CptJack Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 We all know that appearance isn't the important part - at least I hope we do - and the dog inside is what matters, but I've seen a lot of people talk about preferences or having a soft spot for one sort of another. So - what's your preference appearance wise? I'll admit that my original preference was a small, light, traditionally marked rough coat with prick ears. At this point, though, I'm falling so hard for the smooth coats. Otherwise, saddle-back tris, I think, though I might still prefer that in a roughish coat. I still prefer prick or tipped ears, though. I mean I'm never going to pick a dog on appearance and I'm not going to have another dog for ages, but there you go. (I can't imagine why I have these preferences, given that Kylie's a creeping tan fluffy dog and Molly is Molly) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Evans Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 My favorite look is the one I'm working right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushdoggie Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 The first one I ever knew. She was to me the epitome of Border Collie beauty. None of mine since have looked like her and thats OK, because yes its not important. But I think she was stunning (obviously theres also a Golden in this photo): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookitar Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 My ideal border collie before I found Effie was a blue/red merle or lilac color with pointy ears. I find myself so obsessed with the nontraditional coloring! I'm hoping we can adopt another border collie like this in the future or find a breeder. Effie is still my number one beauty inside and out! I love her so much! I know one day she will need a playmate so she doesn't drive our poor cat Thor insane! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 The best working dog, no matter what it looks like. ETA: Those rare color breeders are just so much of what's wrong with border collies today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CptJack Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Eh, I have one dog that I consider downright ugly and I still love him and work with him. Molly was a downright disappointing looking puppy, but she was perfect inside her skin while her more my preference brother wasn't a good fit and stayed there. Finding one dog prettier than another doesn't necessarily mean being sucked in by it or ignoring the right dog for you/the job or supporting a disreputable breeder/someone who breeds for it. Heck, I've all but lectured people on these boards about that before. But I still have aesthetic preferences. As long as I'm not blind to what actually matters, I don't think that's a major problem. At least I hope not. (But agreed, all around, that the color breeders are a MAJOR problem with the breed). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 My favorite look is the one I'm working right now. This ^^^^ I'm very flexible and each new dog changes my preferences but if I had to answer the hypothetical question at present it would be a classically marked b/w short coat with pricked ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfisher7151 Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 We all know that it's the working ability that matters, but it's okay to dream sometimes! I'm quite the sucker for those teeny tiny, bat eared, smooth coated, tricolor dogs. Luckily that's a combo that actually pops up in working dogs! Maybe some day I'll get my hands on one! (If it meets all criteria of being a working dog, of course). I won't lie though, I find merles (red in particular) beautiful. Too bad they're essentially always a result of color breeding. But even though I have my preferences, I'm in love with my black and minimal white rough coated boy. The ears haven't decided yet, it'll be airplanes or one up one down I believe. And I literally believe that he is the most gorgeous dog on the planet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess's Girl Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Eh, I have one dog that I consider downright ugly and I still love him and work with him. Molly was a downright disappointing looking puppy, but she was perfect inside her skin while her more my preference brother wasn't a good fit and stayed there. Finding one dog prettier than another doesn't necessarily mean being sucked in by it or ignoring the right dog for you/the job or supporting a disreputable breeder/someone who breeds for it. Heck, I've all but lectured people on these boards about that before. But I still have aesthetic preferences. As long as I'm not blind to what actually matters, I don't think that's a major problem. At least I hope not. (But agreed, all around, that the color breeders are a MAJOR problem with the breed). I agree with this. We all have aesthetic preferences for various things whether we admit to it or not. I will admit that sable is my favorite. Tess is a sable and I think she's the most beautiful Border Collie in the world. I have a soft spot for Red Merles, maybe one day I will rescue one. I won't say hopefully because in a perfect world, only reputable breeders will be producing Border Collies and none of them will need rescued. I like traditional looking Border Collies with quirks. For example I love dark-faced dogs, black and white with little or no blaze. I also like white and split faces. Or dogs that are mostly black with odd shaped white patches. I think Rook is one of the cutest puppies I have ever seen (can't remember his owners screen name). I love love pricked ears.They are the best! I also like tipped ears, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookitar Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 The best working dog, no matter what it looks like. ETA: Those rare color breeders are just so much of what's wrong with border collies today. Is that because there are some breeders that just breed for color?? Most breeders I saw in Texas with the merle coats wanted them to go to competitive sports...so I guess they were breeding for color and competitive qualities. Is that necessarily a bad thing? Is a merle considered a rare coat color? Reminded me of an Aussie so thought it was a common trait in some pups! I found a woman with beautiful red merle working dogs in South Texas who occasionally has a new litter of pups. If I were to get a merle one day it would be from someone who works them on a ranch or competitively...like where our Effie