Development of the Breed Standard
A breed standard is a conceptualization of the ideal specimen of its breed, and as such, is to be written and researched very carefully. In 1975, the Australian Shepherd Club of America formed a committee, headed by Robert Kline, DVM, with the purpose of writing such a document. Dr. Kline is quoted as saying:
"Contrary to the beliefs of many, such a standard is not a textbook, but rather an outline describing structure, breed characteristics, color, size, uses, etc., put down in as precise and accurate a manner as possible. In order to perfect such a document without in fact ending up with a textbook the size of a physician's anatomy book, it is predisposed that the people using such a standard have a working knowledge of animal traits, vocabulary, and methods used by the industry to enable them to understand and interpret said standard so as to make it a usable instrument. For those not so familiar with these things and wanting to use the standard, such persons owe it to themselves to seek out knowledgeable breeders and judges, texts, etc., to avail themselves of such knowledge. For accuracy's sake, it precludes a standard to be written for the beginner or novice."
So what exactly is he saying here? He means that in order to USE and understand a breed standard, one must know the terminology and canine anatomy and movement. He also means that to some degree, a breed standard has some leeway in how it is interpreted by each person reading it. This allows for natural variance within a breed. If every dog were identical in every way, imagine how dull and boring it would be! However, in the case of the Australian shepherd, the "form" of the breed must follow the function of the breed, and that is to be a working dog. Granted, in more modern times, only a small percentage of Aussies are actually out there working livestock, but the traits that historically have made the breed invaluable to farmers and ranchers, also have allowed the Aussie to excel in many performance venues, such as agility, flyball and frisbee.
It is with the primary function of the breed in mind, that the original committee researched, consulted with canine experts and affiliate clubs, and finally wrote the breed standard, which was accepted by the ASCA membership, and became effective January 15, 1977. The purpose of this seminar is to hopefully impart a greater understanding of the elements and terminology of the standard, and why the standard was written as it was, so that the participants may become more knowledgeable stewards for the breed, and continue the learning experience after the conclusion of the seminar.
~ Gail N. Karamalegos
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