| Blue. The colour should be blue,
blue-mottled or blue speckled with or without other markings. The permissible
markings are black, blue or tan markings on the head, evenly distributed for preference.
The forelegs tan midway up the legs and extending up the front to breast and throat,
with tan on jaws; the hindquarters tan on inside of hindlegs, and the inside of
thighs, showing down the front of the stifles and broadening out to the outside
of the hindlegs from the hock to the toes. Tan undercoat is permissible on the
body providing it does not show through the blue outer coat. Black markings on
the body are not desirable.
Red Speckle. The colour should be of good
even red speckle all over, including the undercoat, (neither white nor cream),
with or without darker red markings on the head. Even head markings are desirable.
Red markings on the body are permissible but not desirable. The standard
lays out quite clearly the colour requirements of this breed. The correct colour
and markings are a good indication as to the purity of the breed. Although body
patches are undesirable, an otherwise excellent specimen should not be penalised
for a body patch Nose and toenails black regardless of colour. A group
of white hairs on the forehead (ranging from a few hairs to a large spot) in both
colours commonly known as the "Bentley Star" is a characteristic of
the breed. White, ringed and/or patching on the tail seen in both red and blue
dogs is a breed characteristic and just as acceptable as self coloured tails. Blue
The
blue base colour in the Australian Cattle Dog is black. Although white is not
mentioned in the standard, the "blue" colour is produced by a more or
less even intermingling of black and white hairs in the outer coat giving the
impression of bluish colour. The more white hairs present, the lighter the blue,
the fewer white hairs present, the darker the blue.
If the white hairs are
so abundant that the animal appears white or the white hairs are so few that the
animal appears black, the colour is considered undesirable Blue speckle
is produced by small, irregular groups of light hair clustered together in strips
distributed more or less evenly through the coat against a dark background. The
size of the speckle is, normally from slightly less than 2cm up to approx 2.5cm. Blue
mottle is fingertip sized dark spots usually from slightly less than 2cm up to
approx 2.5cm against a light background.
Red
The red base colour in the
Australian Cattle Dog is red. Red speckle is produced by small, irregular
groups of white hair clustered together in strips distributed more or less evenly
through the coat against a red background. The size of the speckle is, normally
from slightly less than 2cm up to approx 2.5cm. Red Speckle is the only
colour provided for, in the standard for red dogs. Absence of speckle is
undesirable as are black hairs showing through the coats of red dogs. The undercoat
in red speckle dogs must be red, not white nor cream. The undercoat in the blue
coloured dogs may be black and or tan. If tan it should not show through the outer
coat. In mottled dogs only, areas of white may possibly include a small amount
of white undercoat hair. Black body patches
Kaleski standard of 1903
Qld Kennel Club version of 1906 reference to: Dark blue on back, sometimes with
black saddle and black spot on tail butt. Both colours produce body patches.
Currently the wording and interpretation allows for red patches on the body of
red coloured dogs to be more acceptable than black patches on the body of blue
coloured dogs. Nose and toenails black regardless of colour
Liver, chocolate,
unpigmented nose colour, flesh, pink coloured toenails in either blue or red dogs
are incorrect and must be penalised. The "Bentley Star"
This
is an important characteristic of the breed introduce by Tom Bentley's dog and
needs mention due to confusion by judges as to its existence. Black/Blue
muzzle and/or blue overlay on body in red dogs
The colour must clearly be either
red or blue and not a mixture of both. Kaleski writes "Colour, for
two reasons: (1) That true blue colour ( neither light nor dark) is the most invisible
colour possible particularly at night; hence a dog of this colour is not easily
seen by cattle or horses, and thus has the least chance of being kicked. (20 the
markings and colours as indicated stand for purity of breeding. In every strain
of blue cattle dog there is some peculiarity, and it shows in the colour as well
as in the shape, so that an expert can tell by looking at any blue dog how he
has been bred. Some breeds have objectionable traits in their strains (Bull Terrier
cross etc) and the colour helps as a guide to pedigree. If the dog shows more
black than specified, he is probably a Barb Cross and hence timid and unreliable.
If he is whitey-blue in colour he shows Dalmatian cross and is very likely to
be kicked or gored, especially at night as stock can watch him much better; also
he is more liable to go blind and deaf".
Faults:
Cream
or white undercoat. Any colour other than black on nose and toenails.
Creeping
Tan. Tan on the legs of blue dogs should not extend onto the shoulders and/or
the hips. On the face, the tan should not engulf the eye circumference and creep
onto the ears.
Red undercoat appearing through blue outer coat. Black/Blue
muzzle and/or extensive blue overlay on body in red dogs | 
