The following information is from Narelle Roberson, Kombinalong Kennel, Brighton Tas, Australia and The Complete Australian Cattle Dog by John and Mary Holmes

  CH Buzzards Red Tubs HX -Jim Buzzard, Breeder

The first standard for the Australian Cattle Dog was drawn up by Robert Kalesk in 1897.  That standard has changed very little over the years and the current standard has been in place since 1994.

The general appearance is of a strong compact, symmetrically built working dog with the ability and willingness to carry out his task however arduous.  The dog's combination of substance, power, balance and hard muscular condition must convey the impression of great agility, strength and endurance.

Head:  Wedge shaped; Broad between the ears, tapering to a point at muzzle, full under the eye, strong and muscular in the jaws.

Ears: Short and pricked, running to a point at tip; thick, and set wide apart on the skull, with plenty of muscle at the butts

Eyes:  Brown, oval/almond, quick and sly looking

Shoulders: Strong, with good slope for free action.

Chest: Deep, but not out of proportion to body

Legs: Clean, and fair amount of bone: great muscular development

Feet: Small and cat shaped

Back: Straight, with ribs well sprung, ribbed up and good loins; should arch slightly at loins

Hindquarters: Strong and muscular, with back thighs well let down for speed; tail, fair length and bottle shaped

Height: About 20 inches, bitches a bit smaller

Coat: Short, smooth and very dense

Some points and measurements to be aware of when selecting a conformationally correct ACD:

Height to length ratio:	10% longer than high, measured from point of shoulder to point of buttocks
Standard Heights:	Dogs 18-20 inches at withers, Bitches 17-19 inches
Length of Hock	1/3 height of the dog
Breadth between ears	1/4 the dog's overall height