WICANI: It's a family thing

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email: wicanicollies@langtoft.net

Choosing a stud dog

This article is intended for the serious beginner.

When we begin our chosen quest we soon realise there is a written breed standard for every kennel club recognised breed, this is a blueprint of the perfect dog. The beginner finds it immensely difficult to differentiate between a good Collie and a bad Collie in regard to the breed standard and indeed to some degree the standard is open to personal interpretation. Because of this there are differing types within each breed and it may take several years before one can make a final decision about ones own personal preferences. When my interest in the breed began circumstances prevented me from being able to own a dog and although frustrating, this was actually advantageous in the long term. I would strongly advise the new comer to attend as many shows as possible, developing an ‘eye’ for the breed, before finally approaching a kennel known to produce the type of Collie that in your own limited opinion adhere closest to the breed standard. Remember, not all winning dogs will fit the ideal you are forming in your head. This is because judges and beginners alike have a strong preference for individual types. Some people can live with construction faults but cannot tolerate even a slight head fault, others will prefer movement and conformation above slight head faults. Some people prefer a shorter head pattern; others interpret the standard as suggesting a longer head type with more refinement through the skull and cheeks. An excellent book can be purchased and in my opinion it is invaluable in its in-depth interpretation of the breed standard. This book is written by the Swedish born expert on our breed Mia Ejerstad and simply titled ‘The Collie Standard’, I believe no serious Collie breeder should be without this book on their shelves.

The single most detrimental problem to any breeder is kennel blindness. How can one ever hope to improve ones existing stock without realisation of the following simple truth? The perfect Collie has never been born.

Yes, Every Collie no matter how great has some area or another that can be improved upon. Study your breeding stock honestly.

The newcomer is often advised to approach a recognised breeder for help in choosing a sire for his/her potential brood bitch and to some extent this is excellent advice, however I would go one step further. As previously stated, kennels vary tremendously on there personal interpretation of the standard. Ask yourself, does the breeder you are about to approach for advice consistently produce the type of Collie that is beginning to fit your own growing interpretation of the breed standard? If the answer to this question is ‘yes’ go ahead and ask this breeder for advice.

 Look at your potential brood with honest eyes and compare her to the written standard. Ask the opinion of several reputable breeders "what are her main virtues and where could she be improved upon?".

Are they consistent in there views? If inconsistencies arise compare the general consensus with your own ideas, this becomes easier as you develop your own values and ideals.

For instance, when I made my first observation of the breed back in the early seventies I could hardly tell the difference between one head type and another. I could differentiate between an elegant balanced outline and an unbalanced badly constructed dog and I could spot effortless flowing movement, so I chose the dogs with these attributes. At this time I also thought the heavier the bone and greater the substance, the more wonderful the dog. This is no longer my opinion. Experience has altered my initial thought structure and although I still hold elegance, construction and movement with high esteem, I now look for a more refined animal. The dog with too much bone and substance simply cannot do the work originally intended, not in my opinion which is taken from personal observations spanning over thirty years.

The collie was bred for endurance rather than speed, but he must also be capable of leaping over brooks and fallen trees, hill work is extremely tiring to dog and man. Too much substance and bone would be cumbersome both to the shepherd and his dog. As the standard requires a head that never appears massive, out of proportion to the body or excessively deep, my preference for a more refined elegant head also developed.

The importance of this becomes evident when one realises that the recommendations of each breeders will naturally be based on their own ideals in interpreting the standard. So first you will need to establish which faults you can ‘live with’ as opposed to those you cannot, and also the breed attributes you desire above all others in your future kennel stock?

We have always had our ‘popular’ sires of the day and era. The next truth is this he may not suit your bitch. Remember he has probably mated a far greater number of bitches than his less popular counterparts,  for every gorgeous winner  there will be several miserable failures. Look at the bitches that have produced successful progeny to him, does your bitch share her main attributes? Is she of similar type? Does she carry similar blood lines? Does she excel where he fails and vice versa?

Again if the answer is ‘yes’ your bitch may well produce another outstanding litter to add to his CV.

Don’t be afraid to look around and be different.

Listen to your heart as well as your head. Sometimes a dog you do not admire will be the correct choice for your bitch. Stud dog owners have often been surprised when placed down the line by a judge that has successfully used that same dog.

One very famous sire of the past was described as being ‘insignificant’ and indeed he was no great show dog, but his ability to sire quality stock elevated the breed to new heights in the seventies. This great sire would perhaps never been discovered without the foresight of one or two wise breeders who were prepared to do something different! If your bitch has a shorter deeper head than you think correct, and the sire of the day is bordering on being the same type himself, look for a dog with longer more refined head. If your bitch has the head you desire but needs more neck for added elegance, choose the dog that excels in this department. So long as his head and other qualities are not too far from your ideal, you will not go far wrong.

If you are a serious breeder with a burning desire to produce your own recognisable strain, you will want to study the way combinations of certain bloodlines develop and this is an art form which takes years of study.

Remember we are custodians of our chosen breed and it is our responsibility to remain loyal to the original cause, so read, observe, learn, and live the experience.

Good luck!