ACDCUSpotlight Vol 1 Issue 1

ISSUE 1
FEBRUARY 2019
PREMIER
ISSUE

Published in Memory of
Deb Casey
SilverDust Australian Cattle Dogs
Volume 1 Issue 1
Formerly the ACDSpotlight
Australian Cattle Dog Club United
Online Magazine
Lynn Tatro, Editor
info@acdspotlight.com
Wanted, Advertising Manager
(currently volunteer position)
ACDCU.ORG
Australian Cattle Dog Club United
Marc Moore, President
President@ACDCU.org
Dana Rochat, Vice President
Advertising
Camera ready copy
(11 x 17" or 8.5 x 11 inches)
Contact Lynn@Lazytea.net
for details & pricing
Want your dog on the cover?
Send a good high quality photo!
Theresa Buzzard Couch, Membership
Membership@ACDCU.org
Anne Baxter, Secretary
Carol Moore, Treasurer
PO Box 308
Resaca, GA 30735
2019 Deadlines
March 15
May 15 (Pre-Jubilee Issue!!)
September 15 (Jubilee Results)
December 15
© ACDSpotlight 2019. For permission to reproduce any content in this magazine contact
info@acdspotlight.com

In this
Issue
COVER
Around the Ring - 2018 ACDCU Jubilee
FEATURES
The Story of Kombinalong Kennels
-by Narelle Hammond
Tale of a Tail - by Marc Moore
Editor's Note
President's Letter /ACDCU News
Spotlight on Juniors
Meet the ACDCU Board
ACDCU Membership Application
RESULTS/STATISTICS
2018 ACDCU Jubilee
ADVERTISERS
ACD Photo Album Ebook
Xtreme ACD Juniors
Hayden/Cobbers - Tracey Steele & Mark Philpott
2019 ACDCU Jubilee
Oliver /Bosworth - Lee Kephart
Wyatt BOB Jubilee - Dawn Heirs/Laurie Youmans
2019 Jubilee Trophies
Timber Girl Crush - Timber/Lisa Bowman
Fatboy/Cobbers - Mark & Mary Philpott
Heel2Ewe - Lisa Pontius
Gryphon - Blue Chip/Tom McCarthy
Maverick/DAR- Dana Rochat
Pirate -Bonnie Beamer
Buzz/Uretopia ACDs - Margaret Ure, J Pulliam
Brumby/West-Gems - Gemily West
Adam -Marcia Winters
Buzzards 20 th Bred By CH - Teresa Buzzard Couch
Chief /Cobbers- Sarah Gerspacher
Gabbie - Kirby Farms/Tildon & Amy Kirby
Leif/Thornbush - Bonnie Beamer & Marcia Winters
Maverick Best Vet Jubilee - DAR/Dana Rochat
A Dog Named Blue Book - AustralianCattleDogBook.com
Bailey/Austlyn - Vicki Hall
Maggie/Taylryder - Sally Fontenot
SilverDust Tribute Issue - ACDSpotl;ight.com
Designs by Heahter - Heather Bacon
CLASSIFIEDS:
Stunt Puppy, Wicked Hot Designs,
Aurora Bows, Lazytea Creations

