General Appearance
Great nobility, smooth coated, medium sized, square build, strong bone & evident, well-developed muscles.
Characteristics
Lively, strong, loyal to owner and family, but distrustful of strangers. Obedient, friendly at play, but with guarding instinct.
Temperament
Equable, biddable, fearless, self-assured.
Head And Skull
Head imparts its unique individual stamp and is in proportion to body,
appearing neither light nor too heavy. Skull lean without exaggerated
cheek muscles. Muzzle broad, deep and powerful, never narrow, pointed,
short or shallow. Balance of skull and muzzle essential with muzzle
never appearing small, viewed from any angle. Skull cleanly covered,
showing no wrinkle, except when alerted. Creases present from root of
nose running down sides of muzzle. Dark mask confined to muzzle,
distinctly contrasting with color of head, even when white is present.
Lower jaw undershot, curving slightly upward. Upper jaw broad where
attached to skull, tapering very slightly to front. Muzzle shape
completed by upper lips, thick and well padded, supported by well
separated canine teeth of lower jaw. Lower edge of upper lip rests
on edge of lower lip, so that chin is clearly perceptible when viewed
from front or side. Lower jaw never to obscure front of upper lip,
neither should teeth nor tongue be visible when mouth closed. Top of
skull slightly arched, not rounded, nor too flat and broad. Occiput
not too pronounced. Distinct stop, bridge of nose never forced back
into forehead, nor should it be downfaced. Length of muzzle measured
from tip of nose to inside corner of eye is one third length of head
measured from tip of nose to occiput. Nose broad, black, slightly
turned up, wide nostrils with well defined line between. Tip of nose
set slightly higher than root of muzzle. Cheeks powerfully developed,
never bulging.
Eyes
Dark brown, forward looking, not too small, protruding or deeply set,
showing lively intelligent expression, Dark rims with good pigmentation
showing no haw.
Ears
Moderate size, thin, set wide apart on highest part of skull lying flat
and close to cheek in repose, but falling forward. with definite
crease when alert.
Mouth
Undershot jaw, canines set wide apart with incisors (6) in straight
line in lower jaw. In upper jaw set in line curving slightly forward.
Bite powerful and sound, with teeth set in normal arrangement.
Neck
Round, of ample length, strong, muscular, clean cut, no dewlap.
Distinctly marked nape and elegant arch down to withers.
Forequarters
Shoulders long and sloping, close lying, not excessively covered with
muscle. Upper arm long, making right angle to shoulder blade.
Forelegs seen from front, straight, parallel, with strong bone.
Elbows not too close or standing too far from chest wall.
Forearms perpendicular, long and firmly muscled. Pasterns short,
clearly defined, but not distended, slightly slanted.
Body
In profile square, length from fore chest to rear of upper thigh equal
to height at withers. Chest deep, reaching to elbows. Depth of chest
half height at withers. Ribs well arched, not barrel shaped, extending
well to rear. Withers clearly defined. Back short, straight, slightly
sloping, broad and strongly muscled. Loin short, well tucked up and
taut. Lower abdominal line blends into curve to rear.
Hindquarters
Very strong with muscles hard and standing out noticeably under skin.
Thighs broad and curved. Broad croup slightly sloped, with flat, broad
arch. Pelvis long and broad. Upper and lower thigh long. Good hind
angulation, when standing, the stifle is directly under the hip
protuberance. Seen from side, leg from hock joint to foot not quite
vertical. Seen from behind, legs straight, hock joints clean, with
powerful rear pads.
Feet
Front feet small and catlike, with well arched toes, and hard pads;
Hind feet slightly longer.
Tail
Set on high, customarily docked and carried upwards.
Gait / Movement
Strong, powerful with noble bearing, reaching well forward, and with
driving action of hindquarters. In profile, stride free & ground
covering.
Coat
Short, glossy, smooth & tight to body.
Colour
Fawn or brindle. White markings acceptable not exceeding one third of
ground colour.
Fawn. Various shades from dark red to light fawn.
Brindle. Black stripes on previously described fawn shades,
running parallel to ribs all over body. Stripes contrast distinctly
to ground colour, neither too close nor too thinly dispersed.
Ground colour clear not intermingling with stripes.
Size
Height:
Dogs: 57 - 63 cms (22.5 - 25 ins ).
Bitches: 53 - 59 cms ( 21 - 23 ins).
Weight:
Dogs: Approx. 30 - 32 Kg. (66 - 70 Lb )
Bitches: Approx. 25 - 27 Kg (n 55 - 60 Lb ).
Faults
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault &
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.
