AKC Gazette Articles
The Very Versatile Collie
06/12/10 11:25
This article was written for the March and June 2008 issue of the Breed Column in the AKC Gazette--
The Very Versatile Collie
The opening sentence of our breed Standard describes the essence of the Collie as a “lithe, strong, responsive, active dog.” The Standard further informs us the structure indicates “speed and grace” and “the face shows high intelligence.” The Collie’s heritage as an all-purpose farm worker and the close relationship between farmer and dog translates these days to teamwork in agility, obedience, herding and tracking. Changes in the last decade to more positive training methods, combined with their strong desire to please, make Collies an excellent performance choice.
Our National breed club supports several performance programs. In 2004 the CCA established the ROM-P—a parallel registry to the ROM (Registry of Merit for sires and dams of conformation champions)—for sires and dams of performance titled offspring. A ROM-P sire must have five offspring that earn titles in herding, tracking, obedience, or agility. Two of the five offspring must have advanced titles. Dams must have three performance titled offspring, and two that have earned advanced titles. There are over 80 Collies with ROM-P designation—50 dams and 37 sires. These dogs represent a cross section of families and pedigrees, demonstrating that ability and talent run wide and deep within our breed.
The CCA also offers a Versatility Award program that is very popular. It rewards Collies competing in breed and performance based on a point system. Points must be earned in conformation, obedience (includes obedience, tracking and agility), and herding categories. Advanced titles merit a Versatility Excellent Award. Each year at the CCA National Specialty, the chairman of the Versatility Committee gives a presentation before an enthusiastic audience describing each dog’s accomplishments. An indication of this program’s success is the steady increase in number of awards. Since 1993 CCA has bestowed 109 Versatility Awards and 39 Versatility Excellent Awards.
Performance Collie folks are fortunate to have the statistical talents of Suzanne Schwab, who generously shared her knowledge for this article.
Suzanne reports, “From 2002 to 2006, 19 Collies earned AKC Herding Champion titles. The only breed to earn more HC’s in that time period were Border Collies, even though Collies rank behind GSD’s, Shelties, Pembrokes, and Aussies in total number of registered dogs.” Twenty-one Collies have earned HC’s since the beginning of the program, and Suzanne notes that four of them are rescues all trained by Linda Kratz. Herding talent runs throughout Collie families as 10 different breeders bred the remaining 17 HC titles, and seven of the HC’s are also conformation champions. Of the 21 HC Collies, three have UD’s, four have CDX’s, one has a MX/MJX, and one has an AX/AXJ. Fifty-two Collies earned one or more HX titles and of those 17 are conformation champions. Through August 2007 a total of 600 Collies have at least one AKC herding test or trial title. Of those, 218 are Herding Started level or higher, and 64 are also conformation champions. The number of advanced titled herding dogs who are also conformation champions is impressive. Our forebears’ missive to preserve intelligence and athleticism while striving for aesthetic qualities puts the conformation and performance Collie in one great package!
While many breeds have sharp divisions between show and working lines, our breed, to its credit does not. Started in 1993, the CCA Versatility program really took off in the new millennium! One hundred and six Collies earned VA or VX titles since 2000. Keep in mind that is with our registration numbers steadily falling over the same time period. To earn a Versatility Award or Versatility Excellent award, points must be earned in conformation, the minimum being a major. The overwhelming number of dogs receiving recognition in each level, however, are champions who are also sired by champions, with most of the dams also champions. The diversity of pedigrees, breeders, and owners indicates show lines are producing Collies capable of going well beyond the show ring.
2006 was particularly good for MACH Collies—six earned their first MACH, with one each for a MACH 2, MACH 3, and MACH 6. Suzanne Schwab reports “including the 12 MACH’s, there are 64 Collies with an MX and/or MXJ, and 180 with an AX and/or AXJ. Three of the MACH’s and eight of the 52 Master’s level are rescues.” Suzanne, herself an avid tracker, states, “since 1990, two Collies (both trained by Silvia Shultz) earned VST/CT titles and these same dogs also have UD titles.” Eighteen Collies have TDX’s since 1990, when Suzanne began keeping stats, and of those, eight are conformation champions. She also points out that only five trainers account for half of the 67 Collies with tracking titles. A small but stalwart and consistent group!
In obedience only six Collies have earned an OTCH, with just two of them since 1990. With less than a handful of breeds dominating the OTCH titles, Collies are far from unique in their lower numbers. Twenty-one Collies earned UDX’s, respectable relative to their overall popularity and at the UD level Collies do better, ranking in the top 20 or so for titles per year. The comparison is similar for CDX’s and CD’s. In all, Suzanne has recorded 2018 Collies earning an obedience title since she began keeping statistics, with 140 at UD or higher. Nineteen of the 117 UD’s are also conformation champions.