Notice changes here?
This Is a new beginning for the ACDSpotlight originally
published by Deb Casey for over 10 years.
To secure the future of this magazine we have
proceeded with Deb's plans and partnered with the
new ACDCU - Australian Cattle Dog Club United.
The Spotlight continues to be an ALL ACD global
online publication with the same mission; although we
will now include news and features from ACDCU. This
partnership brings many more people on board to help
maintain a quality, on-time publishing schedule.
We NEED YOU! Contributors, Editors, Advertisers,
Managers, Reporters - it could be you! If you love this
breed and have a few hours to spare (need not be a
big commitment), Please contact me! I can help find a
task tailored to you interest and available time. There is
no age restriction and I am happy to train and hold
hands.
NOT E:
SilverDust T ribute Issue Postponed
The SilverDust tribute issue has been
postponed for a later release. It will be a
stand-alone, ad/free issue and
submissions are still being accepted.
It is simply a big task to edit and
compile all the submissions into a
coherent whole. Rather than delay the
premier issue longer, I opted to move the
tribute issue back. New deadline is
August 15 2019
It takes a village! Hear about a special dog or litter?
Hear some ACD related news?
Did you hear of a big win or win big yourself?
Want to help with production, editing, web maintenance, or social media?
Want to see your photos in this magazine? Have a breed related question?
Time to write an article but need some ideas?
Just let me know (contact info below)!
Future Issues will include:
- Ask a Trainer/Behaviorist
- Ask a Vet
- Ask a Breeder
- All ACD AKC Rankings
- Brags & Gripes
- Classified Ads (free for now)
- Upcoming Features - Breed Education, Narelle Hammond's column,
ACDs on the Road, 2019 Jubilee details, 2019 Jubilee Judges'
Profiles, Breeder Spotlight, Club News, Featured ACDCU Member...
Let me know what you think about this issue and if you have any ideas.
Visit ACDSpotlight.com to contact us and view past issues.
An index to past issues is coming very soon.
Lynn Tatro, ACDCUSpotlight Editor
Info@ACDSpotlight.com
facebook.com/Lazytea or through ACDSpotlight.com

Well welcome everyone to 2019 !
ACDCU
NEW S
byMarc Moore, ACDCU President
Hope if it wasn't your best year that you have
learned how to make the challenges you had
your stepping stones to better days.
T he ACDCU was born in 2018 and with our
first year behind us I would like to tell you our
membership some exciting things and look back
just a little.
When we began many were very optimistic that
we would "make it" and that we really would be
inclusive as we said.
Others where not so positive and were sure that
we had some hidden agenda to hurt the AKC
parent club and that we had an axe to grind
against someone.
Well over 100 + members later and 1 year
down, I think we are proving day by day to
everyone that there in no negativity here. We
are focused on building a great organization for
the membership and the breed.
T he ACDCU became well known around the
ACD world fairly fast and thanks to an excited
membership it continues on that path.
We have members from all over the world
including Judges from AKC, FCI , ANKC,
many of which who have said they to are glad a
group is trying to pull together all the ACD
fanciers for the betterment of the breed.
T he board of the ACDCU spent the year
proclaiming the message of our great breed and
our great new club at shows and events all over
the country and world.
Our goals were big for year one with a true
JUBILEE event planned that we hoped would
bring together many in the ACD world for cool
events and great prizes, not only did we do it
but the results were beyond our wildest
expectations.
We then began to focus on an even bigger goal
for not only good club communication but the
ACD world in general to have a resource on the
breed, T he ACDCU Spotlight digital magazine
and that goal is getting very close to being
realized with a few delays in production but we
are in no hurry as the results will be worth it.
Some of the truly exciting things that I would
like to share with you is in regards to how the
ACDCU is being seen in the dog world.
At the end of the year extravaganza held by the
AKC in Orlando Fla. I was asked by several
AKC judges and some higher ups in the AKC
about the ACDCU ! T hey had all heard about
us and how we were being inclusive and wanted
me to tell them of our plans and what we had
done. I could not have been more surprised and
proud when they inquired about what we have
done so far.
T he other thing that has just happened is our
member partners who give our membership

