About
The Border Collie is a medium-sized, energetic working dog. Its body is slightly longer than it is tall. The relatively flat skull is moderate in width. The skull and muzzle are about the same length, with a moderate stop. The oval eyes are set well apart. The medium-sized ears are set well apart, either carried erect or semi-erect. The front legs are straight when viewed from the front, but slightly sloping when viewed from the side.
The medium sized tail is set low reaching at least to the hock, rising somewhat when the dog is excited. Dewclaws are usually removed. The double coat is weather resistant, dense and close-fitting. There are two coat varieties: a short, sleek coat (about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long) and a coarse, rough coat (about 3 inches (7.6 cm) long). The coat colors come in black and white, tricolor, red and white, black and gray, yellow, yellow and white, sable, and other color varieties including merles (see chart below).
The longer-haired variety should have a mane and tail brush. The hair on the face, ears and front legs is always short and sleek. Since Border Collies are bred for working ability and intelligence rather than for physical beauty, conformation varies widely.
Lyncroft Border Collies 