What does each club give for Height at the withers in the Collie?

AKC, Male: 61–66 cm; UKC, Male: 61–66 cm; AKC, Female: 55.9–61 cm; UKC, Female: 55.9–61 cm.

Collie breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: AKC, UKC.

Size

Size
Measure	AKC	UKC
Height at the withers, male	61–66 cm	61–66 cm
Height at the withers, female	55.9–61 cm	55.9–61 cm
Weight, male	27.2–34 kg	27.2–34 kg
Weight, female	22.7–29.5 kg	22.7–29.5 kg
Skull to muzzle	1	1

Conformation

Conformation
Form	AKC	UKC
StopSlight	Standard (“divided by a very slight but perceptible stop or break”)	Standard (“joined by a very slight, but perceptible, stop”)
BiteScissors bite	Standard (“The teeth are of good size, meeting in a scissors bite.”)	Standard (“meet in a scissors bite”)
BiteOvershot	Fault (“Overshot or undershot jaws are undesirable”)	Fault (“Serious Fault: Overshot bite.”)
BiteUndershot	Fault (“the latter being more severely penalized”)	Fault (“Very Serious Fault: Undershot bite.”)
DentitionFull dentition	No ruling	Standard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”)
Ear carriageTipped	Standard (“carried about three-quarters erect, with about one-fourth of the ear tipping or breaking forward”)	Standard (“carried about three-quarters erect, with the top one-quarter tipping forward”)
Ear carriageErect (prick)	Fault (“A dog with prick ears or low ears cannot show true expression and is penalized”)	Fault (“Faults: Prick or low ears.”)
Ear setLow	Fault (“A dog with prick ears or low ears ... is penalized accordingly”)	Fault (“Faults: Prick or low ears.”)
Eye shapeAlmond	Standard (“They are almond-shaped, of medium size”)	Standard (“The eyes are medium in size, almond in shape”)
Eye shapeRound	Fault (“A large, round, full eye seriously detracts from the desired sweet expression.”)	Fault (“Serious Fault: Large, round eye”)
ToplineLevel	Standard (“The back is strong and level”)	No ruling
ToplineSlight arch over the loin	No ruling	Standard (“There is a slight rise over the loin”)
Tail carriageLow (hanging)	No ruling	Standard (“Carried low when the dog is quiet, but with an upward swirl at the tip.”)
Tail carriageCurled over the back	No ruling	Not recognised (“carried gaily, but never over the back.”)
Tail lengthLong	No ruling	Standard (“Long, reaching to the hock joint.”)
FeetOval	No ruling	Standard (“The feet are comparatively small, oval in shape, well padded”)
HocksWell let down	No ruling	Standard (“well-bent stifles and strong, low hocks”)
HocksCow-hocked	No ruling	Not recognised (“Clean and sinewy below the thighs, never cow-hocked.”)
Neck lengthLong	Standard (“It is fairly long, carried upright”)	Standard (“The clean, firm, muscular neck is fairly long”)
ChestDeep	Standard (“the chest is deep, extending to the elbows”)	Standard (“The chest is deep to the elbow.”)
Muzzle shapeBlunt	Standard (“The end of the smooth, well-rounded muzzle is blunt but not square.”)	Standard (“well-rounded, blunt at the end, but never square”)

Markings

Markings
Marking	AKC	UKC
Blaze	Alternate (“A blaze may appear on the foreface”)	Alternate (“A blaze may appear on the muzzle and/or skull.”)
White tail tip	Alternate (“usually on the chest, neck, legs, feet and the tip of the tail.”)	Standard (“a full or partial white collar, white shirtfront, legs, feet, and a white tail tip.”)
Collar	No ruling	Standard (“a full or partial white collar, white shirtfront, legs, feet, and a white tail tip.”)
Tan points	No ruling	Standard (“predominately black with rich tan markings on the head and legs”)

Collie colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Collie color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Collie in Black, White, Blue, Tan and Fawn. Standard patterns: Bicolour, Tricolour, Merle, Sable and Tan point.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or pattern	AKC	UKC
Black	Standard (“Black White & Tan”)	Standard (“tri-color: predominately black”)
White	Standard (“White”)	Standard (“white: predominately white”)
Blue	Standard (“Blue Merle”)	Standard (“blue merle: mottled or marbled blue-grey and black”)
Tan	Standard (“Black White & Tan”)	Standard (“rich tan markings on the head and legs”)
Fawn	Standard (“a fawn sable color of varying shades from light gold to dark mahogany”)	Standard (“any shade of light gold to rich mahogany”)
Albino	Not recognised	Disqualifying (“albinism”)
Patterns
Bicolour	Standard (“Sable & White”)	Standard (“typical white markings”)
Tricolour	Standard (“Black White & Tan”)	Standard (“tri-color”)
Merle	Standard (“Blue Merle”)	Standard (“blue merle”)
Sable	Standard (“Sable”)	Standard (“sable”)
Tan point	Standard (“Black & Tan Markings”)	Standard (“rich tan markings on the head and legs”)
Double merle	No ruling	No ruling

Eyes: rulings by club
Color or pattern	AKC	UKC
Blue	Standard (“either or both eyes may be merle or china in color without specific penalty”)	Standard (“the Blue Merle, which may have blue, or blue flecked, eyes (one or both)”)
Dark brown	Standard (“the color is dark”)	Standard (“dark brown in color”)
Patterns
Marbled	Standard (“either or both eyes may be merle ... in color”)	No ruling
Odd-eyed	Standard (“either or both eyes may be merle or china (blue merles)”)	Standard (“blue, or blue flecked, eyes (one or both)”)
Sectoral	No ruling	Standard (“blue flecked”)

Nose: rulings by club
Color or pattern	AKC	UKC
Black	Standard (“the black nose”)	Standard (“must be black”)

What the rulings mean

Standard: Described by the club's breed standard.
Disqualifying: The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this colour or pattern.
Not recognised: The club does not accept this colour or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Collie's colors can change over its life.

Blackchanges toRust
Coat · With body condition · can change back
Blackchanges toGrey
Coat · Progressive
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Whitechanges toRoan
Coat · With age · from 2 weeks
Tan pointchanges toSaddle
Coat · With age · from 6 to 156 weeks
Bluechanges toDark brown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toBrown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toLight brown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toAmber
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toHazel
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toYellow
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back

Sources

Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.

Published standards

Back to the Collie guide Grooming styles for the Collie