but below the hocks fairly
smooth, although all heavily coated Collies are liable to grow a
slight feathering. Hair on the brush very profuse. COLOUR in the
Collie is immaterial. IN GENERAL CHARACTER he is a lithe active dog,
his deep chest showing lung power, his neck strength, his sloping
shoulders and well bent hocks indicating speed, and his expression
high intelligence. He should be a fair length on the leg, giving him
more of a racy than a cloddy appearance. In a few words, a Collie
should show endurance, activity, and intelligence, with free and true
action. In height dogs should be 22 ins. to 24 ins. at the shoulders,
bitches 20 ins. to 22 ins. The weight for dogs is 45 to 65 lbs.,
bitches 40 to 55 lbs. THE SMOOTH COLLIE only differs from the rough
in its coat, which should be hard, dense and quite smooth. THE MAIN
FAULTS to be avoided are a domed skull, high peaked occipital bone,
heavy, pendulous or pricked ears, weak jaws, snipy muzzle, full
staring or light eyes, crooked legs, large, flat or hare feet, curly
or soft coat, cow hocks, and brush twisted or carried right over the
back, under or overshot mouth.

CHAPTER IX

THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG

Intelligent and picturesque, workmanlike and affectionate, the Old
English Sheepdog combines, in his shaggy person, the attributes at
once of a drover's drudge and of an ideal companion. Although the
modern dog is seen less often than of old performing his legitimate
duties as a shepherd dog, there is no ground whatever for supposing
that he is a whit less sagacious than the mongrels which have largely
supplanted him. The instincts of the race remain unchanged; but the
mongrel certainly comes cheaper.

Carefully handled in his youth, the bob-tail is unequalled as a stock
dog, and he is equally at home and efficient in charge of sheep, of
cattle, and of New Forest ponies. So deep-rooted is the natural
herding instinct of the breed that it is a thousand pities that the
modern shepherd so frequently puts up with an inferior animal in place
of the genuine article.

Nor is it as a shepherd dog alone that the bob-tail shines in the
field. His qualifications as a sporting dog are excellent, and he
makes a capital retriever, being usually under excellent control,
generally light-mouthed, and taking very readily to water. His
natural inclination to remain at his master's heel and his exceptional
sagacity and quickness of perception will speedily develop him, in