Eng CH Anfield Model".
Whelped in 1902 and landing in the USA in 1907 Model was considered the most perfect specimen ever bred at the time. This picture below was used repeatedly to illustrate correct collie type. Indeed it was felt for years that he was indeed the "Living Standard" in head shape, eye and expression.

Who then has moved by selection so far away from the true collie type........ the British or the Americans?? Do a survey for yourself - visit a few different collie websites from around the world. Then decide for yourself which countries today most truely conform to the written standard.

In your opinion which of these two collies best illustrates the correct well blunted tapered wedge.

To see an evolution of the UK collie against the USA collie, compare these pictures.

Click the links below for more illustrations of understanding the Collie Standard.

EARS
EYES
Another great page on EYES
SKULLS
PROFILES - Test your knowledge....
GAIT
PROPORTION
OUTLINE ie: TYPE.
BALANCE

Courtesy of Joan Graber.