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General Appearance
Medium size, muscular and elegant, with well set body. Of proud
carriage, compact and tough. Capable of great speed.
Characteristics
Intelligent and firm of character, loyal and obedient
Temperament
Bold and alert. Shyness or viciousness very highly undesirable.
Head and Skull
In proportion to body. Long, well filled out under eyes and clean
cut, with good depth of muzzle. Seen from above and side, resembles
an elongated blunt wedge. Upper part of head flat and free from
wrinkle. Top of skull flat, slight stop; muzzle line extending
parallel to top line of skull. Cheeks flat, lips tight. Nose solid
black in black dogs, solid dark brown in brown dogs, solid dark grey
in blue dogs and light brown in fawn dogs. Head out of balance in
proportion to body, dish-faced, snipy or cheeky very highly
undesirable.
Eyes
Almond-shaped, not round, moderately deep set, not prominent, with
lively, alert expression. Iris of uniform colour, ranging from
medium to darkest brown in black dogs, the darker shade being more
desirable. In browns, blues, or fawns, colour of iris blends with
that of markings, but not of lighter hue than markings; light eyes
in black dogs highly undesirable.
Ears
Small, neat, set high on head. Normally dropped, but may be erect.
Mouth
Well developed, solid and strong with complete dentition and a
perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely
overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Evenly placed
teeth. Undershot, overshot or badly arranged teeth highly
undesirable.
Neck
Fairly long and lean, carried with considerable nobility; slightly
convex and in proportion to shape of dog. Region of nape very
muscular. Dewlap and loose skin undesirable.
Forequarters
Shoulder blade and upper arm meet at an angle of 90 degrees.
Shoulder blade and upper arm approximately equal in length. Short
upper arm relative to shoulder blade highly undesirable. Legs seen
from front and side, perfectly straight and parallel to each other
from elbow to pastern; muscled and sinewy, with round bone in
proportion to body structure. Standing or gaiting, elbow lies close
to brisket.
Body
Square, height measured vertically from ground to highest point at
withers equal to length from forechest to rear projection of upper
thigh. Forechest well developed. Back short and firm, with strong,
straight topline sloping slightly from withers to croup; bitches may
be slightly longer to loin. Ribs deep and well sprung, reaching to
elbow. Belly fairly well tucked up. Long, weak, or roach backs
highly undesirable.
Hindquarters
Legs parallel to each other and moderately wide apart. Pelvis
falling away from spinal column at an angle of about 30 degrees.
Croup well filled out. Hindquarters well developed and muscular;
long, well bent stifle; hocks turning neither in nor out. When
standing, hock to heel perpendicular to the ground.
Feet
Well arched, compact, and cat-like, turning neither in nor out. All
dewclaws removed. Long, flat deviating feet and/or weak pasterns
highly undesirable.
Tail
Customarily docked.
Docked: Docked at 1st or 2nd joint. Appears to be a continuation of
spine without material drop.
Undocked: Appears to be a continuation of spine without material
drop, or slightly raised when the dog is moving.
Gait/Movement
Elastic, free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in
forequarters and driving power in hindquarters. When trotting,
should have strong rear drive, with apparent rotary motion of
hindquarters. Rear and front legs thrown neither in nor out. Back
remains strong and firm.
Coat
Smooth, short, hard, thick and close-lying. Imperceptible undercoat
on neck permissible. Hair forming a ridge on back of neck and/or
along spine highly undesirable.
Colour
Definite black, brown, blue or fawn (Isabella) only, with rust red
markings. Markings to be sharply defined, appearing above each eye,
on muzzle, throat and forechest, on all legs and feet and below
tail. White markings of any kind highly undesirable.
Size
Ideal height at withers: dogs: 69 cms (27 ins); bitches: 65 cms
(251/2 ins). Considerable deviation from this ideal undesirable.
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault
and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should
be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health
and welfare of the dog.
Note
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into the scrotum.
Published with kind permission from The Kennel Club
ŠThe Kennel Club
www.the-kennel-club.org.uk. |