Historically, as soon as any new breed of dog is developed, the price of popularity is the division between the
intended purpose and someone's ideological purpose. Sooner or later, someone creates a written standard for
the superior dog which the breeder strives to produce. Many times, the original purpose of the breed is forgotten,
beauty takes precedence over functionality and a division in the breed commences. The breed that was created
to fill an important purpose, or that was intended to be the foundation of the fabric of one's livelihood, is now
evolving into an animal that is no longer useful, needed, or prized for it's original purpose. Someone will decide
the path in which the breed should take and certain disciplines in selection and rejection are set down to be
followed, all in the name of the betterment of the breed.
In many ways, the drawing up of guidelines to follow for a "standard" of the breed is desirable, provided the
inherited ability to efficiently, mentally and structurally, work livestock is first and foremost and beauty and poise is
secondary. If there are no guidelines, or "standard", the breed would become chaotic and fragile due to a
person’s own personal approximation’s, rapacity, morals and the original characteristics of the breed forgotten. A
"standard" isn’t decided for the purpose of ‘minding someone’s business’, but rather a guideline that should be
followed if the breed is to continue from early development on into a finely tuned, genetically selected, superior
breed.
CHARACTERISTICS:
The Coolie should be superior in intelligence, extremely alert, eager and willing to please. They should be
friendly, active with a good balance between keenness to work and ability to relax. Coolie's have inexhaustible
energy; extreme loyalty and devotion to their master. They have impeccable work ethics and a strongly inherited
natural instinct and aptitude in the working of livestock.
Faults: Undesirable traits such as viciousness, aggression towards other animals and/or humans,
nervousness, high excitability, unstable temperaments are uncharacteristic.
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
The Coolie can range in size from small to large, although the medium sized dog is preferred. Coolie's are light on
their feet, athletic, muscular and have the capability of untiring while at work. Their movement should be smooth
and effortless.
Faults: Structural unsoundness, overly large and/or too heavily built that prevents good movement
and long hours of work.
MOVEMENT:
The gait should be easy, smooth, and effortless. Foot placement is a single tract (or fox trot), before breaking into
a lope. Coolie's have the ability to stop and turn suddenly at speed. When walking or standing, they should stand
squarely on all four legs.
Faults: A heavy or pounding gait, stiltedness, loose shoulders or restricted movement; weaving or
paddling gait is not desirable.
HEAD:
A Coolie type head has a slightly rounded skull, broad between well-pricked ears, forehead curved very slightly
towards a pronounced stop. The cheeks neither coarse nor prominent but rounded to the fore face, cleanly
chiseled and defined. The muzzle, of moderate length tapered towards the nose and refined in comparison to the
skull; lips tight and clean. NOTE: some Coolies can have bent or tipped ears.
Faults: Snub nosed, domed skull (like a Rottweiler)
TEETH:
Teeth should be sound, strong and evenly spaced. The lower incisors just behind but touching the upper.
Faults: Undershot, overshot, misaligned jaw or abnormal numbers of teeth are undesirable.
EYES:
The eyes should be slightly oval shaped, medium sized and widely spaced. Different colored eyes, flecked, or
marbled is normal.
Faults: Small eye size or eyes that are closely set-together are not desirable.
EARS:
Although pricked ears are preferred, bent or tipped ears are acceptable. Their ears should be able to rotate
easily in an effort to catch sound without excessive head movement.
Faults: Drooping, hanging low ears
NECK:
The neck should be of fair length, strong, slightly arched and showing quality, gradually molding into the
shoulders.
Faults: short, stubby, or weak necks are not desired
FOREQUARTERS:
The front of the Coolie should be clean, muscular with sloping shoulders and elbows set parallel with the body.
The forelegs should be muscular with strong, perfectly straight when viewed from the front, and pasterns should
show a slight angulation to the forearm when viewed from the side. The shoulders should be clean, muscular, with
long sloping shoulder blades set at approximately 45 degree angle to the ground, upper arm (humerus) forming a
near 90 degree angle with the blade (scapula) and appropriately angulated to the forearm (radius and ulna) with
elbows set parallel to the body.
Faults: Shoulders that set too far forward or that are straight, both affect balance and inhibit free
movement. Front legs that bow inward or outward, straight pasterns or short stubby legs are not
desirable.
FEET:
Front feet should be round, strong, deep in pad, with flexible well arched toes, with strong short nails, to allow the
dog to adapt to differing ground surfaces.
Faults: pigeon toed (feet that turn inward) or splay footed (toes turn outward) are undesirable.
BODY:
The chest should be deep, rather than wide; ribs well sprung (not barrel-ribbed) with a top line showing a rise at
the withers (to allow sufficient action of the forequarters); strong and well muscled loins, sloping to the butt of the
tail.
Faults: sway back or roach back is undesirable.
Length, when measured from the point of the shoulder to the point of the hip, to height, when measured from the
top of the withers to the ground, should be a ratio of 10:9.
Faults: Body too long or squareness is not desirable.
CHEST:
The chest when viewed from the side, should be deep; the point of breast bone showing ahead of the junction
between shoulder blade (scapula) and upper arm (humerus). The bottom line of the rib cage should curve
downwards from its point, to below and slightly in front of the elbow (tip of the ulna) then remain level to the eighth
rib before continuing in a gradual upwards curve towards the flank.
Faults: barrel chested
HINDQUARTERS:
Hind quarters should be muscular and clean. The upper thigh (femur) should set well into the hip socket at the
pelvis and have a corresponding angle to that of the should blade. The tail should form a smooth curve and
should be cleanly connected to the rump. The stifles should be well turned with the hocks placed parallel with the
body (when viewed from behind).
Faults: cow-hocked (hocks that turn inward) or pigeon toed (hocks that turn outward), straight stifles,
tail set too high or low are undesirable.
FEET:
The hind feet should be slightly elongated in comparison with the front feet, strong, deep in the pads, with flexible
well arched toes with strong short nails to allow the dog maximum thrust under differing ground surfaces.
Faults: Toes turned in or out, are undesirable
TAIL:
The tail can be bushy or smooth coated; it should be situated as to not be above the point of the hip bone.
Faults: The tail acts like a rudder and assists the dog in making tight turns. It is used as a counter-
balance; therefore should not be set too high, too short, kinked, hooked, malformed or missing, as
this is undesirable.
SIZE:
The Coolie can be small in size or large. The medium sized dog is preferred. Dogs: 18 to 23 inches/45 to 65lbs;
bitches: 17 to 23 inches/30 to 55lbs.
COAT:
Can be of any length, but the smooth coat is preferred.
Faults: curly, twisted, or locks are undesirable.
COLOR:
Any color and markings that are historically associated with the development of the breed. The preferred
coloration is the merle pattern without any white.
Examples of coat colors:
Black, brown, diluted black, diluted brown, red
- with and without sable, saddle, or tan points
- with and without irish spotting, pie bald and extreme pie bald
- merle and non-merle
For more information on the genetics of the coat color and photographs of the various colors, please click here:
coat color genetics
Faults: brindle, wolf pattern, albino (brindle and wolf pattern would indicate an infusion from another
breed, and the albino would be a genetic mutation/anomaly/serious fault)
click on the picture.
