Canadian Kennel
Club
Breed Standard
|
American Kennel
Club
Breed Standard
Approved
February 10, 1990
Effective
March 28, 1990
|
General
Appearance:
A
strong, compact-looking dog of great symmetry, practically the same
in measurement from shoulder to stern in height, absolutely free from legginess
or weaselness,very elastic in his gallop, but inwalking or trotting he
has a characteristic ambling or pacingmovement, and his bark should be
loud, with a peculiar "pot-casse" ring in it. Taking him all round, he
is a profusely, but not excessively coated, thick-set, muscular, able-bodied
dog with a most intelligent expression, free from all Poodle or Deerhound
character. Soundness should be considered of greatest importance. |
General
Appearance:
A
strong, compact, square, balanced dog. Taking him all around, he is profusely,
but not excessively coated, thickset, muscular and able-bodied. These qualities,
combined with his agility, fit him for the demanding tasks required of
a shepherd's or drover's dog. Therefore, soundness is of the greatest importance.
His bark is loud with a distinctive "pot-casse" ring in it.
Proportion ~ Length
(measured from point of shoulder to point of ischium [tuberosity]) practically
the same as the height. Absolutely free from legginess or weaselness.
Substance ~ Well
muscled with plenty of bone.
Head ~ A
most intelligent expression. |
Size:
Twenty-two
inches (56 cm) and upwards for dogs and slightly less for bitches. Type,
character, and symmetry are of the greatest importance and are on no account
to be sacrificed to size alone. |
Size:
Height
(measured
from top of withers to the ground)
Dogs:
22 inches (55.8 cm) + upward.
Bitches:
21 inches (53.3 cm) + upward. |
Coat
& Colour:
Coat
profuse, but not so excessive as to give the impression of the dog being
overfat, and of a good hard texture; not straight, but shaggy and free
from curl. Quality and texture of coat to be considered above mere profuseness.
Softness or flatness of coat to be considered a fault. The undercoat should
be a waterproof pile, when not removed by grooming or season. Colour any
shade of grey, grizzle, blue or blue-merled with or without white markings
or in reverse. Any shade of brown or fawn to be considered distinctly objectionable
and not to be encouraged.
|
Coat:
Profuse,
but not so excessive as to give the impression of the dog being overly
fat, and of a good hard texture; not straight, but shaggy and free from
curl. Quality and texture of coat to be considered above mere profuseness.
Softness or flatness of coat to be considered a fault. The undercoat is
a waterproof pile when not removed by grooming or season. Ears coated moderately.
The whole skull well covered with hair. The neck well coated with hair.
The forelegs well coated all around. The hams densely coated with a thick,
long jacket in excess of any other part. Neither the natural outline nor
the natural texture of the coat may be changed by any artificial means
except that the feet and rear may be trimmed for cleanliness.
Color:
Any
shade of gray, grizzle, blue or blue merle with or without white markings
or in reverse. Any shade of brown or fawn to be considered distinctly objectionable
and not to be encouraged. |
Skull:
Capacious
and rather squarely formed, giving plenty of room for brain power. The
parts over the eyes should be well arched and the whole well covered with
hair. |
Skull:
Capacious
and rather squarely formed giving plenty of room for brain power. The parts
over the eyes (supra-orbital ridges) are well arched. The whole well covered
with hair. |
Muzzle:
Fairly
long, strong, square, and truncated. The stop should be well defined to
avoid a Deerhound face.
(The
attention of judges is particularly called to the above properties as a
long, narrow head is a deformity.) |
Jaw:
Fairly
long, strong, square and truncated. (Attention
is particularly called to the above properties as a long, narrow head or
snipy muzzle is a deformity.)
Stop:
Well
defined. |
Nose:
Always
black, large and capacious. |
Nose:
Always
black, large and capacious. |
Mouth:
Teeth
strong and large, evenly placed and level in opposition. |
Teeth:
Strong,
large and evenly placed. The bite is level or tight scissors. |
Eyes:
Vary
according to the colour of the dog. Very dark preferred, but in the glaucous
or blue dogs a pearl, walleye, or china eye is considered typical.
(A
light eye is most objectionable.) |
Eyes:
Brown,
blue or one of each. If brown, very dark is preferred. If blue, a pearl,
china or wall-eye is considered typical. An amber or yellow eye is most
objectionable. |
Ears:
Medium
sized, and carried flat to side of the head, coated moderately. |
Ears:
Medium
sized and carried flat to the side of the head. |
Neck:
The
neck should be fairly long, arched gracefully and well coated with hair. |
Neck,
Topline, Body - Neck:
Fairly
long and arched gracefully. |
Forequarters:
The
shoulders sloping and narrow at the points. The forelegs should be dead
straight, with plenty of bone, removing the body a medium height from the
ground, without approaching legginess, and well coated all around. |
Forequarters:
Shoulders
well laid back and narrow at the points. The forelegs dead straight with
plenty of bone. The measurements from the withers to the elbow and from
the elbow to the ground are practically the same. |
Body:
The
dogs stands lower at the shoulder than at the loin. Rather short and very
compact, ribs well sprung and brisket deep and capacious. Slab-sidedness
highly undesirable. The loin be very stout and gently arched. |
Topline:
Stands
lower at the withers than at the loin with no indication of softness or
weakness. Attention is particularly called to this topline as it is a distinguishing
characteristic of the breed.
Body:
Rather
short and very compact, broader at the rump than at the shoulders, ribs
well sprung and brisket deep and capacious. Neither slab-sided nor barrel-chested.
The loin is very stout and gently arched. |
Hindquarters:
Should
be round and muscular and with well-let-down hocks, and the hams densely
coated with a thick, long jacket in excess of any other part. Feet small,
round; toes well arched, and pads thick and hard. |
Hindquarters:
Round
and muscular with well let down hocks. When standing, the metatarses are
perpendicular to the ground when viewed from any angle. |
Tail:
It
is preferable that there should be none. Should never, however, exceed
1 1/2 - 2 inches (4 - 5 cm) in grown dogs. When not natural-born bobtails,
puppies should be docked at the first joint from the body and the operation
performed when they are from three to four days old. |
Tail:
Docked
close to the body, when not naturally bob tailed. |
Faults:
Softness
or flatness of coat to be considered a fault. Any shade of brown or fawn
to be considered distinctly objectionable and not to be encouraged. A long,
narrow head is a deformity. A light eye is most objectionable. Slab-sidedness
highly undesirable. |
Gait:
When
trotting, movement is free and powerful, seemingly effortless, with good
reach and drive, and covering maximum ground with minimum steps. Very elastic
at a gallop. May amble or pace at lower speeds. |
| Scale
of Points |
|
 |
|
| Skull |
5 |
| Eyes |
5 |
| Ears |
5 |
| Teeth |
5 |
| Nose |
5 |
| Jaw |
5 |
| Foreface |
5 |
| Neck
and Shoulders |
5 |
| Body
and Loin |
10 |
| Hindquarters |
10 |
| Legs |
10 |
| Coat
(texture, quality and condition) |
15 |
General
Appearance
and
Movement |
15 |
| Total |
100 |
|
Temperament:
An
adaptable, intelligent dog of even disposition, with no sign of aggression,
shyness or nervousness. |
