The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-01
HEAD OF COLLIE Is
IMPORTANT FEATURE
It's shape Is Determining Fac
tor in Considering Dogs
Worth in Ring.
JUDGE LOOKS AT 1T FIRST

most important feature in that dog. A
perfect head is a beautiful thing to rom
template. and the creation Of a perfect
diflcult problems that the collie breed
ers have to solve. Some critics will
argue that the modern show collie Is
deficient in brain room. but this does
not seem to be borne out by facts.
The head should be finely chiselled,
free from n humps anywhere. little
stop and that little nicely graduated
from just before the eyes to the fore
head n perfectly fiat between the eyes.
which must not be too far apart. The
whole skull should taper from the mug
Gle to the top Of the head and be free
from any cheekiness. The nose must be
black In all varieties OF the collie. The
perfect head must not be too broad be-
tween the ears. only moderately wide.
with no indentation. almost fiat, with
Just a trace Of arching in the front.
The muzzle must be OF consistent
strength. not running too fine. or the
dog gets a pinched and snipy express
sion.
The Jaws should meet clear and sound,
the top teeth just overlapping the under.
The pig jawed collie is an abomination
and should be disqualified wherever
shown. Excessive length of head is
easily obtained II pig jaws are permits
sible. The upper Jaw OF a dog is more
NJ Gfia fhnn fhA tnI.r. HOs
look at pugs, bulldogs and other kindred
breeds, where shortness OF the face Is
an attraction. These have been worked
on by selection until the upper Jaw IL
out OF all harmony with the under jaw,
and the tongues are too long for the
mouth. So II Is with the collie. II
pig jaws arc not kept down there will
be dogs with abnormal length OF head.
which are quite useless for the practical
work OF the s~heepdog. This should be
borne In mind. as h utility OF any
breed Of dogs should not be sacrificed
for fashion or fancy. The lips OF the
collie should be clean and close fitting.
for nothing so spoils the appearance
Of a collie as large flabby lips hanging
or protruding from the back or sides
Of the mouth. The teeth should be white
and perfect in their setting. Some show
collies are far from perfect in the color
Of their teeth possibly the forcing with
condiments and physics is responsible
for this. The less artificial stimulating
n dog gets the better. He may mature
early. but IL is much better to miss the
wins in the puppy classes than to make
an old dog of him just when he ought
to be in his prime.
Probably next to tho head in impor-
tance in a collie come the ears and their
carriage. Many otherwise perfect dogs
are seriously marred by either bad
ears or faulty carriage. The ears
should be small and set we'll on the
top OF the head. not too far part and
Yet not too close. During a period OF
rest they should be laid back In the run,
but when animated the dog should
carry them erect. with the tips Just
dropping over and thrown slightly out
ward. They should be Of a soft. silky
texture and free from superiuous hair
on the upper parts.
/. Although the eye or expression Is
only a small part OF the collie, still IL Is
Of the utmost Importance. for II Is
the shape. color and setting OF the eye
that give the dog hat keen. alert and
intelligent expression so much admired
and sought for. This eyes should be small
and almond shaped. and set ~obliquely in
the head. A full or staring eye spoils
the expression. as does a light eye. The
eye should be dark brown In color and
show no haw. In the Blue Merle, blue
or wall eyes are the correct thing and
add considerably to tho appearance Of
this pretty variety.
The coat OF the dog consists OF a top
coat OF hair and an under coat OF soft
furry wool. which SHOULD be so denee
as TO almos; hide tho skin. Thus a full
coated dog could stand continuous rain
without getting the skin wet. The Goa.
should be most abundant on the frill.
neck. mane and cape. with long feath
crinc on the chest and hind legs above
the hooks. The feathering on the fore
legs should not be so long. yet must be
fairly SO. The main trouble in coats Is
waviness. and this can be altered by
frequent brushing and combing. A col
lie SHOULD be brushed daily and the
f-athcriug and frill combed out with
an open comb.
Many Judges In passing on a collie
look only to head. ears and coat. but
the good practical Judge always will
be most careful to look at the legs and
feet. as II Is essential that the dog must
be sound. as It Is In any variety OF dog.
II a dog Is a cripple. COW rocked and
n bad mover he should be peisalized
heavily. In n collie tho forelegs should
be straight and not too wide apart and
set Hat on the shoulder and must not
show the elbow and shoulder turned
outward. They must DO muscular, with
n air proportion of bone. without being
clumsy. The feet should be oval and cat
like. the toes arched and close together,
not spread out but padded and hard
underneath.
The hind legs also play an important
part In the action Of the dog. The
STILES should be well bent, the thighs
muscular. the hooks must not be set
too high up the leg. but low down and
full OF strength and propelling power.
The hind feet to be absolutely correct
should be slightly longer and iatter
han the front ones. A serious and
common fault is cow hooks. No dog
with this fault can be a graceful and
free mover
1t is extremely difficult to define In
words the general outline and symmetry
OF a collie. but this may be summed up
In n word, type. as a well balanced
collie should be typical all over. He
should show speed, activity and high
intelligence. and he free from cloddi-
ness. The tail should be covered pro-
fusely with hair n hang with a
graceful curve at the end. which helps
to complete the line OF beauty spoken
Of previously. The tail should hang
quito straight and not be twisted or
screwed In my way. The body must
be Of a fair length In tho couplings,
with ribs well sprung, The frame should
have the appearance of being well knit
together. compact and yet not heavy.
The color OF q collie can be said to
be immaterial. n q good collie. like
n good horse. cannot be a bad color.
While this IL correct In a sense, still
no one can deny hat a s~mokysblack or
IA dun sable suffers In comparison with