Glossary
Agility
Agility tests a dog's speed and reaction to commands over jumps and obstacles (including tunnels, weaves, A-frames, dog walks and see-saws). It's also tests the owner's handling skills.
Categories
- 1 - Elementary
- 2 - Starter
- 3 - Graduate
- 4 - Novice
- 5 - Intermediate
- 6 - Senior
- 7 - Advanced
Visit the Kennel Club Agility webpages for more details.
CEA
CEA (Collie Eye Anomaly) is a genetically inherited eye disease that inhibits vision. The disease can be detected by a specialist eye vet until pups are 6-7 weeks old, or by a DNA test at any age.
For details of how CEA affects Collies, how the disease is inherited and how you can get your dog tested please visit the OptiGen website.
DNA Normal
Border Collies can be DNA tested for CEA. This specialist test can reveal one of three outcomes:
- Normal: the dog does not carry the gene for CEA.
- Carrier: the dog carries the gene for CEA, but normally has has good eyesight and will appear normal even in an adult compulsory ISDS opthalmic test.
- Affected: the dog carries the gene for CEA, it will have impaired vision and should never be bred from.
Visit the OptiGen website for more information.
Flyball
There are two sorts of flyball - the Kennel Club Flyball and the British Flyball Association (BFA).
Flyball is all about speed of collection of a tennis ball - dogs jump four hurdles, collect the ball, and race back to their owner through the timing device. There are four dogs per team and the team progresses up the ranks as the team's overall time decreases.
Visit the Kennel Club Flyball and British Flyball Association websites for more information.
Heel Work to Music (HTM)
HTM is an up-and-coming dog sport that involves trainers and dogs 'dancing' together to music with a theme.
For more information visit the Kennel Club HTM webpages.
Hip Scores
Hip scoring in the UK involves taking an x-ray of a dog's hips once the dog is aged 12 months or over. A panel of specialist vets then study the x-rays and score the areas of the hip and socket. An overall score is then given.
The lower the hip scores the better the dog's hips - ranging from 0:0 (total 0) to 53:53 (total 106). Different breeds have different average scores with the average score for Border Collies being a total of 13 (eg 6:7). Generally speaking a dog with a total hip score of no more than 20 (eg 9:11) will never be affected by hip dysplasia. The higher the hip score the more likely the dog is to suffer from hip problems later in life.
Testing is not mandatory in the UK, but the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and Kennel Club run the Hip Displasia Scheme and publish average hip scores for breeds.
International Sheep Dog Society (ISDS)
This organisation registers Border Collies that have been specially bred for sheep and other stock work. The ISDS is completely independant of the Kennel Club and have their own set of rules, particularly regarding eye health.
Visit the ISDS website for further information.
Kennel Club (KC)
Supposed to be for the general health and wellbeing of dogs.
Visit the Kennel Club website for details. This site also gives details of all the dog sports (except Sheep Dog Trials) and contact details for clubs in your area.
Obedience
As the name suggests, Obedience involves a series of tests including 'heel on lead', 'heel free', 'recall', 'retrieve', 'sit/stay' and 'down/stay'. All these exercises become increasingly difficult as the dog and trainer progress up through the categories. In the three highest categories 'scent discrimination' is included.
Categories
- Special Beginners
- Novice
- Test A
- Test B
- Test C
Visit the Kennel Club Obedience webpages for more information.
Search And Rescue Dog Association (SARDA)
There are a number of individual Search and Rescue Dog Associations located throughout the UK. These voluntary organisations train and deploy air scenting search and rescue dogs to help find missing persons in a wide range of circumstances.
Visit the National Search and Rescue Dog Association website for more information.