I recently spoke to Jim and Judy Smotrel about their Collies and asked them their thoughts on what makes Collies great performance dogs. “Originally we were drawn to their beauty,” Jim said, “and then discovered how much Collies like to do stuff, that it makes them happy!” He continued “because they are a herding breed Collies have a great work ethic and desire to do for you. For their size they still maintain athleticism and maneuverability.” Jim and Judy said they felt that Collies are mellow around the house yet have good energy outputs for performance. Smotrel’s attribute Bart, their first Collie, to changing their lives. In 1986 Jim acquired Bart’s CD and the rest, as they say, is history, for Bart ultimately earned many titles and became Am/Can Ch, V Ch, Can OTCh, U-UD Hi Vu Black Bart The Skyhawk UDT HT TT TDI CGC UAgII VX HOF ROM-P. The Smotrels have been competing with their Collies ever since.
The Very Versatile Collie
The opening sentence of our breed Standard describes the essence of the Collie as a “lithe, strong, responsive, active dog.” The Standard further informs us the structure indicates “speed and grace” and “the face shows high intelligence.” The Collie’s heritage as an all-purpose farm worker and the close relationship between farmer and dog translates these days to teamwork in agility, obedience, herding and tracking. Changes in the last decade to more positive training methods, combined with their strong desire to please, make Collies an excellent performance choice.
Our National breed club supports several performance programs. In 2004 the CCA established the ROM-P—a parallel registry to the ROM (Registry of Merit for sires and dams of conformation champions)—for sires and dams of performance titled offspring. A ROM-P sire must have five offspring that earn titles in herding, tracking, obedience, or agility. Two of the five offspring must have advanced titles. Dams must have three performance titled offspring, and two that have earned advanced titles. There are over 80 Collies with ROM-P designation—50 dams and 37 sires. These dogs represent a cross section of families and pedigrees, demonstrating that ability and talent run wide and deep within our breed.
The CCA also offers a Versatility Award program that is very popular. It rewards Collies competing in breed and performance based on a point system. Points must be earned in conformation, obedience (includes obedience, tracking and agility), and herding categories. Advanced titles merit a Versatility Excellent Award. Each year at the CCA National Specialty, the chairman of the Versatility Committee gives a presentation before an enthusiastic audience describing each dog’s accomplishments. An indication of this program’s success is the steady increase in number of awards. Since 1993 CCA has bestowed 109 Versatility Awards and 39 Versatility Excellent Awards.
Performance Collie folks are fortunate to have the statistical talents of Suzanne Schwab, who generously shared her knowledge for this article.
Suzanne reports, “From 2002 to 2006, 19 Collies earned AKC Herding Champion titles. The only breed to earn more HC’s in that time period were Border Collies, even though Collies rank behind GSD’s, Shelties, Pembrokes, and Aussies in total number of registered dogs.” Twenty-one Collies have earned HC’s since the beginning of the program, and Suzanne notes that four of them are rescues all trained by Linda Kratz. Herding talent runs throughout Collie families as 10 different breeders bred the remaining 17 HC titles, and seven of the HC’s are also conformation champions. Of the 21 HC Collies, three have UD’s, four have CDX’s, one has a MX/MJX, and one has an AX/AXJ. Fifty-two Collies earned one or more HX titles and of those 17 are conformation champions. Through August 2007 a total of 600 Collies have at least one AKC herding test or trial title. Of those, 218 are Herding Started level or higher, and 64 are also conformation champions. The number of advanced titled herding dogs who are also conformation champions is impressive. Our forebears’ missive to preserve intelligence and athleticism while striving for aesthetic qualities puts the conformation and performance Collie in one great package!
While many breeds have sharp divisions between show and working lines, our breed, to its credit does not. Started in 1993, the CCA Versatility program really took off in the new millennium! One hundred and six Collies earned VA or VX titles since 2000. Keep in mind that is with our registration numbers steadily falling over the same time period. To earn a Versatility Award or Versatility Excellent award, points must be earned in conformation, the minimum being a major. The overwhelming number of dogs receiving recognition in each level, however, are champions who are also sired by champions, with most of the dams also champions. The diversity of pedigrees, breeders, and owners indicates show lines are producing Collies capable of going well beyond the show ring.