enefits have been tracking our members using
their codes and they are beyond pleased not only
with the amount of usage our members are
giving them but the quality of the membership
they said is outstanding,
T hey are so pleased that they are not only
renewing their partnership for 2019
but....increasing our discount amounts !!!!! T he
word has gotten out about how our program and
many new potential partners are in line to give
you deals so we are being very selective as we can
be to have partners that truly benefit you our
members.
Our next goals are to get the website more
updated and work on some regional events
including herding events !
Big thing on the table is the 2019 JUBILEE
voted on by you the membership to be held in
Oklahoma City OK. the end of JUNE this year,
there will be so many special events that its hard
to list them all.
We have cool education things that will be
included one is a world renowned geneticist who
can talk about things of interest to ACD
breeders and pet owners alike.
Stay tuned as we announce many more things for
JUBILEE 2019 but make your plans to attend
now.
So keep doing what you are doing to help grow
the membership as many of you breeders are
including a membership with each puppy sold,
and buy our logo products that help support our
efforts.
You will begin to get membership renewal
emails/notices depending on when you joined
and we can tell you the best is yet to come so
please renew when you get the notice.
Have a great new year and enjoy your ACD
everyday !
Spotlight on Juniors
ACDCU Junior Rozlin & Olin
1st place at their first competition
in Novice Juniors
Clemson, South Carolina

I have had dogs nearly all my life and after
finding the perfect girl for me at the
young age of 18, it was just natural for us
as a newly married couple to get us a dog.
Well off to the shelter we went? .that dog
while nice was a sporting dog and just
didn?t fit too well with us.
After a friend told me of this cool litter his
buddy had just had of these smart dogs
called heelers I wanted one.
T hus began our journey with the ACD.
ACDCU President
Marc Moore
My wife and I are entrepreneurs being in business now for over 32 years, so
having the tenacity to stay with this breed is natural to us.
T hat first ACD of ours lived to be about 9 years old and the roller coaster
ride that is an ACD had us hooked.
We began to rescue ACDs, all appeared to be pure bred but for a variety of
reasons ended up in rescue or on the way to the vet to be put down would call
us.
We took all we could with the goal of working through their problems and
letting them live out their lives with us.
T hat kept us busy for many years as we encountered nearly every genetic
problem the breed has and other ?wonderful? personality issues from people
aggression, dog aggression, squirrel aggression, self aggression, tree
aggression and other great things.
We attended AKC shows and even multiple ACD national specialties
watching beautiful dogs that appeared to be ?normal? and thinking maybe
one day.
Our last rescue lived to the ripe old age of 17.5 years old and we decided we
had done our work for rescue and 20+ years was enough.
We further said we were ready to live dog free !

T hat went great for about 7 months and
the silence was deafening , we had to get
another ACD.
Our lives would again change forever
with our first dog from Jim Buzzard.
T his meant shows and titles and much
much more.
We have shown and won with our dogs in
multiple countries for many years now
and competed in herding and rally and
other sports some of which we had done
with our rescues but never going from
the show ring to the rally ring and back
for groups with those dogs.
My passion for this breed runs deep and
my desire for the dogs to be better
understood and enjoyed is of great
importance to me.
Being an ordained minister for over 20
years, I love to teach and especially when
it is hopefully bettering someones life.
T his breed can be so misunderstood and
get themselves into so much trouble that
a strong national club focused on helping
the breed and their owners was
something I felt could be accomplished.
We have put together a fantastic team to
get this club up and running we have
made amazing strides in a very short
time. Our vision like our passion runs
deep.
Every member of the ACDCU has a vital
role to play in its success, in the success
of our beloved Cattle Dog staying true to
why it was bred to begin with. Together
we can explore their amazing versatility,
their utter silliness at times, and their
fantastic focus at all times.
I am very proud of what the ACDCU has
become so far, a safe place for those who
know to meet those who might know to
help those who definitely don?t know and
all for the love of the Australian Cattle
Dog.
Join us today, if you have already thanks
and stay with us as we grow and expand,
it promises to be fun.
You are reading the first issue of the
NEW ACDCU Spotlight, originally
formed by another passionate ACD
owner/breeder named Deb Casey, her
belief that the ACD should be showcased
in a beautiful full color digital format
was truly cutting edge for its time. I also
believe she would be thrilled with the
?merger? of her vision with an inclusive
national-international club such as the
ACDCU.
Had many conversations with her about
how not listening to everyone?s ideas and
questions could never be a good thing for
the breed, that always stayed with me
that our passion will only live beyond if
we pass it on.
We are committed to continuing the
vision that Deb and her close friend
Lynn Tatro have had for the Spotlight,
and to grow its influence to new levels.
Contact Marc
President@ACDCU.ORG

