Strongly built, muscular, well balanced and active with a keen, determined and intelligent expression.
Characteristics
Courageous, full of spirit, with a fun loving
attitude. A unique feature is a downfaced,
egg-shaped head. Irrespective of size dogs
should look masculine and bitches feminine.
Temperament
Of even temperament and amenable to discipline.
Although obstinate is particularly good with
people.
Head and Skull
Head long, strong and deep right to end of
muzzle, but not coarse. Viewed from front
egg-shaped and completely filled, its surface
free from hollows or indentations. Top of skull
almost flat from ear to ear. Profile curves
gently downwards from top of skull to tip of
nose which should be black and bent downwards at
tip. Nostrils well developed and under-jaw deep
and strong.
Eyes
Appearing narrow and triangular, obliquely
placed, black or as dark brown as possible so as
to appear almost black, and with a piercing
glint. Distance from tip of nose to eyes
perceptibly greater than that from eyes to top
of skull. Blue or partly blue undesirable.
Ears
Small, thin and placed close together. Dog
should be able to hold them stiffly erect, when
they point straight upwards.
Mouth
Teeth sound, clean, strong, of good size,
regular with perfect, regular and complete
scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely
overlapping lower teeth and set square to the
jaws. Lips clean and tight.
Neck
Very muscular, long, arched, tapering from
shoulders to head and free from loose skin.
Forequarters
Shoulders strong and muscular without loading.
Shoulder blades wide, flat and held closely to
chest wall and have a very pronounced backward
slope of front edge from bottom to top, forming
almost a right angle with upper arm. Elbows held
straight and strong, pasterns upright. Forelegs
have strongest type of round, quality bone, dog
should stand solidly upon them and they should
be perfectly parallel. In mature dogs length of
foreleg should be approximately equal to depth
of chest.
Body
Body well rounded with marked spring of rib and
great depth from withers to brisket, so that
latter nearer ground than belly. Back short,
strong with backline behind withers level,
arching or roaching slightly over broad, well
muscled loins. Underline from brisket to belly
forms a graceful upward curve. Chest broad when
viewed from front.
Hindquarters
Hindlegs in parallel when viewed from behind.
Thighs muscular and second thighs well
developed. Stifle joint well bent and hock well
angulated with bone to foot short and strong.
Feet
Round and compact with well arched toes.
Tail
Short, set on low and carried horizontally.
Thick at root, it tapers to a fine point.
Gait/Movement
When moving appears well knit, smoothly covering
ground with free, easy strides and with a
typical jaunty air. When trotting, movement
parallel, front and back, only converging
towards centre line at faster speeds, forelegs
reaching out well and hindlegs moving smoothly
at hip, flexing well at stifle and hock, with
great thrust.
Coat
Short, flat, even and harsh to touch with a fine
gloss. Skin fitting dog tightly. A soft textured
undercoat may be present in winter.
Colour
For White, pure white coat. Skin pigmentation
and markings on head not to be penalised. For
Coloured, colour predominates; all other things
being equal, brindle preferred. Black, brindle,
red, fawn and tricolour acceptable. Tick
markings in white coat undesirable. Blue and
liver highly undesirable.
Size
There are neither weight nor height limits, but
there should be the impression of maximum
substance for size of dog consistent with
quality and sex.
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.