ASCABSRC Report

The Breed Standard Review Committee has submitted our final suggested revisions to the ASCA Board of Directors.  Per the ASCA By-Laws the Standard can not be changed in any way without the Board unanimously approving any changes to go to the membership for a vote.  Changes require a 2/3 majority approval from the voting membership.  The Board and the Committee agreed at the 2006 Board Meeting that this document should be voted on section by section with an approval or disapproval for each section.  It is now with the Board for review and their decision. 

The committee has submitted brief explanation of suggested clarifications but would be glad to discuss and/or explain these further.  If you have any questions for the committee regarding the reasons please send them to Terry Martin, Committee Chair at slashv@htcomp.net   for distribution to the committee.  After six years of review the committee feels the document addresses areas of confusion and misconception without changing the intent of the original document in any way.

The committee members are:

Linda Bell, Sandy Cornwell, Kim Cochran, Ernie Hartnagle, Shelly Hollen, Terry Martin, Kristin McNamara, Sunday Miles, and Cheri Preciado, and our liaison is Ann DeChant.

ASCABSRC Breed Standard Recommended Revisions September 2007

First and foremost, the Australian Shepherd is a true working stockdog, and anything that detracts from his usefulness as such is undesirable.  The most important breed characteristics are overall moderation in size and bone, balance with correct proportions, and sound movement.

GENERAL APPEARANCE :  The Australian Shepherd is a well-balanced dog of medium size and bone.  He is attentive and animated, showing strength and stamina combined with unusual agility.  Slightly longer than tall, he has a coat of moderate length and coarseness with coloring that offers variety and individuality in each specimen.  An identifying characteristic is his natural or docked bobtail.  In each sex, masculinity or femininity is well defined.

****No change

CHARACTER: The Australian Shepherd is primarily a working dog of strong herding and guardian instincts. He is an intelligent, exceptional companion.  He is versatile and easily trained: performing his assigned tasks with great style and enthusiasm. He is reserved with strangers but does not exhibit shyness. This unusually versatile stockdog works upright and close, with the power and quickness to control difficult cattle as well as the ability to move sheep without unnecessary roughness.  Although an aggressive, authoritative worker, viciousness toward people or animals is intolerable

**** Reasons: The original description was accurate and left unchanged.  A clarification was felt to be necessary because the Australian Shepherd is often judged by individuals who have never seen a stockdog work. Their experience leads them to identify "herding" with structure found in such breeds as the Old English Sheepdog, the Corgi, the Sheltie, and other breeds who physically have not been bred for the tasks expected of an Australian Shepherd.  A sentence was added to clarify just what kind of work this specific breed needs to be both physically and mentally capable of doing.

HEAD: The head is a reflection of the overall moderation needed in a stock dog and is structured to provide maximum protection from injury when working livestock. The head is clean-cut, strong, dry, and in proportion to the body. Lips are close fitting, meeting at the mouth line with only a slight overlap. The topskull is flat to slightly rounded; its length and width each equal to the length of the muzzle. The muzzle is of medium width and depth and tapers gradually to a rounded tip, without appearing heavy, square, or snipy. The toplines of the muzzle and topskull appear close to parallel with the topskull slanting very slightly toward the muzzle.The stop is moderate but well defined .

**** Reasons:  The new version contains some grammar changes.  There is also clarification of WHY the head is shaped as it is for the job the breed is designed to do.  The reference to "dry" has been understood by some to mean loose lips, while the glossary description means "without wrinkles".  Clarification of the muzzle without changing the original description was done in order to emphasize that it should not be overdone or overly fine.  The describing of the toplines of the muzzle are a clarification based on a statement (and study of real dogs) in the original 1977 Annotations.  Since there is now another Standard for the Australian Shepherd (AKC) stating that these planes are parallel, it was felt that ASCA should heed the advice of the original ASCA authors who stated in the 1977 Annotations,  "It might be noted that in some other breeds where definite proportions were not stipulated, one of the first things to be changed as the breeds evolved was the head."

 The original authors further stated:  

" Several of the Affiliate Clubs initial proposals specified the toplines of muzzle and topskull to lie on parallel planes. Upon close examination, one finds this to be untrue. Due to the slight tapering of the muzzle, the toplines of these two features are set slightly obliquely. If one examines the heads of the breeds whose standards call for parallel planes, most notably setters and pointers, one also finds they call for a square, blunt muzzle with a prominent brow and fairly abrupt stop, which help to create the appearance of parallel planes."  