I started with AKC back in the 1980s
before I was old enough to show in Junior
Showmanship. My first breed was the
English Cocker, specifically a blue roan
and tan named Cowboy. In the 1990s, I fell
in love with the Australian Cattle Dog and
purchased my first ?blue heeler? in
Colorado. With many of my "DCR Red &
Blue Crew" dogs, I compete nearly every
weekend in either conformation, herding,
obedience, Rally, agility, barn hunt, nose
work, dock diving. My dogs and I have
earned dozens of High in T rial awards and
numerous conformation championships.
ACDCU Vice President
Dana Rochat
Maverick is the first ACD to earn the new Rally Championship title (RACH),
the only two-time ACDCA Versatility winner, and the first National Owner
Handler Series best of breed winner at Eukanuba. I also train ACD service
dogs and manage a training facility in Southern California.
In my spare time, known as a day job, I work for a California nonprofit land
conservancy. I am the acquisitions director and serve on numerous other
nonprofits as an officer or a board member. I have also been active in
supporting and volunteering with a local all-breed club, the Australian Cattle
Dog Club of Greater Los Angeles and serve as a director, and I a member of
ACDCA (national club).
It has been a great honor to help get the ACDCU up and running. I believe a
well-informed and educated membership, which is also appreciated, is a
strong membership. I have already met many members that love our breed,
love this club and value transparency, sportsmanship, honesty, fairness, and
education.
DCR Australian Cattle Dogs
www.Just4Mav.webs.com

T heresa Buzzard Couch hails from Vineta,
Oklahoma where she continues breeding
Buzzard Australian Cattle Dogs
established by her father the late Jim
Buzzard, 2014 AKC Herding Group
Breeder of the Year, over 55 years ago.
T heresa bred her first dog, Ch Buzzards
Blue Duramax in 2001; he earned his
championship by the time he was a year
old. She has gone on with her sons to
finish over two dozen ACDs from the
Bred-by Exhibitor class and become the
ACDCU Membership Secretary
Theresa Buzzard Couch
first AKC recognized ACD Breeder of Merit. In 2003, Jim was invited to go
to Australia to put on a herding clinic and T heresa was there by his side,
growing in her knowledge of the breed.
T heresa?s passions lies with bringing up our next generation of ACD
fanciers. Eleven years ago, T heresa established a program for Junior
Handlers who compete in AKC handling competition with ACDs. Her efforts
have encouraged many young people to excel and feel welcome round the
ring. Her ACDJuniors - Step Up & Step Out program has provided over
$15,000 in scholarships and donated to breast cancer awareness and wounded
warriors project through t-shirt sales.
T heresa is a driving force behind the organization of ACDCU encouraging
those with a vision of an all-inclusive club to promote the breed. She serves as
the Membership Secretary and T rophy Chair for the Jubilee. When you win
at the Jubilee and hold that belt buckle or beaded collar be sure to thank
T heresa who raised the donations and coordinated those well-received
trophies.
Learn More about Buzzards Australian Cattle Dogs -
www.buzzardsaustraliancattledogs.com

The Xtreme Australian Cattle Juniors made a
donation from this years Patriotic T-shirts to
Wounded Warrior/The F.E.W.
Thank you to everyone that supported us !

