Country of Origin: Great Britain
GENERAL APPEARANCE
A balanced combination of muscular power and strength, elegance and graceful outlines. Fast and efficient. All forms of exaggeration should be avoided.
CHARACTERISTICS
An ideal companion. Highly adaptable in domestic and sporting surroundings.
TEMPERAMENT
Gentle, affectionate, even disposition.
HEAD AND SKULL
Long and lean, tapering to the muzzle. Flat on top, rather wide between the eyes, with slight stop. The jaws powerful and clean cut. Nose black, in blues a nose of a bluish color, in livers a nose of the coat color, and in whites or parti-colors a butterfly nose is permitted.
JAWS / TEETH / BITE
The jaws are powerful and clean cut. A regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the front teeth in the lower jaw are slightly touching the backside of the front teeth in the top jaw.
EYES
Oval, bright, expression very alert.
EARS
Rose-shaped, small, fine in texture.
NECK
Long, muscular, elegantly arched.
FOREQUARTERS
Forelegs straight, pasterns strong with slight spring, elbows well set under the body, front not too wide. Shoulders oblique and muscular, blades carried up to the spine, where they are clearly defined.
BODY
Chest very deep with plenty of room for the heart. Brisket deep and well defined, ribs well sprung. Back broad, firm, muscled, somewhat long, loin giving the impression of strength, showing definite arch over loin but not humped.
HINDQUARTERS
Strong, broad across thighs, stifles well bent, well developed second thighs, hocks well let down, dog stands over a lot of ground and shows great driving power.
FEET
Very neat, knuckles well arched, well split up between the toes; pads thick and strong.
TAIL
Long, tapering, no feathering. When in action carried in a delicate curve upward but not over back.
MOVEMENT
Free, true coming and going. Not stilted, high stepping, short or mincing. Hind legs should come well under the body giving great propelling power. Forelegs thrown well forward low over the ground.
COAT
Fine, short, close in texture.
COLOR
Any color or mixture of colors.
SIZE
Height:
Dogs 47-51 cm
Bitches 44-47 cm
FAULTS
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness of the fault should be in exact proportion to its degree.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS
Aggressivity and pathologic features are disqualifying faults.
NOTE
Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.