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

FCI, Male: 53 cm; AKC, Male: 48.3–55.9 cm; UKC, Male: 53.3 cm; KC, Male: 53 cm; AKC, Female: 45.7–53.3 cm.

Border 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: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC.

Size

Size
Measure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC
Height at the withers, male	53 cm	48.3–55.9 cm	53.3 cm	53 cm
Height at the withers, female	No ruling	45.7–53.3 cm	No ruling	No ruling
Height to length	No ruling	0.9	No ruling	No ruling
Skull to muzzle	1	1	1	1
Shoulder angle	No ruling	90°	No ruling	No ruling

Conformation

Conformation
Form	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC
StopPronounced	Standard (“Stop: Very distinct.”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“Stop very distinct.”)
StopModerate	No ruling	Standard (“Stop moderate, but distinct.”)	No ruling	No ruling
BiteScissors bite	Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)	Standard (“A full complement of strong healthy teeth should meet in a scissors bite.”)	Standard (“full complement of strong teeth that meet in a scissors bite”)	Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)
DentitionFull dentition	No ruling	Standard (“A full complement of strong healthy teeth”)	Standard (“a full complement of strong teeth”)	No ruling
Ear carriageErect (prick)	Alternate (“Carried erect or semi-erect and sensitive in use.”)	Alternate (“one or both carried erect and/or semi-erect”)	Alternate (“May be carried drop, semi-erect or prick”)	Alternate (“Carried erect or semi-erect and sensitive in use.”)
Ear carriageSemi-erect	Alternate (“Carried erect or semi-erect and sensitive in use.”)	Alternate (“one or both carried erect and/or semi-erect”)	Alternate (“May be carried drop, semi-erect or prick”)	Alternate (“Carried erect or semi-erect and sensitive in use.”)
Ear carriageDrop (pendant)	No ruling	No ruling	Alternate (“May be carried drop, semi-erect or prick, and need not be matching.”)	No ruling
Eye shapeOval	Standard (“Set wide apart, oval shaped, of moderate size”)	Standard (“Eyes are set well apart, of moderate size, oval in shape.”)	Standard (“moderate in size, and oval in shape”)	Standard (“Set wide apart, oval-shaped, of moderate size”)
ToplineLevel	No ruling	Standard (“Back is level with a slight muscular rise over the loin”)	No ruling	No ruling
Tail setLow	Standard (“set on low, well-furnished”)	Standard (“The tail is set on low”)	Standard (“Set on low, well furnished with hair”)	Standard (“set on low, well-furnished”)
Tail carriageLow (hanging)	No ruling	Standard (“The ideal tail carriage is low when the dog is concentrating”)	No ruling	No ruling
Tail carriageCurled over the back	Not recognised (“never carried over back.”)	No ruling	Not recognised (“never carried over the back.”)	Not recognised (“never carried over back.”)
Tail lengthMedium	Standard (“Moderately long, the bone reaching at least to hock”)	Standard (“moderately long with the bone reaching at least to the hock”)	Standard (“Moderately long, reaching at least to the hock joint”)	Standard (“Moderately long, the bone reaching at least to hock”)
Tuck-upNone (straight underline)	Standard (“Loins: Deep and muscular but not tucked up.”)	No ruling	Standard (“The loin is deep and muscular, not tucked up.”)	Standard (“loins deep and muscular, but not tucked up”)
Tuck-upModerate	No ruling	Standard (“Underline should have a slight but distinct tuck up.”)	No ruling	No ruling
FeetOval	Standard (“Forefeet: Oval, pads deep, strong and sound”)	Standard (“Feet are compact, oval in shape”)	Standard (“Oval in shape, with deep pads and tight, well arched toes.”)	Standard (“Oval, pads deep, strong and sound”)
HocksWell let down	Standard (“Hock joint: Strong, well let down.”)	Standard (“strong well let down hocks”)	No ruling	Standard (“strong well let down hocks”)
ChestDeep	Standard (“Chest: Deep and rather broad, ribs well sprung.”)	Standard (“a deep, moderately broad chest”)	Standard (“a deep, rather broad chest”)	Standard (“chest deep and rather broad”)
Muzzle shapeTapered	Standard (“Muzzle: Tapering to nose, moderately short and strong.”)	Standard (“The muzzle is strong, tapering slightly to the nose.”)	Standard (“Tapering to the nose, moderately short and strong.”)	Standard (“Muzzle, tapering to nose, moderately short and strong.”)