TEETH: A full complement (42) of strong white teeth meet in a scissors bite.  Anything other than a scissors bite is considered a fault.  Teeth broken or missing by accident are not penalized.  All other missing teeth should be faulted with the severity increasing with the number that are missing.  DISQUALIFICATIONS:  Undershot bite.  Overshot bite exceeding 1/8 inch.

****Reasons: There are a few punctuation changes for clarification.  The Standard has always required a "full complement" of teeth, but missing teeth have become an increasing problem in the breed.  Thus the "full complement" has been further clarified by stating the correct number of teeth for a canine.  Since wry (crooked) bites are undesirable for a canine, the wording about an even bite was revised to fault any bite other than the correct scissors bite. 

EYES: The eyes are very expressive, showing attentiveness and intelligence. They are clear, almond-shaped, of moderate size, and set a little obliquely, neither prominent nor sunken. The pupils are dark, well defined, and perfectly positioned. Color is brown, blue, amber; or any variation or combination, including flecks and

marbling. All eye colors are acceptable in combination with all coat colors.  FAULTS: Round eyes;  loose lower lids.

****Reasons: The fact that all eye colors are acceptable with all colors is clarified.  Both loose lower lids and round eyes are faulted as a serious deviation from the ideal of almond shaped eyes.  Loose lower lids can collect debris, as well as encourage tearing, and are most often found in conjunction with a round shaped eye. Round eyes are more likely to protrude and are common in breeds who are prone to injury resulting in the eye coming out of the socket. 

EARS: The ears, set high on the side of the head, are triangular, of moderate size and slightly rounded at the tip.  The tip of the ear reaches to, but no further than, the inside corner of the nearest eye.  At full attention, they should lift from one-quarter (1/4) to one-half (1/2) above the base and break slightly forward.  Severe Faults: Oversized; no lift from the base; lowset; prick.

****Reasons: Clarification that the measurement to the inside corner of the eye  is the ideal.  Rewording of description of where the ear breaks which does not change the meaning but emphasizes the fact that the ear should have lift.  Adhering to the original Australian Shepherd  ideal ear described as breaking slightly forward, this was not changed.  The previous severe fault of hound ears is defined since there is no glossary definition of a hound ear.

NECK AND BODY: The neck is firm, clean, and in proportion to the body. It is of medium length and slightly arched at the crest, setting well into the shoulders. The body is firm and muscular.  The topline appears level at a natural four-square stance. The bottom line carries well back with a moderate tuck-up. The chest is deep and strong with ribs well sprung. The loin is strong and broad when viewed from the top. The croup is moderately sloping, the ideal being thirty (30) degrees from the horizontal. Tail is straight, not to exceed four (4) inches, natural bobtail or docked.

****No change except for a sentence switch to follow the lines of the dog.

FOREQUARTERS: The shoulder blades (scapula) are well laid back, with the upper arm (humerus) slightly longer than the shoulder blade. The forelegs are straightand strong, perpendicular to the ground, with moderate bone. The point ofthe elbow is set under the withers and is equidistant from the withers to the ground. Pasterns are short, thick, and strong, but still flexible, showing a slight angle when viewed from the side. Feet are oval shaped, compact, with close knit, well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient; nails short and strong. Dewclaws may be removed.

****Reasons:  The reference to measuring two fingers width was removed because it is not an equal measurement for a 23" dog and an 18" bitch.  The forty-five (45) degree angle was removed because it has been established that this is not a realistic angle for a dog.  The statement regarding the scapula and humerus were added for accuracy.  The reference to "powerful" legs was changed to "strong" since the word powerful may give the impression of heavy bone.  The addition of "moderate bone" was to reinforce that this is a moderate breed that should not be fine boned nor should it have massive bone for its size. 

HINDQUARTERS: Width of hindquarters is approximately equal to the width of the forequarters at the shoulders. The angulation of the pelvis and upper thigh (femur) corresponds to the angulation of the shoulder blade and upper arm.  Stifles are clearly defined; hock joints moderately bent. The metatarsi are short, perpendicular to the ground, and parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Feet are oval shaped, compact, with close-knit, well-arched toes. Pads are thick and resilient; nails short and strong. Rear dewclaws are removed .

****Reasons:  The statement of an approximate right angle was removed for accuracy.

COAT :The coat is of medium length and texture, straight to slightly wavy, and weather resistant. The undercoat can vary in quantity with climate and is softer than the outer coat.  Hair is short and smooth on the head, outside of ears, front of forelegs, and below the hocks. Backs of forelegs are moderately feathered and breeches are moderately full. There is a moderate mane and frill, more pronounced in dogs than bitches. The Australian Shepherd is a working dog and is to be shown with a natural coat. Trimming of the feet, ears, and front and rear pasterns is permissible. Whiskers are not trimmed. Severe Faults: Non-typical coats such as excessively long; overabundant/profuse; curly; smooth (short hair)

****Reasons: Reworded the beginning sentences for better flow.  Clarified just what is undercoat.  Mentioned acceptable grooming to highlight that the breed should be shown naturally (especially regarding whisker trimming). Non typical coats are clarified by defining what is non-typical for the Australian Shepherd.