was from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CptJack Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Sports breedings aren't really better than breeding for show when it comes to border collies. The philosophy on this board is that border collies should be bred for work PERIOD, since the ability to work is what defines a border collie - not colors or coat or ears. So anyone breeding for appearances or rare coat types (or anything but working ability) is breeding for the wrong reasons. J Merles do crop up from time to time in working bred BC, though, and there's certainly no shortage of them in rescues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon's girl Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Mine would be tipped eared, black and white, classic markings, wide blaze, very light ticking, rough coated, with a big puffy half white tail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CptJack Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Oh yeah. Tail. I forgot the tail. The REAL reason I like rough coats is because I think poofy tails are the best thing in the WORLD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 I can't even begin to answer that question since it can change frequently - sometimes daily. I know some attributes that I DON'T like - heavy, rough show coats, heavy bone (i.e. like an Aussie or GR), short legs, nose stop and maybe a couple other characteristics that I can't think of right now. But that leaves open a wide range of phenotypes. I sort of liked split faces before, but now I REALLY like split faces after I fostered the sweetest little split-face girl. I love the whippety-looking body types (my current puppy), but also the muscular dogs. I could go on. I also think I am attracted to a certain look in their eyes - hard to define, but I know it when I see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rufftie Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 when I'm looking for a dog, the dream dog is a smaller, smooth black and white with a split or white face and prick ears. two times I've gone out-the 1st time I came home with a tri colored semi rough coat BUT with prick ears. the 2nd time I came home with a red tri, but a smoothie with prick ears. I'm an ear lover so upright ears are a must, all else is fairly negotiable. i find both of my collies to be very beautiful, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Is that because there are some breeders that just breed for color?? Most breeders I saw in Texas with the merle coats wanted them to go to competitive sports...so I guess they were breeding for color and competitive qualities. Is that necessarily a bad thing? The combination of breeding for color and sports without primary consideration being given to true working (herding) ability is a very.bad.thing. It's a large part of what's diluting the gene pool for working ability. Sadly, many traditionally colored dogs are also being bred with little to no regard for working ability as well. By itself, no color is a bad thing. But few of the candy colored dogs were bred with an eye to working ability first and foremost. So you're just not very likely to find that dream working red merle any time soon. And yes, my dream dog would be a fantastic working small red merle with prick ears. She could have a split face, too. But I ain't holding my breath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 I know some attributes that I DON'T like - ... nose stop But border collies have a stop. Or do you prefer something with a rough collie or Sheltie type face? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilyfalk Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Not red. Not merle. Not smooth. Not blue-eyed. Not solid black. Not solid white. Not too big. Not too small. Enough eye to be stylish, but not too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CptJack Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 But border collies have a stop. Or do you prefer something with a rough collie or Sheltie type face? Border Collies have some stop - My girl's nose is pretty sloped, honestly, but not quite as much as a rough collie. But then there's this: Which is more step than stop. Definitely more extreme than I see in most working bred dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Border Collies have some stop - My girl's nose is pretty sloped, honestly, but not quite as much as a rough collie. But then there's this: Which is more step than stop. Definitely more extreme than I see in most working bred dogs. Yuk. I don't like anything that makes me think of bred for show or superficial appearance and I have a particular dislike of over large and bulbous foreheads. I also dislike merles and other fancy colours for the same reason although I do have a soft spot for sables as I have had sables of other breeds. Wouldn't go looking for one though. Having said that, I have considered the occasional rescue merle despite its appearance. Can't see me every getting a dog as lacking in the leg department as that photo though. There are limits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfisher7151 Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 You mean you don't think this face is beautiful? It screams "great working border collie" to me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CptJack Posted October 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 ...It looks like a papillon (eyes and forehead). I like paps, mind, and think they're pretty, but. As paps. ETA: I actually had to go track down that image to be sure it actually *was* a border collie. That dog's eyes/nose/forehead are all kinds of wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 You mean you don't think this face is beautiful? It screams "great working border collie" to me.... conorproface.jpg You can't tell anything from a head shot. I have no opinion on that one. It neither repels nor attracts me as an image but I thought papillon too. I have no wish to diss anyone's own dog I don't expect anyone else to find my dogs as beautiful as I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Rough coated dogs are gorgeous but I prefer smooth coated dogs for easy of coat care. I do like prick ears on my smoothies. As far as color goes, I become partial to those as I have dogs that I love in those colors/markings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 I like the shorter rough coats. Smoothies are pretty cool, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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