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 a 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 of 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 a complete dentition and a perfect,
regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping
the 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 the shape of dog. Region of nape very muscular. Dewlap
and loose skin undesirable.
FOREQUARTERS
Shoulder blade and upper arm meet 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 the 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 dew-claws
removed. Long, flat deviating feet and/or weak pasterns highly undesirable.
TAIL
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 dog is moving.
GAIT
Elastic, free, balanced and vigorous, with good reach in forequarters
and driving power in hind quarters. When trotting, should have strong rear drive,
with apparent rotary motion of hind quarters. 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 cm (27 inches); Bitches 65 cm (25.5
inches). 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.
NOTE
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended
into the scrotum.
Published with kind permission from The Kennel Club
©The Kennel Club www.the-kennel-club.org.uk.