COLOR:  All colors are strong, clear, and rich.  The recognized colors
are solid black, blue merle, solid red/liver, and red/liver merle; all
with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points with no
order of preference.  Blacks and blue merles have a base color of jet
black; reds and red merles have a base color from dark/rich red to
liver (dark reddish brown).  Merling is a lighter shade of the base
color.  The blue merle and black have black pigmentation on nose,
lips, and eye-rims; the red/liver merle and red/liver have liver
pigmentation on nose, lips, and eye-rims.  The nose must be fully
pigmented. (Small unpigmented areas are not faulted on dogs under one
year of age.)  White on the ear or touching the eye, and/or pink on
the nose and/or eye rims must each be faulted in proportion to the
amount present. White and/or copper trim is never required.  When
white trim is present it should not appear as the dominant overall
color and must be restricted to the following locations:

On the head: White trim, when present, may appear on the muzzle, the cheeks, between the eyes, the topskull, or a combination of all. The head is dominated by a color other than white.  The ears and the area around the eyes must each be completely surrounded and covered by a color other than white.

On the body: White, when present, may appear on the neck and forequarters, although the white hairline on the neck must not extend  into the body beyond the point of withers, and when present on the forequarters may not extend into the body (the area between withers  and tail, on sides between elbows and back of hindquarters).  White trim may appear on the underside of the chest, the belly, and on the hind legs but must not extend onto the side or flank.

DISQUALIFICATIONS : Any color other than the four recognized colors. When the entire base color on solids or merles appears so weak that the color cannot be recognized as red/liver or black, it is considered a non-recognized color. White on the body (the area between withers and tail, on sides between elbows and back of hindquarters) whether it appears as splash(es), isolated spot(s), patch(es), or an extension from trim. A completely unpigmented (pink) nose.

****Reasons:  :The original authors of the 1977 Standard said it best when they wrote in the Annotations:  The combination of breed character and soundness perhaps has a stronger influence in this section than any other. The requirement for color over the eyes and exclusion of white areas on the body other than trim is necessitated by the semi-lethal factors associated with the presence of two merling genes (double or homozygous merles). Simultaneously, this description eliminates the pattern white (piebald), which is not necessarily unsound, but detracts drastically from breed character.  

In this breed, color is not just to describe breed character but can have serious health implications which made it important to make this complex section very clear.  The original wording of strong, clear, and rich is clarified as well as a clarification of merling.  Butterfly nose is described by defining desirable pigment which can be a health issue.  Location of white on the head is specified based on original intent of the 1977 Standard combined with more recent scientific research.  We now know that there is an increased incidence of deafness when white appears on and around the ears in our breed and others.

The wording of the 1977 Standard which only addressed the white at the point of the withers is made clear since it could be misinterpreted to allow white extending into the body from the forequarters. Areas where white should not exist on the body is defined while allowing the normal pattern of white underneath the dog and on the legs.  Body is clearly defined.  There has been discussion of whether or not stifle white is allowable, but it is not addressed in the 1977 Standard and is not an indication of homozygous merling as long as it does not extend into the body.

. 

Disqualification have not changed but have been clarified.  Non recognized colors have been clarified with a description of an extreme dilute.  The original wording of "white body splashes" which was often misinterpreted has been clarified as well as describing again  just what part of the dog is considered "body".  The often misunderstood term "dudley nose" has been defined.

GAIT : Sound movement is essential to the breed function, which requires speed, endurance, and quickness. The trot must be smooth, free, and easy, exhibiting agility of movement with a well balanced, ground-covering natural stride. As speed increases, both front and rear feet converge equally toward the centerline of gravity beneath the body.  The topline remains firm and level.  Gait faults shall be penalized according to the degree of deviation from the ideal.

****Reasons: Added explanation of why gait is so important for this breed along with clarifying that this section describes the dog at a trot.  The word "equally" is added to emphasize that both front and rear feet should converge the same for proper balance, and the centerline of gravity is defined. 

SIZE: Preferred height at the withers for males is 20 to 23 inches, and for females is 18 to 21 inches.  Quality, however, is not to be sacrificed in favor of size.

****No change

OTHER DISQUALIFICATIONS: Monorchidism and cryptorchidism.