What Is Your First Thought When You See These Ears?

[Guest Aria The Border Collie]

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[Tess's Girl]

CUTE! I love ears.

 

Crow is also is the crazy ear stage.

 

 

[kingfisher7151]

How cute! I'd predict that they're going to stand up, but she'll keep you guessing for months before making her decision!

 

I also love her eyes!

[D'Elle]

My first thought is CUTE PUPPY!

[Gideon's girl]

Perfect!

[Guest Aria The Border Collie]

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[kingfisher7151]

Whatever ears she ends up with will be the right ones! You won't be able to picture any other type on her. I whispered "prick ears" to Keeper every day, but his airplane ears are the exact perfect fit for his personality. Don't you love the variations in the breed?

[CptJack]

I wanted prick ears. I really, really wanted fully erect, prick ears.

What I have is some strange prick/air-plane/hybrid thing and Kingfisher's right - whatever you end up with will be the only thing you can imagine.

[juliepoudrier]

I am a fan of prick ears, personally, but really what the ears do has no effect whatsoever on the dog's ability to work, and as others have said, whatever her ears do will be what you become used to.

 

J.

[GentleLake]

I think her ears in the last picture are beautiful!

 

Having a preference is one thing. Not accepting a border collie's look because it's not what you envision for the breed is buying into the ACK appearance standard philosophy.

[BorderCollieDundee]

I think both ways are cute! I love dogs with either. My pup is currently going through his weird ear stage right now too! A couple weeks ago I was certain they were going to be pricked but now I have no clue!!

[Sue R]

I think her ears in the last picture are beautiful!

 

Having a preference is one thing. Not accepting a border collie's look because it's not what you envision for the breed is buying into the ACK appearance standard philosophy.

How true!

[Guest Aria The Border Collie]

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[GentleLake]

AKC or Australian KC (whatever name it goes by), all the same thing.

 

If you've read the READ THIS FIRST post that's requested when joining, you'd know that conformation showing, appearance standards, etc. are entirely antithetical to everything the United States Border Collie Club (sponsor of these Boards) stands for.

 

We (USBCC members and supporters) accept all ear sets, coat types, etc. as long as the dog is a true working stock dog. That's the only criterion for breeding.

 

We don't condone breeding border collies for any reason other than working ability. Period.

 

Nor do we tend to engage in discussions about the genetics involved in producing meaningless qualities that are preferred in any show rings, anywhere.

[Sue R]

AKC or Australian KC (whatever name it goes by), all the same thing.

 

If you've read the READ THIS FIRST post that's requested when joining, you'd know that conformation showing, appearance standards, etc. are entirely antithetical to everything the United States Border Collie Club (sponsor of these Boards) stands for.

 

We (USBCC members and supporters) accept all ear sets, coat types, etc. as long as the dog is a true working stock dog. That's the only criterion for breeding.

 

We don't condone breeding border collies for any reason other than working ability. Period.

 

Nor do we tend to engage in discussions about the genetics involved in producing meaningless qualities that are preferred in any show rings, anywhere.

Amen.

[Guest Aria The Border Collie]

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[Guest Aria The Border Collie]

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[GentleLake]

I joined this forum months ago and was quickly put off by the severe prejudice against my dog because of her coat. I decided to come back now, not mention her breeding, and try to chat about her ears of all things. The AKC got brought up as it always seems to and I stated we don't have the same rules here and that my dog came from parents with both variety so who knows.

 

So I'm wondering why you're surprised by the response. (I went back to the original thread you started and see it was all explained in detail to you then.)

 

In your original thread, it was pointed out to you that any prejudice wasn't towards your dog specifically, but to the breeding practices that produced her.

 

Even though I didn't remember that original thread then, or where you're from, it was pretty obvious from the picture of your pup in this one that it was a show bred, or at the very least a color bred, dog, not a working bred dog. (It's possible, but very rare, for a dog of that color to show up in working bred litter.)

 

Yet no one said an unkind word about your dog, just, eventually, that ear set isn't a consideration in working border collies. It was even acknowledged that we all do have preferences in appearance

 

My bad for assuming you're in the US, though you didn't say otherwise until later. But the attitude that appearance trumps function is a universal among KC folks, regardless from whence they hail.

 

But for the rest of us, aside from preferences we understand to be meaningless to the ability of a working dog, things like ear set ultimately don't matter a whit.

[moosikins]

Such cute ears and very pretty dog! I wonder what she'll look like when she's full grown! My girl's ears do all sorts of strange things, so I don't even know what their natural position is. When she's relaxing or sleeping, they're droopy. But as soon as she hears something or she's walking around, they're up and twitching. When she's really excited, she gets the flapping ears and helicopter tail combo!

[Guest Aria The Border Collie]

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[Guest Aria The Border Collie]

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[Maralynn]

I love prick ears. Actually my favorite "look" for any dog is smooth coated and prick eared and I'm drawn to a variety of herding breeds with that look. While I certainly didn't pick my pup based on ear set, I did look for a smoothie due to the work I wanted him for (and it's not difficult finding a working bred smooth dog) and I was pretty happy to see those ears trying to stand when I picked him up

 

But with a rough dog, I like variety in ears. My rough coated dog has ears that can strike a variety of poses and I find it endearing.

[Tess's Girl]

Whatever ears she ends up with will be the right ones! You won't be able to picture any other type on her. I whispered "prick ears" to Keeper every day, but his airplane ears are the exact perfect fit for his personality. Don't you love the variations in the breed?

 

I keep hoping Crow's ears will be pricked. Mom's are pricked but Dad's are dun dun dun...airplane ears. Apologies to all the airplaned ear Border Collies out there but those are my least favorite.

 

Of course Crow will be the most handsome boy in the world no matter his ear, just like Tess is the most beautiful girl.

 

But I may be a little biased about that.

[Tess's Girl]

I love prick ears. Actually my favorite "look" for any dog is smooth coated and prick eared and I'm drawn to a variety of herding breeds with that look. While I certainly didn't pick my pup based on ear set, I did look for a smoothie due to the work I wanted him for (and it's not difficult finding a working bred smooth dog) and I was pretty happy to see those ears trying to stand when I picked him up

 

But with a rough dog, I like variety in ears. My rough coated dog has ears that can strike a variety of poses and I find it endearing.

 

Tess's are the same way. You can tell what some dogs are thinking by their tails, you can tell what Tess is thinking by her ears. She is one of the most expressive dogs I have ever met.

[Sue R]

She is cute, the ears are cute, they all are cute, no doubt. Meanwhile, while I've coveted prick ears, my boys have grown dorky airplane-hybrid ears. Megan's are tipped but they were set by her first, AKC-influenced, owner. I think they are cute, too, and I can't imagine the boys with anything but silly ears. They hear, that's what counts!