2006 was particularly good for MACH Collies—six earned their first MACH, with one each for a MACH 2, MACH 3, and MACH 6. Suzanne Schwab reports “including the 12 MACH’s, there are 64 Collies with an MX and/or MXJ, and 180 with an AX and/or AXJ. Three of the MACH’s and eight of the 52 Master’s level are rescues.” Suzanne, herself an avid tracker, states, “since 1990, two Collies (both trained by Silvia Shultz) earned VST/CT titles and these same dogs also have UD titles.” Eighteen Collies have TDX’s since 1990, when Suzanne began keeping stats, and of those, eight are conformation champions. She also points out that only five trainers account for half of the 67 Collies with tracking titles. A small but stalwart and consistent group!
In obedience only six Collies have earned an OTCH, with just two of them since 1990. With less than a handful of breeds dominating the OTCH titles, Collies are far from unique in their lower numbers. Twenty-one Collies earned UDX’s, respectable relative to their overall popularity and at the UD level Collies do better, ranking in the top 20 or so for titles per year. The comparison is similar for CDX’s and CD’s. In all, Suzanne has recorded 2018 Collies earning an obedience title since she began keeping statistics, with 140 at UD or higher. Nineteen of the 117 UD’s are also conformation champions.
I recently spoke to Jim and Judy Smotrel about their Collies and asked them their thoughts on what makes Collies great performance dogs. “Originally we were drawn to their beauty,” Jim said, “and then discovered how much Collies like to do stuff, that it makes them happy!” He continued “because they are a herding breed Collies have a great work ethic and desire to do for you. For their size they still maintain athleticism and maneuverability.” Jim and Judy said they felt that Collies are mellow around the house yet have good energy outputs for performance. Smotrel’s attribute Bart, their first Collie, to changing their lives. In 1986 Jim acquired Bart’s CD and the rest, as they say, is history, for Bart ultimately earned many titles and became Am/Can Ch, V Ch, Can OTCh, U-UD Hi Vu Black Bart The Skyhawk UDT HT TT TDI CGC UAgII VX HOF ROM-P. The Smotrels have been competing with their Collies ever since.
A Fortunate Choice
17/09/10 12:09
On the eve of summer’s unofficial start I sit on our screened porch with near 13-year-old Coal sleeping at my feet. Sprawled around us are three more Collies, fur rippling as a ceiling fan disperses the heavy air. On the couch, Token’s front paws claim my lap in undisputed ownership. I’m trying to think of a topic for this month’s Gazette but instead a persistent feeling of how fortunate I am intrudes on my thoughts.
My devotion to Collies began early in my life, and while I admire and appreciate impressive wins, successful breeding programs and ROM sires and dams, there is one thing I am reminded of that is the most important aspect of dog ownership, and that is my relationship with these animals I know and love so well.
This day to day living with dogs wears the finish off floors, requires extra vacuuming and cleaning off rainy day fur shaking, but despite my frequent griping about what I could do with the extra hours and money, all is forgotten in these quiet times. Beyond competition and training, I think perhaps it is the visceral sharing of our lives that adds another dimension.
Breeders face many pressures now from anti-dog legislation, rising food and veterinary costs, and the increasing expense of pursuing our hobby. It’s a generally unfriendly environment towards breeders by localities, by extreme animal rights groups and even by the very folks who own pets. At parties people are often surprised when I tell them that I breed dogs; I guess the image they are sold by certain groups doesn’t fit when they meet and talk with me.
The fact that our sport is supported by an increasingly aging population also threatens us as breeders. There is so much competition for kids’ attention with activities that didn’t even exist a few decades ago—numerous sports and the internet keep kids under controlled environments or indoors. I remember my own childhood biking through the neighborhood, taking my dog for long walks, or earning extra money as the resident dog sitter. When both parents work, and kids have every minute planned for them, it leaves little time for pets. A recent work project took me into suburban developments where evenings were sadly quiet without the sounds of children outdoors or even a dog barking in someone’s yard. Without realizing what’s missing, there is, I think, an empty space in a life without a pet. Dogs are a connection to an ancient synchronicity when human and canine decided life would be better if we stuck together.
Some would say that it’s a sign of the times, and what can we do? I console myself with the thought that nothing is forever and this too will pass. But I don’t want to passively sit by and just hope for a change. We who breed dogs, who participate in dog related activities must also find ways to convey the rewards of pet ownership. We can encourage our breed and all breed clubs to put programs or events together that connect human and canine in such a way they will discover the joys of having a dog, even if it’s just hanging out on a hot summer evening on the porch.
From the September 2010 Breed Column/Collie