The Story of
Kombinalong
Kennels
by Narelle Hammond
Gidday from down under!! For those that may not
know me, I have been breeding Australian Cattle
Dogs in Australia for forty years under the
Kombinalong prefix.
I was born with a lead in my hand. My grandfather
showed and bred German Shepherd Dogs and my
mother showed and bred Welsh Corgi Pembrokes.
When I married my first husband he didn't care
for either breed. So I asked him what breed would he
like. He answered "Blue Heeler"!! I was stunned but
duty bound to go and buy a bitch pup. My thoughts
on the breed were they were just another number in
the group. Aggressive and not attractive but
I did what I thought at the time was due diligence
and purchased the cutest double eye patched bitch
from a "top breeder"!! I was hooked on the breed
from that moment. T here devotion to master is like
no other breed I have ever experienced.
When my beautiful Jody only won a class when she
was the only one in it and I had a breeder/exhibitor
at that time tell me everything that was wrong with
my gorgeous dog, I set about to study the breed in
great detail and set myself a goal to breed a top
winning dog.
T hat took about 5 years of trial and error to breed
what I considered was what the "Godfather" T homas
Hall wanted in a cattle dog.
I have bred in excess of ninety Champions both in
Australia and overseas and I currently have thirty
eight American Champions with two very close to
their titles.
I was licensed to judge Australian Cattle Dogs and
Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs in 1987 and am

Rigby
now a licenced ANKC/FCI All
Breeds judge. With my
husband Ken Hammond who is
also an ANKC/FCI All Breeds
judge we have had the pleasure
of judging in many parts of the
world and have lectured on
both breeds both in Australia
and overseas.
T he most well known of my
dogs would without doubt be
my heart dog Ch Kombinalong
Super K who won in excess of
30 BIS/BISS or
RUBIS/RUBISS including
BISS at the Bicentennial
Specialty going on to win
Supreme Exhibit Australian
Breeds under the esteemed and
highly knowledgeable
international All Breeds judge
Mr Robert Curtis OAM.
Sao was not only a great
show dog but also a great
producer having sired multiple
champions and BIS winners.
Other dogs of note are Multi
BIS/BISS Gr Ch Kombinalong
Super Octane who was the Top
sire in Australia for most of the
late 80s and early 90s.
Ch Kombinalong Super
T ramp who I feel personally
epitomizes the current
standard both in body and
mind "as Kaleski wrote, must
resemble a small thick set
Dingo", and not forgetting my
gorgeous girls, Multi BIS/BISS
Ch Kombinalong Super N
Salad" and Multi BIS/BISS Ch
Kombinalong T ruly Super to
name but a few.
Some 16 years ago my life
took a massive turn for the
worst and I was struck down
with Major Depression and
Anxiety caused in a large part
by the dog world. "T he bigger
you are the harder you fall!"

My "under the doona" period of my life saw me
just exist with regular hospital stays and many many
counselling sessions. Sadly my dogs just existed in
my kennels with me doing very little showing,
breeding and judging.
However, with the help and never ending support
of my wonderful long suffering husband and the
medical profession, in January 2017 I came out from
"under the doona" and life has never been better.
I am in the process of writing my third book on
this wonderful breed and plan to release it mid
2020.
My current show team and proudly ALL
owner/handled consists of Multi BIS/BISS Ch
Kombinalong Super Highway HIC who is knocking
on the door of his Supreme title. Multi BISS Ch
Kombinalong T he Age of Super, Multi BIS/BISS Ch
Kombinalong T he Edge of Super, her daughter,
Multi BIG Ch Kombinalong Stairway to Super, my
neuter girls both multi BIS neuter winners, Neuter
Ch Kombinalong A Little Bit Super and Neuter Ch
Kombinalong Super in Champagne. Plus my babies,
Kombinalong T ruly Madly Super, My Name is
Super, Highway to Super, Life of Super and Five
Seconds of Super.
My husband and I have been very fortunate to have
judged in many parts of the world, however, without
doubt my most memorable judging experience was
the millennium ACDCA national specialty in
Greeley Colorado. I thought I had died and gone to
ACD heaven!! Ken had fun judging the property
classes as at the time Ken was studying for his
herding group license and it gave him a tremendous
amount of experience in the breed which he would
never have received in Oz.
I started health testing my breeding stock in the
early 80's and after spending considerable time and
money shipping pups to Queensland to have them
hearing tested I invested in a BAERCOM unit.
Being the first person to bring one into Australia.
All my breeding stock are hearing, PRCD/PLL
tested and hip and elbow scored.
I type this en route to South Africa. Spending
time at Kruger National Park and judging three All
breeds shows including an FCI show and my beloved
cattle dogs. Living the dream!

