10/14/2026
๐ต๐๐๐๐๐ & ๐ต๐๐๐๐๐๐ series: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐-๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐จ๐จ๐ฅ
๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ -- ๐จ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐๐
The orchestra begins; the curtain rises. Enter the dancers. Lithe and graceful, they seem to float across the stage, captivating the audience with effortless movement.
โ๐โ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐กโ๐, ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐, ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐โ๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฆ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐โ๐๐ ๐ก ๐ โ๐๐ค๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐กโ, ๐กโ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ โ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ก โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ โ๐๐ค๐ โ๐๐โ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐โ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐, ๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐โ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐กโ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐คโ๐๐๐.โ
(Official Standard of the Collie, American Kennel Club)
๐พ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐: On a Scottish highland farm in the 1800s, a collie gathers and moves hundreds of sheep spread across miles of rough country. Later, that same collie walks calmly down a country lane beside a child.
๐พ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฐ๐จ:
In an auditorium in the early 2000s, Pat Hastingsโrespected AKC judge and expert in canine structureโopens her seminar on Structure in Action. Behind her, slides and video clips from a decade long aging study play without explanation. The audience watches in silence, feeling the discomfort of the ill proportioned dogs on the screen. The message is unmistakable: balanced, well-constructed dogs move more efficiently, age more comfortably, and experience fewer injuries.
๐พ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐:
At a dog show, collies move around the ring after their individual examinations, each one evaluated carefully against the breed standard.
โ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ โ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐. ๐โ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ โโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐โ, ๐๐ข๐ก ๐ค๐ ๐ โ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ก๐ ๐คโ๐๐โ ๐ค๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.โ
โ Bobbee Roos, Wickmere Collies
โค๏ธ ๐๐ฉ๐ข๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฎ๐ โ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ:
Breeders should have their colliesโ hips and elbows graded at 24+ months of age, supporting the dog's long-term health and well-being. Dysplasia is uncommon in collies, but when present, it can lead to arthritis and mobility issues that diminish quality of life. Proactive screening contributes to the overall vitality of the breed.
โ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐๐โฆ ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐, ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐โ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐กโ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐. ๐ด๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ , ๐กโ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ , ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐โ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ โ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐โ๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ โ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ค๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฆ. ๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐กโ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐โ๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฆ.โ
(Official Standard of the Collie, American Kennel Club)
Across every era and setting, one truth endures: balanced structure allows the collie to work, move, and age as it was meant to. From the Scottish hills to the show ring, the collie has walked beside us, worked with us, and charmed its way into our hearts. Its role may have shifted over the decades, but its spirit has not. The collie remains loyal, elegant, and kind. By doing our due diligence here at Foxhaven Collies, we hope to be worthy of them.
Links to organizations offering gradingโOrthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and Antech Imaging Services (PennHip)โare provided in the comments.
๐ซถ Check in with us next Tuesday as we explore temperament, the third leg on our three-legged stool.
