Appearance
This Border Collie differs from the breed's show standard significantly, demonstrating the variance in appearance that show and working border collies display.
Border Collie breedings have historically been selected for working ability rather than looks, and therefore vary widely in appearance.
In general, Border Collies are medium-sized dogs without extreme physical characteristics and a moderate amount of coat. Their double coats can be anywhere from slick to lush, and can come in many colours, although black and white is by far the most common, and therefore the most common in public perception. Black tricolour (black/tan/white) and red and white also occur regularly, with other colours such as blue and white, red merle, blue merle, "Australian red," and sable seen less frequently.
These Border Collies at the 2007 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show are very uniform in appearance, with heavy coats and nearly identical markings
Eye colour varies from deep brown to amber or blue with occasionally one eye of each colour, usually seen with merles. The ears of the Border Collie are also highly variable — some have fully erect ears, some fully dropped and others are semi-erect (similar to that of the Rough Collie). Although working Border Collie handlers sometimes have superstitions about the appearance of their dogs (handlers do not prefer red dogs, or mostly white dogs),[citation needed] in general a dog's appearance is considered to be irrelevant. It is considered much more useful to identify a working Border Collie by its attitude and ability than by its looks.
Those dogs bred for the conformation ring are more homogeneous in appearance than working Border Collies, since to be successful show dogs they must conform to breed club standards that are specific on many points of the structure, coat and colour. Kennel clubs specify, for example, that the Border Collie must have a "keen and intelligent" expression, and that the preferred eye colour is dark brown. In deference to the dog's working origin, scars and broken teeth received in the line of duty are not to be counted against a Border Collie in the show ring.
Height at withers: Males from 19" to 22", Females from 18" to 21".[citation needed]
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