Com ing
Spring 2019
Cobber s ACDs
Mark & Mar y Philpott
Illinois, USA

20 18 ACDCU J UBILEE RESULTS
NORTH GEORGIA KENNEL CLUB
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 20 18
MCDONALD, TENNESSEE
J UDGE: MRS. LISA GRASER
BEST OF BREED
(5-GC Points)
GCH RENEGADES PAY'N IT FORWARD AT DAWN
HEIR HSAS CGC
Owner: Joyce Rowland & Laurie Youmans
Breeder: Joyce Rowland & Laurie Youmans
& Marty Youmans-Griffith
BEST OF OPPOSITE
BEST OF BREED OWNER HANDLED
JUDGE: Mr. Lloyd Graser, Jr.
OWNER HANDLED GROUP 2
(5-GC Points)
GCH BUZZARDS LUNA B'JEWELED
Owner: Caden Tibbets
Breeder: Colston Couch & Jim Buzzard
& Theresa Buzzard-Couch

BEST OF WINNERS/WINNERS DOG
(5 Points)
CREEKSIDE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND RATN
Owner: Tom McCarthy & Anne Baxter
Breeder: Anne Baxter
SELECT DOG
(5-GC Points)
GCHG URETOPIA N OUTRUN BOLD VENTURE
Owner: Margaret Ure & Julie Pulliam
Breeder: Margaret Ure & Patti Salladay &
Julie Pulliam
SELECT BITCH
(5-GC Points)
GCH TIMBER GIRL CRUSH
Breeder/Owner: Lisa Bowman

WINNERS BITCH
(5 Points)
HEELS 2 EWE I HEAR YOU TALKIN
Breeder/Owner: Lisa Pontius
RESERVE WINNERS DOG
AUSTMANS TIME TO PARTY
Owner: Pam Gipson
Breeder: Kimberly Jebson
RESERVE WINNERS BITCH
HEELS 2 EWE SETTIN THE WORLD ON FIRE
Breeder/Owner: Lisa Pontius

20 19 Trophies
Regular Classes, Agilit y, Obedience, Rally
Puppy Classes
Sweepst akes Placement s

A Tale of
the Tail
by Marc Moore
November 2012
THE ACD TAIL AND THE
BREED STANDARD
IT?S A SIMPLE TAIL RIGHT?
After having rescued Australian Cattle Dogs for nearly 30 years we
never really focused on the tail of our dogs (other than if they had one!).
I mean we had dogs that had bushy tails, thin tails, curly tails and bent
tails.
T hat lack of focus on the tail ended this past year when we began to
show our first ACD in confirmation. Looking at the standard it talks
about the tail, giving the judges what appears on the surface a clear way
to see the tail and how it relates on a confirmation correct ACD.
Let?s look at this part of the AKC standard and see what is says and
just as important what it doesn?t say.
?T he set of the tail is moderately low, following the contours of the
sloping croup and of length to reach the hock. At rest it should hang in
a very slight curve.
During movement or excitement the tail may be raised, but under no
circumstances should any part of the tail be carried past a vertical line
drawn through the root.
HOW HIGH?
T he tail should carry a good brush.? from AKC standard for the
Australian Cattle Dog.
Well that seems simple enough...right.?
As i have found out this year it?s not seemingly as simple to
understand as one would think.
Lets look at the first part it deals with the attachment location of the
tail. Basically the standard says the tail should be attached at a point
where it appears that the body continues on down, that?s what following
the contours of the sloping croup means. T he tail shouldn?t look placed