Markings

Markings
Marking	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC
Tan points	No ruling	No ruling	Alternate (“may be accompanied by tan points”)	No ruling

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
Procedure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC
Dewclaw removal	No ruling	Alternate (“Dewclaws may be removed.”)	No ruling	No ruling

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.

Border Collie colors and patterns

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

Breed standards describe the Border Collie in Black, White, Grey, Blue, Lilac, Slate, Brown, Seal, Tan, Red, Gold, Lemon and Cream. Standard patterns: Solid, Bicolour, Tricolour, Brindle, Merle, Roan, Sable, Tan point and Reverse brindle.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Black”)	Standard (“black”)	Standard (“Black & White”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
White	Standard (“white should never predominate”)	Standard (“White & Black”)	Standard (“may have white trim”)	Standard (“white should never predominate”)	Standard (“white should never predominate”)
Grey	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings”)	Standard (“gray”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Blue	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Blue”)	Standard (“blue merle”)	Standard (“Blue & White”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Lilac	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Lilac”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings permissible”)	Standard (“Lilac”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Slate	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings permissible”)	Standard (“Slate”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Brown	Standard (“brown or chocolate colour”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings”)	Standard (“brown dogs”)	Standard (“Brown & White”)	Standard (“brown or chocolate colour”)
Seal	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Seal”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings permissible”)	Standard (“Seal”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Tan	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings”)	Standard (“tan points”)	Standard (“Black White & Tan”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Red	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Red”)	Standard (“red”)	Standard (“Red & White”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Gold	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Gold”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings permissible”)	Standard (“Gold”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Lemon	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings”)	Standard (“lemon”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Cream	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings permissible”)	Standard (“Cream”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Albino	No ruling	No ruling	Disqualifying (“albinism”)	No ruling	No ruling
Patterns
Solid	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings”)	Standard (“solid color”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Bicolour	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“White & Black”)	Standard (“bi-color”)	Standard (“Black & White”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Tricolour	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“White Markings, Tan Points”)	Standard (“tri-color”)	Standard (“Black Tricolour”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Brindle	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings permissible”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Merle	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Blue Merle”)	Standard (“merle”)	Standard (“Blue Merle”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Roan	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“White Ticked”)	Standard (“white markings may be clear white or ticked to any degree”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Sable	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Sable”)	Standard (“sable”)	Standard (“Sable”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Tan point	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Tan Points”)	Standard (“may be accompanied by tan points”)	Standard (“Black White & Tan”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Reverse brindle	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings permissible”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)	Standard (“variety of colours permissible”)
Double merle	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling

Eyes: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Blue	Standard (“except in merles where one or both or part of one or both may be blue”)	Standard (“blue eyes in dogs other than merle are not preferred”)	Standard (“except in merles where one, or both, or a part of one, may be blue”)	Standard (“except in merles where one or both or part of one or both may be blue”)	Standard (“except in merles where one or both or part of one or both may be blue”)
Brown	Standard (“brown in colour”)	Standard (“any eye color is acceptable”)	Standard (“brown in color”)	Standard (“brown in colour”)	Standard (“brown in colour”)
Patterns
Odd-eyed	Standard (“one or both ... may be blue”)	Standard (“any eye color is acceptable”)	Standard (“one, or both ... may be blue”)	Standard (“one or both ... may be blue”)	Standard (“one or both ... may be blue”)
Sectoral	Standard (“part of one or both may be blue”)	Standard (“any eye color is acceptable”)	Standard (“a part of one, may be blue”)	Standard (“part of one or both may be blue”)	Standard (“part of one or both may be blue”)

Nose: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“black”)	Standard (“black”)	Standard (“nose black”)	Standard (“nose black”)
Slate	Standard (“in blues nose should be slate colour”)	Standard (“in blue dogs, where it should be slate”)	Standard (“in blues nose should be slate colour”)	Standard (“in blues, nose should be slate colour”)
Liver	Standard (“except in brown or chocolate colour when it may be brown”)	Standard (“in brown dogs where it may be brown”)	Standard (“except in brown or chocolate colour when it may be brown”)	Standard (“except in brown or chocolate colour, when it may be brown”)

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.

Color changes

How a Border 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 Border Collie guide Grooming styles for the Border Collie