United Pet Club

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
MeasureAKCUKC
Altezza al garrese, male61–66 cm61–66 cm
Altezza al garrese, female55.9–61 cm55.9–61 cm
Peso, male27.2–34 kg27.2–34 kg
Peso, female22.7–29.5 kg22.7–29.5 kg
Rapporto cranio/muso11

Conformation

Conformation
FormAKCUKC
StopLieveDa standard (“divided by a very slight but perceptible stop or break”)Da standard (“joined by a very slight, but perceptible, stop”)
Chiusura dentaleChiusura a forbiceDa standard (“The teeth are of good size, meeting in a scissors bite.”)Da standard (“meet in a scissors bite”)
Chiusura dentalePrognatismo superioreDifetto (“Overshot or undershot jaws are undesirable”)Difetto (“Serious Fault: Overshot bite.”)
Chiusura dentalePrognatismo inferioreDifetto (“the latter being more severely penalized”)Difetto (“Very Serious Fault: Undershot bite.”)
DentaturaDentatura completaNo rulingDa standard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”)
Portamento delle orecchieCon punta ripiegataDa standard (“carried about three-quarters erect, with about one-fourth of the ear tipping or breaking forward”)Da standard (“carried about three-quarters erect, with the top one-quarter tipping forward”)
Portamento delle orecchieErette (dritte)Difetto (“A dog with prick ears or low ears cannot show true expression and is penalized”)Difetto (“Faults: Prick or low ears.”)
Attaccatura delle orecchieBassaDifetto (“A dog with prick ears or low ears ... is penalized accordingly”)Difetto (“Faults: Prick or low ears.”)
Forma degli occhiA mandorlaDa standard (“They are almond-shaped, of medium size”)Da standard (“The eyes are medium in size, almond in shape”)
Forma degli occhiRotondiDifetto (“A large, round, full eye seriously detracts from the desired sweet expression.”)Difetto (“Serious Fault: Large, round eye”)
Linea superioreOrizzontaleDa standard (“The back is strong and level”)No ruling
Linea superioreLeggera convessità dei lombiNo rulingDa standard (“There is a slight rise over the loin”)
Portamento della codaBassa (pendente)No rulingDa standard (“Carried low when the dog is quiet, but with an upward swirl at the tip.”)
Portamento della codaArrotolata sul dorsoNo rulingNon riconosciuto (“carried gaily, but never over the back.”)
Lunghezza della codaLungaNo rulingDa standard (“Long, reaching to the hock joint.”)
PiediOvaliNo rulingDa standard (“The feet are comparatively small, oval in shape, well padded”)
GarrettiBen discesiNo rulingDa standard (“well-bent stifles and strong, low hocks”)
GarrettiGarretti vacciniNo rulingNon riconosciuto (“Clean and sinewy below the thighs, never cow-hocked.”)
Lunghezza del colloLungoDa standard (“It is fairly long, carried upright”)Da standard (“The clean, firm, muscular neck is fairly long”)
ToraceProfondoDa standard (“the chest is deep, extending to the elbows”)Da standard (“The chest is deep to the elbow.”)
Forma del musoSmussatoDa standard (“The end of the smooth, well-rounded muzzle is blunt but not square.”)Da standard (“well-rounded, blunt at the end, but never square”)

Markings

Markings
MarkingAKCUKC
ListaAlternativo (“A blaze may appear on the foreface”)Alternativo (“A blaze may appear on the muzzle and/or skull.”)
Punta della coda biancaAlternativo (“usually on the chest, neck, legs, feet and the tip of the tail.”)Da standard (“a full or partial white collar, white shirtfront, legs, feet, and a white tail tip.”)
CollareNo rulingDa standard (“a full or partial white collar, white shirtfront, legs, feet, and a white tail tip.”)
FocatureNo rulingDa 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 Nero, Bianco, Blu, Fuoco e Fulvo. Standard patterns: Bicolore, Tricolore, Merle, Zibellino e Focato.

Mantello: rulings by club
Color or patternAKCUKC
NeroDa standard (“Black White & Tan”)Da standard (“tri-color: predominately black”)
BiancoDa standard (“White”)Da standard (“white: predominately white”)
BluDa standard (“Blue Merle”)Da standard (“blue merle: mottled or marbled blue-grey and black”)
FuocoDa standard (“Black White & Tan”)Da standard (“rich tan markings on the head and legs”)
FulvoDa standard (“a fawn sable color of varying shades from light gold to dark mahogany”)Da standard (“any shade of light gold to rich mahogany”)
AlbinoNon riconosciutoSqualificante (“albinism”)
Patterns
BicoloreDa standard (“Sable & White”)Da standard (“typical white markings”)
TricoloreDa standard (“Black White & Tan”)Da standard (“tri-color”)
MerleDa standard (“Blue Merle”)Da standard (“blue merle”)
ZibellinoDa standard (“Sable”)Da standard (“sable”)
FocatoDa standard (“Black & Tan Markings”)Da standard (“rich tan markings on the head and legs”)
Doppio merleNo rulingNo ruling
Occhi: rulings by club
Color or patternAKCUKC
BluDa standard (“either or both eyes may be merle or china in color without specific penalty”)Da standard (“the Blue Merle, which may have blue, or blue flecked, eyes (one or both)”)
Marrone scuroDa standard (“the color is dark”)Da standard (“dark brown in color”)
Patterns
MarmorizzatoDa standard (“either or both eyes may be merle ... in color”)No ruling
Occhi impariDa standard (“either or both eyes may be merle or china (blue merles)”)Da standard (“blue, or blue flecked, eyes (one or both)”)
Eterocromia settorialeNo rulingDa standard (“blue flecked”)
Tartufo: rulings by club
Color or patternAKCUKC
NeroDa standard (“the black nose”)Da standard (“must be black”)

What the rulings mean

Da standard
Described by the club's breed standard.
Squalificante
The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
Non riconosciuto
The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

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

  • Nerochanges toRuggine

    Mantello · Con lo stato corporeo · can change back

  • Nerochanges toGrigio

    Mantello · Progressivo

  • Nerochanges toMarrone

    Mantello · Al sole · can change back

  • Biancochanges toRoano

    Mantello · Con l'età · from 2 weeks

  • Focatochanges toA sella

    Mantello · Con l'età · from 6 to 156 weeks

  • Bluchanges toMarrone scuro

    Occhi · Con l'età · from 2 weeks

  • Bluchanges toMarrone

    Occhi · Con l'età · from 2 weeks

  • Bluchanges toMarrone chiaro

    Occhi · Con l'età · from 2 weeks

  • Bluchanges toAmbra

    Occhi · Con l'età · from 2 weeks

  • Bluchanges toNocciola

    Occhi · Con l'età · from 2 weeks

  • Bluchanges toGiallo

    Occhi · Con l'età · from 2 weeks

  • Nerochanges toTartufo d’inverno

    Tartufo · Con la stagione · can change back

  • Nerochanges toRosa

    Tartufo · Con la stagione · can change back

Sources

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

Published standards

Back to the Collie guideGrooming styles for the Collie