on the back or it shouldn?t look
as if the angle of the body stops
and a new angle of the tail
starts.
See the drawing below how
the croup and tail flow together
into one line.
T he next item the standard
addresses is the length of the
tail, not to long or not too short
is good right? Yes but it should
end just about the hock.
Clearly a little above is ok as a
little below is ok that?s what
approximately means, although
remember a tail that is too long
is more likely a problem when
working than the opposite
since it could get stepped on or
caught in between something.
T he next section of the
standard has to do with the
movement section, this is the
area of understanding that
really needs clarification with
many in the judging
community.
I have a very confident male
dog who doesn?t care if he is in
the show ring or in a livestock
pen it?s all work to him. With
this ?work? comes the typical
ACD focus...as any of you who
have cattle dogs know most
have an ?all in? philosophy, if
it?s play or work if you are a
cattle dog you go all out, it?s
probably this that makes us
love the breed so much, they do
nothing half way.
So when it comes to a cattle
dog in the show ring judges
must understand this.
T he standard says the tail
can be raised during movement
or excitement (or both). It is
the understanding of how high
that has created so much ?fun?
for us with new AKC judging
friends this past year.
Let?s look first at what the
standard does not say..it does
NOT say where it CAN be
moved to during this movement
or excitement. T he only thing
it says is where it can NOT go.
Basically the standard leaves
it open for the tail to be
anywhere during movement,
anywhere but one place.
Anywhere means straight
out, down low, or even higher
than straight out, even between
the legs (as much as i don?t like
to see that) is all allowed in the
standard.
T he standard says the one
area that is a no zone is above a
VERT ICAL line drawn
through the root of the tail.

FIG 1
Fig1 sh ows th e Ver tical (up) lin e dr aw n th r ough
th e r oot of th e tail, n ote th e tail up is n owher e
close to cr ossin g th e lin e.
FIG 2
Fig 2 sh ows a H O RI Z O N TAL lin e dr aw n acr oss th e
toplin e of th e body, n ote th er e is N O m en tion in th e
stan dar d of th e ACD m ovin g w ith a h or izon tal tail
position , it is f in e but in n o way accor din g to th e
stan dar d is it prefer r ed or r equir ed.
T his clearly states that if you draw a line from the
ground up toward the sky going through the point
where the tail attaches that no part of the tail is to
cross that line, But also just as clearly the standard
allows the tail to be ANYWHERE up to that point.
Carrying the tail anywhere up to the line during
movement is fine according to the standard. Plus the
standard says nothing about the shape of the tail
during movement, at rest it should be down.
Let?s remember dogs, all dogs , use their tail as an
instrument of expression, we all know what a
wagging tail (or nub) means, well many ACDs show
their expression during work with the tail.
T he mention in the standard was so that the tail
fixed placement would be recognized as proper
(following angle of the croup) and so that a tail that
comes up over the back could be seen as a problem
mainly because this would show a likely structure
problem of the attaching point of tail, keeping the
?GAY? tail from becoming an issue in the breed.
Having judges who misinterpret horizontal from
vertical is something that has frustrated me a few
times this year as some have said to me they wished
my dogs tail did not come up past his topline as its
detracts from his movement? Well if they would
reread the standard and realize the individual dog
dictates the placement (during movement) of his tail
and that yes an AKITA style tail is wrong on an
ACD but anything up to that VERT ICAL line is just
fine, and that unlike many of the other breeds in the
show ring that day, the ACD is going to work when
his handler at the entrance of the ring says..........let?s
go!
T he last part of the tail section of the standard
addresses the coat finishing of the ACD tail, this
section says it should carry a good brush, some have
more ?brush? than others, But again we should go
back to the cattledog?s function for why this was
even mentioned in the standard like it was. T he
cattledog was one of the original tools for the
Australian rancher to gather up and drive his cattle
long
distances over sometimes many days and weeks
which meant this dog didn?t come inside to a warm
house every night , it slept on the ground of the
outback in the cold and at times rain, the good brush
of the tail is used to help keep the ACD warm has
they can curl up and keep the face and head warm
with a tail of good brush.
An ACD tail is much like the ACD itself varied and
unique in it?s shape, color and movement, but with
the guidelines allowed by the AKC standard it?s not
to difficult to get the Tale of the Tail.

AUGUST 15, 2019

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