The Scottish Collie Preservation Society Breed Standard
The official breed standard for the Scottish Collie Preservation Society was drawn directly from the three Collie Standards of 1885, 1898, and 1910. The original language has been preserved as well, in order to restore the most authentic Scottish Collie possible.
ROUGH COATED
General Character: A lithe active dog, his deep chest showing lung power, his neck strength, his sloping shoulders and well bent hocks indicating speed, and his expression high intelligence. He should be fair length on the leg, giving him more of racy than cloddy appearance. In a few words a Collie should show endurance, activity, and intelligence, with free and true action.
Head: It should be moderately long in proportion to the dog’s size, and covered with short, soft hair. The Skull should be flat, moderately wide between the ears and gradually tapering to the eyes. There should be a very slight elevation of the eyebrows and only a slight depression at the stop. The width of skull necessarily depends upon the combined length of skull and muzzle, and the whole must be considered in connection with the size of the dog. The cheek should not be full or prominent.
The muzzle should be of fair length tapering to the nose which whatever the color of the dog, should be black and must not show weakness or be snipey or lippy.
The teeth, which must be white, and of good size, should not be either over nor undershot. Both are faults, the latter the greater of the two.
Eyes: The eyes are a very important feature and give expression to the dog. They should be of fair or medium size, but not prominent. The eyes should be almond shaped and set somewhat obliquely in the head with an alert expression full of intelligence. Color may be any shade of brown, the darker the better, yellow eyes being a fault. Dogs of merle color frequently have either one or both eyes blue and white or china colored.
Ears: Ears should be small, moderately wide at the base and placed not too close together on the top of the head, nor too much to the side of the head. The ears are covered with short soft hair longer towards the base and carried semi-erect when alert with tips slightly drooping; at other times they are thrown back and buried in the frill.
Neck: The neck should be muscular, powerful, of fair length, and somewhat arched.’
Body: Should be rather long, with well sprung ribs, the chest deep and narrow in front, but of fair breadth behind the shoulders, which should be oblique. The loins should be slightly arched. The dog should be straight in front.
Legs
Forelegs: Should be straight and muscular, and neither in nor out at the elbows with a fair amount of bone, the forearm somewhat fleshy.
Hindlegs: Should be muscular at the thighs, clean and sinewy, below the hocks very sinewy, and hocks well bent, pasterns long, and light in bone, with well bent stifles.
Feet: Should be oval in shape, the soles well padded, and toes well arched and close. The hind feet are less arched, and the hocks well let down and powerful.
Tail: Should be moderately long, carried low when the dog is quiet, with a slight upward swirl at the end, and may be carried gaily when the dog is excited, but not over the back. The tail is carried almost straight out when running.
Coat: This is a very important point. The coat, except on the head and legs, should be abundant, the outer coat harsh to the touch, the inner coat soft and furry, and very close, so close, that it is difficult on parting the hair to see the skin. The hair is very abundant round the neck and chest; this is termed the frill. The mask is smooth, as also the ears at the tips, but they should carry more hair towards the base; the forelegs are slightly feathered, the hind-legs below the hocks are smooth. Hair on tail is very profuse, and on the hips long and bushy.
SMOOTH COATED
The Smooth Collie only differs from the Rough in its coat, which should be hard, dense, and quite smooth.
ALL SCOTTISH COLLIES Color and Markings: Are immaterial (except that solid white or red setter color are not desirable colors). A nice showily marked dog is preferred.
Size: Dogs 22 inches to 24 inches at the shoulder, Bitches 20 to 22 inches.
Weight: Dogs 45 lb. to 65 lb., Bitches 40 lb. to 55 lb.
EVALUATION Faults: Domed skull, a disproportionately large head which may be too wide or too heavy with too pronounced or too exaggerated a stop, high peaked occipital bone, heavy, pendulous or prick ears, weak jaws, narrow muzzle, full soft, staring, or light eyes, crooked legs, large flat or hare feet, curly or soft coat, heavily feather legs, cow hocks, short tail or brush carried right over the back, under or overshot mouth, white or solid red color.
Faults in movement include a crooked or heavy cloddish gait, with resulting lack of speed or agility.
The Collie should single track when moving at a high speed yet not cross its feet. The Collie should trot effortlessly with a floating trot. Pacing instead of trotting with subsequent rolling action is a fault.
THE SCOTTISH COLLIE PRESERVATION SOCIETY STANDARD – 2016
THE SCOTTISH COLLIE CLUB’S STANDARD – 1885
THE ENGLISH CLUBS´ REVISED STANDARD – 1898
REVISED ROUGH AND SMOOTH COLLIE STANDARD – 1910