Page 41 - Aussie Magazine no1, 2023

Photo by Valerie Yates

The Australian Shepherd is not

a cookie-cutter breed. Sixteen
colour combinations; individuality

with no two animals marked alike;
any eye colour accepted with any
flecks and marbling allowed; two

ear carriages accepted (one dog
can have one of each); and—the

“cryptic” merle—a dog that might
look like a solid black or red in
your ring, but genotypically is a

merle (you may have to ask the
handler where the merling is,
or the merling could have been

on the tail that was removed at
birth). It is safe to say that the
Australian Shepherd can be a

challenging breed to get right in Frank Baylis of Bayshore Kennel and Farms
the breed ring. notes, “Judges should focus on our silhouette.
This outline will tell you if a dog is built with
the proper proportions. We are ‘slightly’ longer
than tall. The profile will help you find dogs
The breed standard provides a basic guide for with the correct legginess ratio (1:1) and avoid
judges, clearly and simplistically describing form rewarding dogs that have incorrect proportions
and function, gait, proportions, and colour, but it and movement.”
does not provide much enlightenment in terms of
the nuances of this breed; those nuances which There is a trend in the breed for a “long and low”
we are truly looking to preserve and promote as specimen whose profile is easily recognisable by
breeders. a lack of leg length in an otherwise acceptable
exhibit. The animals with shorter legs may move
I have had the privilege of conducting numerous correctly, however balance front to rear may
judging and breeding seminars worldwide. be affected, incorrect foot timing (feet may not
Judges clearly state what they find particularly meet in the middle of the dog), and an increase
challenging for them when judging this breed. in side gait can be observed (excessive or flying).
These topics, which go beyond the basics of the Suitability to original form and function would
breed standard, will be the focus of this article. be negatively impacted as this would negatively
affect stamina. However, appealing the movement
THE BASICS or this proportion, these are not correct for our
Our body proportions are clearly defined and breed.
support our purpose as a working dog that is lithe,
agile, and has the stamina to work all day. We are Head proportions are defined with the muzzle
an extremely versatile dog whose jobs range from equal in length or slightly shorter than the back
moving sheep in pastures to babysitting the kids skull and the length and width of the top skull
to guarding the truck. equal.

A Worldwide Magazine for the Aussie • Issue 1/2023 | 41